diff --git a/src/network_engine.cpp b/src/network_engine.cpp
index 60bfec9aa2b9d1dec05c2a9449cc5e3fef453cb0..4f3e98bf9c137871fcb98b0357b1298a2e926562 100644
--- a/src/network_engine.cpp
+++ b/src/network_engine.cpp
@@ -286,11 +286,11 @@ NetworkEngine::requestStep(Sp<Request> sreq)
 void
 NetworkEngine::sendRequest(const Sp<Request>& request)
 {
-    auto& node = request->node;
-    if (not node->id)
+    auto& node = *request->node;
+    if (not node.id)
         requests.emplace(request->tid, request);
     request->start = scheduler.time();
-    node->requested(request);
+    node.requested(request);
     requestStep(request);
 }