diff --git a/module/x/peggy/keeper/attestation.go b/module/x/peggy/keeper/attestation.go
index cbea2e26e..184094b03 100644
--- a/module/x/peggy/keeper/attestation.go
+++ b/module/x/peggy/keeper/attestation.go
@@ -11,17 +11,17 @@ import (
 
 // TODO-JT: carefully look at atomicity of this function
 func (k Keeper) Attest(ctx sdk.Context, claim types.EthereumClaim, anyClaim *codectypes.Any) (*types.Attestation, error) {
+	valAddr := k.GetOrchestratorValidator(ctx, claim.GetClaimer())
+	if valAddr == nil {
+		panic("Could not find ValAddr for delegate key, should be checked by now")
+	}
 	// Check that the nonce of this event is exactly one higher than the last nonce stored by this validator.
 	// We check the event nonce in processAttestation as well, but checking it here gives individual eth signers a chance to retry,
 	// and prevents validators from submitting two claims with the same nonce
-	lastEventNonce := k.GetLastEventNonceByValidator(ctx, sdk.ValAddress(claim.GetClaimer()))
+	lastEventNonce := k.GetLastEventNonceByValidator(ctx, valAddr)
 	if claim.GetEventNonce() != lastEventNonce+1 {
 		return nil, types.ErrNonContiguousEventNonce
 	}
-	valAddr := k.GetOrchestratorValidator(ctx, claim.GetClaimer())
-	if valAddr == nil {
-		panic("Could not find ValAddr for delegate key, should be checked by now")
-	}
 
 	// Tries to get an attestation with the same eventNonce and claim as the claim that was submitted.
 	att := k.GetAttestation(ctx, claim.GetEventNonce(), claim.ClaimHash())