diff --git a/firewood/src/merkle.rs b/firewood/src/merkle.rs
index 168b44500..d54dcb0a5 100644
--- a/firewood/src/merkle.rs
+++ b/firewood/src/merkle.rs
@@ -1519,7 +1519,7 @@ impl<S: ShaleStore<Node> + Send + Sync, T> Merkle<S, T> {
     ) -> Result<NodeObjRef<'a>, MerkleError> {
         if let Err(ObjWriteSizeError) = write_result {
             let old_node_address = node.as_ptr();
-            node = self.put_node(node.clone())?;
+            node = self.put_node(node.into_inner())?;
             deleted.push(old_node_address);
 
             set_parent(node.as_ptr(), parents);
@@ -2323,7 +2323,6 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[ignore]
     fn single_key_proof_with_one_node() {
         let mut merkle = create_test_merkle();
         let root = merkle.init_root().unwrap();
@@ -2362,7 +2361,6 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[ignore]
     fn update_leaf_with_larger_path() -> Result<(), MerkleError> {
         let path = vec![0x00];
         let data = vec![0x00];
@@ -2382,7 +2380,6 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[ignore]
     fn update_leaf_with_larger_data() -> Result<(), MerkleError> {
         let path = vec![0x00];
         let data = vec![0x00];
@@ -2402,7 +2399,6 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[ignore]
     fn update_branch_with_larger_path() -> Result<(), MerkleError> {
         let path = vec![0x00];
         let data = vec![0x00];
@@ -2424,7 +2420,6 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[ignore]
     fn update_branch_with_larger_data() -> Result<(), MerkleError> {
         let path = vec![0x00];
         let data = vec![0x00];
diff --git a/firewood/src/shale/compact.rs b/firewood/src/shale/compact.rs
index 15306bceb..b71a3f5f0 100644
--- a/firewood/src/shale/compact.rs
+++ b/firewood/src/shale/compact.rs
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ impl<T: Storable + Debug + 'static + PartialEq, M: CachedStore + Send + Sync> Sh
 
         let cache = &self.obj_cache;
 
-        let mut obj_ref = ObjRef::new(Some(obj), cache);
+        let mut obj_ref = ObjRef::new(obj, cache);
 
         // should this use a `?` instead of `unwrap`?
         #[allow(clippy::unwrap_used)]
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ impl<T: Storable + Debug + 'static + PartialEq, M: CachedStore + Send + Sync> Sh
         let cache = &self.obj_cache;
 
         if let Some(obj) = obj {
-            return Ok(ObjRef::new(Some(obj), cache));
+            return Ok(ObjRef::new(obj, cache));
         }
 
         #[allow(clippy::unwrap_used)]
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ impl<T: Storable + Debug + 'static + PartialEq, M: CachedStore + Send + Sync> Sh
         let obj = self.obj_cache.put(inner.get_data_ref(ptr, payload_size)?);
         let cache = &self.obj_cache;
 
-        Ok(ObjRef::new(Some(obj), cache))
+        Ok(ObjRef::new(obj, cache))
     }
 
     #[allow(clippy::unwrap_used)]
diff --git a/firewood/src/shale/mod.rs b/firewood/src/shale/mod.rs
index 1d3cb79af..a7b762c13 100644
--- a/firewood/src/shale/mod.rs
+++ b/firewood/src/shale/mod.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock, RwLockWriteGuard};
 
 use thiserror::Error;
 
+use crate::merkle::{LeafNode, Node, PartialPath};
+
 pub mod cached;
 pub mod compact;
 pub mod disk_address;
@@ -155,6 +157,17 @@ impl<T: Storable> Obj<T> {
     }
 }
 
+impl Obj<Node> {
+    pub fn into_inner(mut self) -> Node {
+        let empty_node = LeafNode {
+            path: PartialPath(Vec::new()),
+            data: Vec::new().into(),
+        };
+
+        std::mem::replace(&mut self.value.decoded, Node::from_leaf(empty_node))
+    }
+}
+
 impl<T: Storable> Drop for Obj<T> {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         self.flush_dirty()
@@ -171,12 +184,15 @@ impl<T: Storable> Deref for Obj<T> {
 /// User handle that offers read & write access to the stored [ShaleStore] item.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct ObjRef<'a, T: Storable> {
+    /// WARNING:
+    /// [Self::inner] should only set to [None] when consuming [Self] or inside [Drop::drop].
     inner: Option<Obj<T>>,
     cache: &'a ObjCache<T>,
 }
 
 impl<'a, T: Storable + Debug> ObjRef<'a, T> {
-    const fn new(inner: Option<Obj<T>>, cache: &'a ObjCache<T>) -> Self {
+    const fn new(inner: Obj<T>, cache: &'a ObjCache<T>) -> Self {
+        let inner = Some(inner);
         Self { inner, cache }
     }
 
@@ -196,6 +212,17 @@ impl<'a, T: Storable + Debug> ObjRef<'a, T> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<'a> ObjRef<'a, Node> {
+    /// # Panics:
+    /// if inner is not set
+    pub fn into_inner(mut self) -> Node {
+        self.inner
+            .take()
+            .expect("inner should already be set")
+            .into_inner()
+    }
+}
+
 impl<'a, T: Storable + Debug> Deref for ObjRef<'a, T> {
     type Target = Obj<T>;
     fn deref(&self) -> &Obj<T> {
@@ -207,16 +234,16 @@ impl<'a, T: Storable + Debug> Deref for ObjRef<'a, T> {
 
 impl<'a, T: Storable> Drop for ObjRef<'a, T> {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
-        #[allow(clippy::unwrap_used)]
-        let mut inner = self.inner.take().unwrap();
-        let ptr = inner.as_ptr();
-        let mut cache = self.cache.lock();
-        match cache.pinned.remove(&ptr) {
-            Some(true) => {
-                inner.dirty = None;
-            }
-            _ => {
-                cache.cached.put(ptr, inner);
+        if let Some(mut inner) = self.inner.take() {
+            let ptr = inner.as_ptr();
+            let mut cache = self.cache.lock();
+            match cache.pinned.remove(&ptr) {
+                Some(true) => {
+                    inner.dirty = None;
+                }
+                _ => {
+                    cache.cached.put(ptr, inner);
+                }
             }
         }
     }