diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 3e393e50..aa94ace0 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -273,16 +273,14 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     let hostVerifier;
     if (typeof cfg.hostVerifier === 'function') {
       const hashCb = cfg.hostVerifier;
-      let hasher;
+      let hashAlgo;
       if (HASHES.indexOf(cfg.hostHash) !== -1) {
         // Default to old behavior of hashing on user's behalf
-        hasher = createHash(cfg.hostHash);
+        hashAlgo = cfg.hostHash;
       }
       hostVerifier = (key, verify) => {
-        if (hasher) {
-          hasher.update(key);
-          key = hasher.digest('hex');
-        }
+        if (hashAlgo)
+          key = createHash(hashAlgo).update(key).digest('hex');
         const ret = hashCb(key, verify);
         if (ret !== undefined)
           verify(ret);