diff --git a/common/node.go b/common/node.go
index 4e23487..8f86e8a 100644
--- a/common/node.go
+++ b/common/node.go
@@ -26,15 +26,7 @@ func (n *Node) String() string {
 	return n.Addr.String()
 }
 
-func MakeLocalNode(overlayAddr net.IPNet, pubKey string) Node {
-	return Node{
-		nodeMeta: nodeMeta{
-			OverlayAddr: overlayAddr,
-			PubKey:      pubKey,
-		},
-	}
-}
-
+// Encode the node metadata to bytes, in a deterministic reversible way
 func (n *Node) Encode(limit int) ([]byte, error) {
 	buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
 	if err := gob.NewEncoder(buf).Encode(n.nodeMeta); err != nil {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c1c06e6..caa1670 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	wg.AssignOverlayAddr((*net.IPNet)(config.OverlayNet), cluster.LocalName)
-	localNode := common.MakeLocalNode(wg.OverlayAddr, wg.PubKey.String())
+	localNode := common.Node{}
+	localNode.OverlayAddr = wg.OverlayAddr
+	localNode.PubKey = wg.PubKey.String()
 	cluster.Update(localNode)
 
 	nodec := cluster.Members() // avoid deadlocks by starting before join