diff --git a/src/avalanche/processor.h b/src/avalanche/processor.h
--- a/src/avalanche/processor.h
+++ b/src/avalanche/processor.h
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@
     bool registerVotes(NodeId nodeid, const Response &response,
                        std::vector<BlockUpdate> &updates);
 
-    bool addNode(NodeId nodeid, const Proof &proof,
+    bool addNode(NodeId nodeid, const std::shared_ptr<Proof> &proof,
                  const Delegation &delegation);
     bool forNode(NodeId nodeid, std::function<bool(const Node &n)> func) const;
 
diff --git a/src/avalanche/processor.cpp b/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
 }
 
 struct Processor::PeerData {
-    Proof proof;
+    std::shared_ptr<Proof> proof;
     Delegation delegation;
 };
 
@@ -154,8 +154,7 @@
 
         if (m_processor->mustRegisterProof &&
             !::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
-            m_processor->peerManager->getPeerId(
-                std::make_shared<Proof>(m_processor->peerData->proof));
+            m_processor->peerManager->getPeerId(m_processor->peerData->proof);
             m_processor->mustRegisterProof = false;
         }
 
@@ -216,14 +215,15 @@
         }
 
         peerData = std::make_unique<PeerData>();
-        if (!Proof::FromHex(peerData->proof, argsman.GetArg("-avaproof", ""),
+        peerData->proof = std::make_shared<Proof>();
+        if (!Proof::FromHex(*peerData->proof, argsman.GetArg("-avaproof", ""),
                             error)) {
             // error is set by FromHex
             return nullptr;
         }
 
         ProofValidationState proof_state;
-        if (!peerData->proof.verify(proof_state)) {
+        if (!peerData->proof->verify(proof_state)) {
             switch (proof_state.GetResult()) {
                 case ProofValidationResult::NO_STAKE:
                     error = _("the avalanche proof has no stake");
@@ -250,8 +250,8 @@
         }
 
         // Generate the delegation to the session key.
-        DelegationBuilder dgb(peerData->proof);
-        if (sessionKey.GetPubKey() != peerData->proof.getMaster()) {
+        DelegationBuilder dgb(*peerData->proof);
+        if (sessionKey.GetPubKey() != peerData->proof->getMaster()) {
             dgb.addLevel(masterKey, sessionKey.GetPubKey());
         }
         peerData->delegation = dgb.build();
@@ -442,11 +442,10 @@
     return true;
 }
 
-bool Processor::addNode(NodeId nodeid, const Proof &proof,
+bool Processor::addNode(NodeId nodeid, const std::shared_ptr<Proof> &proof,
                         const Delegation &delegation) {
     LOCK(cs_peerManager);
-    return peerManager->addNode(nodeid, std::make_shared<Proof>(proof),
-                                delegation);
+    return peerManager->addNode(nodeid, proof, delegation);
 }
 
 bool Processor::forNode(NodeId nodeid,
diff --git a/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp b/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
 
     bool addNode(NodeId nodeid) {
         auto proof = GetProof();
-        return m_processor->addNode(nodeid, *proof,
+        return m_processor->addNode(nodeid, proof,
                                     DelegationBuilder(*proof).build());
     }
 
diff --git a/src/rpc/avalanche.cpp b/src/rpc/avalanche.cpp
--- a/src/rpc/avalanche.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/avalanche.cpp
@@ -80,19 +80,20 @@
     const NodeId nodeid = request.params[0].get_int64();
     const CPubKey key = ParsePubKey(request.params[1]);
 
-    avalanche::Proof proof;
+    auto proof = std::make_shared<avalanche::Proof>();
     bilingual_str error;
-    if (!avalanche::Proof::FromHex(proof, request.params[2].get_str(), error)) {
+    if (!avalanche::Proof::FromHex(*proof, request.params[2].get_str(),
+                                   error)) {
         throw JSONRPCError(RPC_INVALID_PARAMETER, error.original);
     }
 
-    if (key != proof.getMaster()) {
+    if (key != proof->getMaster()) {
         // TODO: we want to provide a proper delegation.
         return false;
     }
 
     return g_avalanche->addNode(nodeid, proof,
-                                avalanche::DelegationBuilder(proof).build());
+                                avalanche::DelegationBuilder(*proof).build());
 }
 
 static UniValue buildavalancheproof(const Config &config,