diff --git a/router/gossip.go b/router/gossip.go
index ada37663..d683e22e 100644
--- a/router/gossip.go
+++ b/router/gossip.go
@@ -201,7 +201,8 @@ func (c *GossipChannel) sendGossipDown(conn Connection, data GossipData) {
 	sender, found := c.senders[conn]
 	if !found {
 		sender = NewGossipSender(func(pending GossipData) {
-			conn.(ProtocolSender).SendProtocolMsg(c.gossipMsg(pending.Encode()))
+			protocolMsg := ProtocolMsg{ProtocolGossip, GobEncode(c.hash, c.ourself.Name, pending.Encode())}
+			conn.(ProtocolSender).SendProtocolMsg(protocolMsg)
 		})
 		c.senders[conn] = sender
 		sender.Start()
@@ -209,10 +210,6 @@ func (c *GossipChannel) sendGossipDown(conn Connection, data GossipData) {
 	sender.Send(data)
 }
 
-func (c *GossipChannel) gossipMsg(buf []byte) ProtocolMsg {
-	return ProtocolMsg{ProtocolGossip, GobEncode(c.hash, c.ourself.Name, buf)}
-}
-
 func (c *GossipChannel) GossipUnicast(dstPeerName PeerName, buf []byte) error {
 	return c.relayGossipUnicast(dstPeerName, GobEncode(c.hash, c.ourself.Name, dstPeerName, buf))
 }