diff --git a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.cpp b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.cpp
index 6f59a10e..400b2bb7 100644
--- a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.cpp
+++ b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "DataNodeStore.h"
 
 using std::unique_ptr;
+using std::make_unique;
 using blockstore::Block;
 using blockstore::Data;
 using blockstore::Key;
@@ -14,15 +15,23 @@ constexpr uint32_t DataInnerNode::MAX_STORED_CHILDREN;
 
 DataInnerNode::DataInnerNode(DataNodeView view)
 : DataNode(std::move(view)) {
+  assert(depth() > 0);
 }
 
 DataInnerNode::~DataInnerNode() {
 }
 
-void DataInnerNode::InitializeNewNode(const DataNode &first_child) {
-  *node().Depth() = first_child.depth() + 1;
-  *node().Size() = 1;
-  ChildrenBegin()->setKey(first_child.key());
+unique_ptr<DataInnerNode> DataInnerNode::InitializeNewNode(unique_ptr<Block> block, const DataNode &first_child) {
+  DataNodeView node(std::move(block));
+  *node.Depth() = first_child.depth() + 1;
+  *node.Size() = 1;
+  auto result = make_unique<DataInnerNode>(std::move(node));
+  result->ChildrenBegin()->setKey(first_child.key());
+  return result;
+}
+
+uint8_t DataInnerNode::depth() const {
+  return *node().Depth();
 }
 
 uint32_t DataInnerNode::numChildren() const {
diff --git a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.h b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.h
index 75b114fa..452f010c 100644
--- a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.h
+++ b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNode.h
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ namespace datanodestore {
 
 class DataInnerNode: public DataNode {
 public:
+  static std::unique_ptr<DataInnerNode> InitializeNewNode(std::unique_ptr<blockstore::Block> block, const DataNode &first_child_key);
+
   DataInnerNode(DataNodeView block);
   virtual ~DataInnerNode();
 
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ public:
 
   static constexpr uint32_t MAX_STORED_CHILDREN = DataNodeView::DATASIZE_BYTES / sizeof(ChildEntry);
 
-  void InitializeNewNode(const DataNode &first_child_key);
+  uint8_t depth() const;
 
   ChildEntry *getChild(unsigned int index);
   const ChildEntry *getChild(unsigned int index) const;
diff --git a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.cpp b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.cpp
index 0c6f9740..3df4b546 100644
--- a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.cpp
+++ b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.cpp
@@ -13,16 +13,19 @@ namespace datanodestore {
 
 DataLeafNode::DataLeafNode(DataNodeView view)
 : DataNode(std::move(view)) {
+  assert(*node().Depth() == 0);
   assert(numBytes() <= MAX_STORED_BYTES);
 }
 
 DataLeafNode::~DataLeafNode() {
 }
 
-void DataLeafNode::InitializeNewNode() {
-  *node().Depth() = 0;
-  *node().Size() = 0;
+unique_ptr<DataLeafNode> DataLeafNode::InitializeNewNode(unique_ptr<Block> block) {
+  DataNodeView node(std::move(block));
+  *node.Depth() = 0;
+  *node.Size() = 0;
   //fillDataWithZeroes(); not needed, because a newly created block will be zeroed out. DataLeafNodeTest.SpaceIsZeroFilledWhenGrowing ensures this.
+  return make_unique<DataLeafNode>(std::move(node));
 }
 
 void *DataLeafNode::data() {
diff --git a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.h b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.h
index 7b3d0c83..3f08d8a8 100644
--- a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.h
+++ b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNode.h
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ class DataInnerNode;
 
 class DataLeafNode: public DataNode {
 public:
+  static std::unique_ptr<DataLeafNode> InitializeNewNode(std::unique_ptr<blockstore::Block> block);
+
   DataLeafNode(DataNodeView block);
   virtual ~DataLeafNode();
 
   static constexpr uint32_t MAX_STORED_BYTES = DataNodeView::DATASIZE_BYTES;
 
-  void InitializeNewNode();
-
   void *data();
   const void *data() const;
 
diff --git a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNode.cpp b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNode.cpp
index 53e7f061..492acc64 100644
--- a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNode.cpp
+++ b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNode.cpp
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ unique_ptr<DataInnerNode> DataNode::convertToNewInnerNode(unique_ptr<DataNode> n
   auto block = node->_node.releaseBlock();
   std::memset(block->data(), 0, block->size());
 
-  auto innerNode = make_unique<DataInnerNode>(DataNodeView(std::move(block)));
-  innerNode->InitializeNewNode(first_child);
-  return innerNode;
+  return DataInnerNode::InitializeNewNode(std::move(block), first_child);
 }
 
 void DataNode::flush() const {
diff --git a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNodeStore.cpp b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNodeStore.cpp
index 6a96696e..ead1e992 100644
--- a/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNodeStore.cpp
+++ b/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataNodeStore.cpp
@@ -38,16 +38,12 @@ unique_ptr<DataNode> DataNodeStore::load(unique_ptr<Block> block) {
 
 unique_ptr<DataInnerNode> DataNodeStore::createNewInnerNode(const DataNode &first_child) {
   auto block = _blockstore->create(DataNodeView::BLOCKSIZE_BYTES);
-  auto newNode = make_unique<DataInnerNode>(std::move(block));
-  newNode->InitializeNewNode(first_child);
-  return std::move(newNode);
+  return DataInnerNode::InitializeNewNode(std::move(block), first_child);
 }
 
 unique_ptr<DataLeafNode> DataNodeStore::createNewLeafNode() {
   auto block = _blockstore->create(DataNodeView::BLOCKSIZE_BYTES);
-  auto newNode = make_unique<DataLeafNode>(std::move(block));
-  newNode->InitializeNewNode();
-  return std::move(newNode);
+  return DataLeafNode::InitializeNewNode(std::move(block));
 }
 
 unique_ptr<DataNode> DataNodeStore::load(const Key &key) {
diff --git a/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNodeTest.cpp b/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNodeTest.cpp
index fabc3c16..18afaeaf 100644
--- a/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNodeTest.cpp
+++ b/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataInnerNodeTest.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ public:
     return dynamic_pointer_move<DataInnerNode>(copied);
   }
 
+  Key InitializeInnerNodeAddLeafReturnKey() {
+    auto node = DataInnerNode::InitializeNewNode(blockStore->create(DataNodeView::BLOCKSIZE_BYTES), *leaf);
+    AddALeafTo(node.get());
+    return node->key();
+  }
+
   Data ZEROES;
   unique_ptr<BlockStore> _blockStore;
   BlockStore *blockStore;
@@ -101,15 +107,15 @@ public:
 };
 
 TEST_F(DataInnerNodeTest, InitializesCorrectly) {
-  node->InitializeNewNode(*leaf);
+  auto node = DataInnerNode::InitializeNewNode(blockStore->create(DataNodeView::BLOCKSIZE_BYTES), *leaf);
 
   EXPECT_EQ(1u, node->numChildren());
   EXPECT_EQ(leaf->key(), node->getChild(0)->key());
 }
 
 TEST_F(DataInnerNodeTest, ReinitializesCorrectly) {
-  AddALeafTo(node.get());
-  node->InitializeNewNode(*leaf);
+  auto key = InitializeInnerNodeAddLeafReturnKey();
+  auto node = DataInnerNode::InitializeNewNode(blockStore->load(key), *leaf);
 
   EXPECT_EQ(1u, node->numChildren());
   EXPECT_EQ(leaf->key(), node->getChild(0)->key());
diff --git a/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNodeTest.cpp b/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNodeTest.cpp
index b376a1ec..84a8e401 100644
--- a/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNodeTest.cpp
+++ b/test/implementations/onblocks/datanodestore/DataLeafNodeTest.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,12 @@ public:
     return dynamic_pointer_move<DataLeafNode>(copied);
   }
 
+  Key InitializeLeafGrowAndReturnKey() {
+    auto leaf = DataLeafNode::InitializeNewNode(blockStore->create(DataNodeView::BLOCKSIZE_BYTES));
+    leaf->resize(5);
+    return leaf->key();
+  }
+
   Data ZEROES;
   Data randomData;
   unique_ptr<BlockStore> _blockStore;
@@ -97,13 +103,13 @@ public:
 };
 
 TEST_F(DataLeafNodeTest, InitializesCorrectly) {
-  leaf->InitializeNewNode();
+  auto leaf = DataLeafNode::InitializeNewNode(blockStore->create(DataNodeView::BLOCKSIZE_BYTES));
   EXPECT_EQ(0u, leaf->numBytes());
 }
 
 TEST_F(DataLeafNodeTest, ReinitializesCorrectly) {
-  leaf->resize(5);
-  leaf->InitializeNewNode();
+  auto key = InitializeLeafGrowAndReturnKey();
+  auto leaf = DataLeafNode::InitializeNewNode(blockStore->load(key));
   EXPECT_EQ(0u, leaf->numBytes());
 }