5 files changed, 59 insertions, 15 deletions
diff --git a/trie/encoding.go b/trie/encoding.go
index 3c172b843..761bad188 100644
--- a/trie/encoding.go
+++ b/trie/encoding.go
@@ -69,6 +69,27 @@ func compactHexDecode(str []byte) []byte {
 	return nibbles
 }
 
+// compactHexEncode encodes a series of nibbles into a byte array
+func compactHexEncode(nibbles []byte) []byte {
+	nl := len(nibbles)
+	if nl == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if nibbles[nl-1] == 16 {
+		nl--
+	}
+	l := (nl + 1) / 2
+	var str = make([]byte, l)
+	for i, _ := range str {
+		b := nibbles[i*2] * 16
+		if nl > i*2 {
+			b += nibbles[i*2+1]
+		}
+		str[i] = b
+	}
+	return str
+}
+
 func decodeCompact(key []byte) []byte {
 	l := len(key) / 2
 	var res = make([]byte, l)
diff --git a/trie/encoding_test.go b/trie/encoding_test.go
index 061d48d58..2f125ef2f 100644
--- a/trie/encoding_test.go
+++ b/trie/encoding_test.go
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ func (s *TrieEncodingSuite) TestCompactHexDecode(c *checker.C) {
 	c.Assert(res, checker.DeepEquals, exp)
 }
 
+func (s *TrieEncodingSuite) TestCompactHexEncode(c *checker.C) {
+	exp := []byte("verb")
+	res := compactHexEncode([]byte{7, 6, 6, 5, 7, 2, 6, 2, 16})
+	c.Assert(res, checker.DeepEquals, exp)
+}
+
 func (s *TrieEncodingSuite) TestCompactDecode(c *checker.C) {
 	// odd compact decode
 	exp := []byte{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
diff --git a/trie/errors.go b/trie/errors.go
index a0f58f28f..fd0e6f0a9 100644
--- a/trie/errors.go
+++ b/trie/errors.go
@@ -27,13 +27,23 @@ import (
 // information necessary for retrieving the missing node through an ODR service.
 //
 // NodeHash is the hash of the missing node
+//
 // RootHash is the original root of the trie that contains the node
-// KeyPrefix is the prefix that leads from the root to the missing node (hex encoded)
-// KeySuffix (optional) contains the rest of the key we were looking for, gives a
-//  hint on which further nodes should also be retrieved (hex encoded)
+//
+// Key is a binary-encoded key that contains the prefix that leads to the first
+// missing node and optionally a suffix that hints on which further nodes should
+// also be retrieved
+//
+// PrefixLen is the nibble length of the key prefix that leads from the root to
+// the missing node
+//
+// SuffixLen is the nibble length of the remaining part of the key that hints on
+// which further nodes should also be retrieved (can be zero when there are no
+// such hints in the error message)
 type MissingNodeError struct {
 	RootHash, NodeHash   common.Hash
-	KeyPrefix, KeySuffix []byte
+	Key                  []byte
+	PrefixLen, SuffixLen int
 }
 
 func (err *MissingNodeError) Error() string {
diff --git a/trie/proof.go b/trie/proof.go
index 2e88bb50b..0f9264942 100644
--- a/trie/proof.go
+++ b/trie/proof.go
@@ -17,29 +17,30 @@ import (
 // also included in the last node and can be retrieved by verifying
 // the proof.
 //
-// The returned proof is nil if the trie does not contain a value for key.
-// For existing keys, the proof will have at least one element.
+// If the trie does not contain a value for key, the returned proof
+// contains all nodes of the longest existing prefix of the key
+// (at least the root node), ending with the node that proves the
+// absence of the key.
 func (t *Trie) Prove(key []byte) []rlp.RawValue {
 	// Collect all nodes on the path to key.
 	key = compactHexDecode(key)
 	nodes := []node{}
 	tn := t.root
-	for len(key) > 0 {
+	for len(key) > 0 && tn != nil {
 		switch n := tn.(type) {
 		case shortNode:
 			if len(key) < len(n.Key) || !bytes.Equal(n.Key, key[:len(n.Key)]) {
 				// The trie doesn't contain the key.
-				return nil
+				tn = nil
+			} else {
+				tn = n.Val
+				key = key[len(n.Key):]
 			}
-			tn = n.Val
-			key = key[len(n.Key):]
 			nodes = append(nodes, n)
 		case fullNode:
 			tn = n[key[0]]
 			key = key[1:]
 			nodes = append(nodes, n)
-		case nil:
-			return nil
 		case hashNode:
 			var err error
 			tn, err = t.resolveHash(n, nil, nil)
@@ -93,7 +94,12 @@ func VerifyProof(rootHash common.Hash, key []byte, proof []rlp.RawValue) (value
 		keyrest, cld := get(n, key)
 		switch cld := cld.(type) {
 		case nil:
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("key mismatch at proof node %d", i)
+			if i != len(proof)-1 {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("key mismatch at proof node %d", i)
+			} else {
+				// The trie doesn't contain the key.
+				return nil, nil
+			}
 		case hashNode:
 			key = keyrest
 			wantHash = cld
diff --git a/trie/trie.go b/trie/trie.go
index 717296e27..9dfde4529 100644
--- a/trie/trie.go
+++ b/trie/trie.go
@@ -394,8 +394,9 @@ func (t *Trie) resolveHash(n hashNode, prefix, suffix []byte) (node, error) {
 		return nil, &MissingNodeError{
 			RootHash:  t.originalRoot,
 			NodeHash:  common.BytesToHash(n),
-			KeyPrefix: prefix,
-			KeySuffix: suffix,
+			Key:       compactHexEncode(append(prefix, suffix...)),
+			PrefixLen: len(prefix),
+			SuffixLen: len(suffix),
 		}
 	}
 	dec := mustDecodeNode(n, enc)