diff --git a/lib/msg-v3/tangle.js b/lib/msg-v3/tangle.js
index 5d9bbe5..276a178 100644
--- a/lib/msg-v3/tangle.js
+++ b/lib/msg-v3/tangle.js
@@ -224,8 +224,7 @@ class Tangle {
 
   get root() {
     if (!this.#rootMsg) {
-      console.trace('Tangle is missing root message')
-      return null
+      throw new Error(`Tangle "${this.#rootID}" is missing root message`)
     }
     return this.#rootMsg
   }
@@ -298,7 +297,8 @@ class Tangle {
     if (msgBID === this.#rootID) return false
     let toCheck = [msgBID]
     while (toCheck.length > 0) {
-      const prev = this.#prev.get(/** @type {string} */ (toCheck.shift()))
+      const checking = /** @type {string} */ (toCheck.shift())
+      const prev = this.#prev.get(checking)
       if (!prev) continue
       if (prev.includes(msgAID)) return true
       toCheck.push(...prev)