diff --git a/src/resolver.js b/src/resolver.js
index 30afcb0..3a8f269 100644
--- a/src/resolver.js
+++ b/src/resolver.js
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ const resolve = (binaryBlob, path, callback) => {
       return callback(err)
     }
 
-    // Requesting the root node returns the deserialized block
-    if (!path || path === '/') {
+    // Return the deserialized block if no path is given
+    if (!path) {
       return callback(null, {
         value: dagNode,
         remainderPath: ''
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ const resolve = (binaryBlob, path, callback) => {
     }
 
     const pathArray = path.split('/')
-    // `/` is the first element
-    pathArray.shift()
     const value = resolveField(dagNode.header, pathArray[0])
     if (value === null) {
       return callback(new Error('No such path'), null)
@@ -98,13 +96,13 @@ const tree = (binaryBlob, options, callback) => {
       return callback(err)
     }
 
-    const paths = ['/version', '/timestamp', '/difficulty', '/nonce',
-      '/solution', '/reserved', '/parent', '/tx']
+    const paths = ['version', 'timestamp', 'difficulty', 'nonce',
+      'solution', 'reserved', 'parent', 'tx']
 
     if (options.values === true) {
       const pathValues = {}
       for (let path of paths) {
-        pathValues[path] = resolveField(dagNode.header, path.substr(1))
+        pathValues[path] = resolveField(dagNode.header, path)
       }
       return callback(null, pathValues)
     } else {
diff --git a/test/resolver.spec.js b/test/resolver.spec.js
index d0ba1bc..31c40a6 100644
--- a/test/resolver.spec.js
+++ b/test/resolver.spec.js
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API resolve()', () => {
     })
   })
 
-  it('should return the deserialized node if the root is requested', (done) => {
-    IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, '/', (err, value) => {
+  it('should return the deserialized node if path is empty', (done) => {
+    IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, '', (err, value) => {
       expect(err).to.not.exist()
       expect(value.remainderPath).is.empty()
       expect(value.value).is.not.empty()
@@ -33,21 +33,21 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API resolve()', () => {
   })
 
   it('should return the version', (done) => {
-    verifyPath(fixtureBlock, '/version', 4, done)
+    verifyPath(fixtureBlock, 'version', 4, done)
   })
 
   it('should return the timestamp', (done) => {
-    verifyPath(fixtureBlock, '/timestamp', 1481233847, done)
+    verifyPath(fixtureBlock, 'timestamp', 1481233847, done)
   })
 
   it('should return the difficulty', (done) => {
-    verifyPath(fixtureBlock, '/difficulty', 477875354, done)
+    verifyPath(fixtureBlock, 'difficulty', 477875354, done)
   })
 
   it('should return the nonce', (done) => {
     verifyPath(
       fixtureBlock,
-      '/nonce',
+      'nonce',
       Buffer.from('8200000000000000d548af969ea8dceedb6bfad4000000000000000000000000', 'hex'),
       done)
   })
@@ -55,28 +55,32 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API resolve()', () => {
   it('should return the solution', (done) => {
     verifyPath(
       fixtureBlock,
-      '/solution',
+      'solution',
       Buffer.from('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', 'hex'),
       done)
   })
   it('should return the reserved', (done) => {
     verifyPath(
       fixtureBlock,
-      '/reserved',
+      'reserved',
       Buffer.from('0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000', 'hex'),
       done)
   })
 
   it('should error on non-existent path', (done) => {
-    verifyError(fixtureBlock, '/something/random', done)
+    verifyError(fixtureBlock, 'something/random', done)
+  })
+
+  it('should error on path starting with a slash', (done) => {
+    verifyError(fixtureBlock, '/version', done)
   })
 
   it('should error on partially matching path that isn\'t a link', (done) => {
-    verifyError(fixtureBlock, '/version/but/additional/things', done)
+    verifyError(fixtureBlock, 'version/but/additional/things', done)
   })
 
   it('should return a link when parent is requested', (done) => {
-    IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, '/parent', (err, value) => {
+    IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, 'parent', (err, value) => {
       expect(err).to.not.exist()
       expect(value.remainderPath).is.empty()
       expect(value.value).to.deep.equal({
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API resolve()', () => {
 
   it('should return a link and remaining path when parent is requested',
     (done) => {
-      IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, '/parent/timestamp',
+      IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, 'parent/timestamp',
         (err, value) => {
           expect(err).to.not.exist()
           expect(value.remainderPath).to.equal('timestamp')
@@ -99,7 +103,7 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API resolve()', () => {
     })
 
   it('should return a link when transactions are requested', (done) => {
-    IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, '/tx/some/remainder',
+    IpldZcash.resolver.resolve(fixtureBlock, 'tx/some/remainder',
       (err, value) => {
         expect(err).to.not.exist()
         expect(value.remainderPath).to.equal('some/remainder')
@@ -110,7 +114,7 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API resolve()', () => {
   })
 
   it('should return an error if block is invalid', (done) => {
-    verifyError(invalidBlock, '/version', done)
+    verifyError(invalidBlock, 'version', done)
   })
 })
 
@@ -118,8 +122,8 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API tree()', () => {
   it('should return only paths by default', (done) => {
     IpldZcash.resolver.tree(fixtureBlock, (err, value) => {
       expect(err).to.not.exist()
-      expect(value).to.deep.equal(['/version', '/timestamp', '/difficulty',
-        '/nonce', '/solution', '/reserved', '/parent', '/tx'])
+      expect(value).to.deep.equal(['version', 'timestamp', 'difficulty',
+        'nonce', 'solution', 'reserved', 'parent', 'tx'])
       done()
     })
   })
@@ -128,19 +132,19 @@ describe('IPLD format resolver API tree()', () => {
     IpldZcash.resolver.tree(fixtureBlock, {values: true}, (err, value) => {
       expect(err).to.not.exist()
       expect(value).to.deep.equal({
-        '/version': 4,
-        '/timestamp': 1481233847,
-        '/difficulty': 477875354,
-        '/nonce': Buffer.from(
+        version: 4,
+        timestamp: 1481233847,
+        difficulty: 477875354,
+        nonce: Buffer.from(
           '8200000000000000d548af969ea8dceedb6bfad4000000000000000000000000',
           'hex'),
-        '/reserved': Buffer.from(
+        reserved: Buffer.from(
           '0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000',
           'hex'),
-        '/solution': Buffer.from('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', 'hex'),
-        '/parent': {
+        solution: Buffer.from('005836fdbc8a7a7d9cbec4f059ba17f62d0e775b19035c8e18f123d3a99f270118325eaac526ae7a68d60c9c8c5acdc3e71e987020cb55ad92e0c37af0ab200d3a19e366389bdfe53cd79f70dbc4a67ea6fdc3700f25e0b1d49cee31a54ba8cf826b34c2561c97a0c239e2872c74a33c41690a44e0de741283d60dbfb738152a90d84b1b8f4dce36c3323d35275e8c43f464e9401b757a85392335fdba2432eda2b225b9549faee001d0ebadf24c106f353a02788c386a2f6bce7d83422e8d3ba8ff5cdd85429484a67c76ce31bfacf968621f0b72d9334dfee6b430d2a811f7954548b419fb9428b6d9a09e1317774ebb628d4dd8f334fbe4fb80200f226af20f1cd089849c6207c9d87869baba2e473b0f6b07e68ada56955322d31879c5653a1a84df97a5180e0655fa8da912d5b09396dc601db16143ac00525a9f16b087b64e4fb6567822f1ed84ba723ffde6ca00f29446a54ce34ad03030e6dd55a992817ede9038436793fa72b7133fcded9443d2340b7dcfb45b02230121c5d0d2958cff63a5633db92b61ed9524f74d230a5429c76a02e12f096e611cc978893683429f89cf03a52533039ae3b7c092589aa9f60cb67b19d5849533c254986a614909ee5765097935f7b162842c09d315526f5f3d77c817eff16204fbe6c949b44e1ac1052482774279e76377431123a189d6716ddff6157c6708985f8f01277d67871e915adcc83119440c8cf6e121911b6d748a4c4b15537273379965ecb0bd89862936cfd7a45d9138b93e564596de4ae5099a371f8cf95f692dffe46523ad5bb0482891df72eac651b9c42f191841e3ad68b0459619367f0341523a03a61ecda6694a7dbcaf1f6d9d11c8c6f132fda2beca91f84cd01d78e2854b5aac4ad7219bff38f94e131e065a48961e6e5468690d0122c832f3ee5570fbed1547d91bc202151d3757d432f1edc793c5f37cf6bd34a9af42970ccb01ae1696ba75067c743b58b9ca4e81e1d7a69203c3b62609150effaab450dd4a0b20d68a31be560808c097f046924acd6e9fc18e3f5d28e698d658a96b06821737a511616bdcb4237c5d3dedd56e53d758bb2d695f52ee58cb49bff3563d38c30411c22e7393b61797d79755a4ea5f9b1232283e4b802100199633b03277e398f70f3e0ef8e7a4b7bf396aba1d55f53a2e03ef089c6720dc456715b08bb94f754d211037c15e0b2078d6226a7a31f4e8f19d885adae07244132dcf0605873a19d4dbef5a03f425975e796956827d6d66072675d10ac87a02db325559bdc9643a32a0beb93723fc3fdbb218b5c2c9d3c2ca9dec65392e1a0fbe0732e66547335f69ab4b81064a4d3fb9830d0e3c547e2a6a554f22928e8762e8941f6f5f5cc509319fb85a2cbf0e433be5a225f94c693bb0691a8ecdba58f71104e12f7cc056a10ae17856e059fb126ea1a5fa43a40f4367901212a3decbea31e0756c37587ff4fdd0271825aa48e0105f8af667977a823fe051dfaa1fb4014f50d6222fed9ccd8787c77563d83e3e52435cf19806c662596988442b39f2611fc80a8ee561bc3f944320b3f7ebaae1fc592e7a823c0967ceedf898b6f805224a3353f92121fb22fb16dbdc41cc066c1f5efaa42945ad4b6326fe73e4b3b34371c64871a99d97bec407ec53b9b01a332ada7a81f8f5f576aedd96b7ec0f51f9977c2ca8c40fbd66779a4743db1622619d23940c59f72b055674bd9ab331a20db20bbcdef4d8184929b1b6bcfc5f155ff0d263e37145f5c98cde541dda165943dec7a56deb81b8f1bd279acfcc8e16e9a968263f8d5c8793e7311a4fe2d114c9d601bf315df05317c0ad89c34e363af79ca4f0c6618f0da51cb8930f2d525779a64f3b657ff0e8b1106ce4f63f775b4cf6', 'hex'),
+        parent: {
           '/': new CID('z4QJh987XTweMqSLmNakYhbReGF55QBJY1P3WqgSYKsfWuwCvHM')},
-        '/tx': {
+        tx: {
           '/': new CID('z4QJh987RUUrqpBCCdGuhVMh6Gr21KxokFeHppiNiydiydNEut9')}})
       done()
     })