diff --git a/libraries/chain/block_log.cpp b/libraries/chain/block_log.cpp
index 61f436a1a5..617fa74171 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/block_log.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/block_log.cpp
@@ -403,6 +403,20 @@ namespace hive { namespace chain {
     return std::make_tuple(std::move(serialized_data), serialized_data_size, std::move(this_block_artifacts));
   }
 
+  std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_log_artifacts::block_attributes_t> block_log::read_common_raw_block_data_by_num(uint32_t block_num) const
+  {
+    if( block_num == my->_artifacts->read_head_block_num() )
+    {
+      return read_raw_head_block();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, hive::chain::block_log_artifacts::artifacts_t> data_with_artifacts = 
+        read_raw_block_data_by_num(block_num);
+      return std::make_tuple(std::get<0>(std::move(data_with_artifacts)), std::get<1>(data_with_artifacts), std::get<2>(data_with_artifacts).attributes);
+    }
+  }
+
   // threading guarantees:
   // - this function may only be called by one thread at a time
   // - It is safe to call `append` while any number of other threads 
diff --git a/libraries/chain/block_log_wrapper.cpp b/libraries/chain/block_log_wrapper.cpp
index f157472ec4..9400f4e324 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/block_log_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/block_log_wrapper.cpp
@@ -153,12 +153,12 @@ std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_attributes_t> block_log_wrappe
   return get_head_log()->read_raw_head_block();
 }
 
-std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_log_artifacts::artifacts_t> block_log_wrapper::read_raw_block_data_by_num(uint32_t block_num) const
+std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_log_artifacts::block_attributes_t> block_log_wrapper::read_common_raw_block_data_by_num(uint32_t block_num) const
 {
   const block_log_ptr_t log = get_block_log_corresponding_to( block_num );
   FC_ASSERT( log, 
              "Unable to find block log corresponding to block number ${block_num}", (block_num));
-  return log->read_raw_block_data_by_num( block_num );
+  return log->read_common_raw_block_data_by_num( block_num );
 }
 
 void block_log_wrapper::append( const std::shared_ptr<full_block_type>& full_block, const bool is_at_live_sync )
diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log.hpp
index 80dea06dbc..9f83c7674b 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log.hpp
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ namespace hive { namespace chain {
         block_log_artifacts::artifact_container_t& plural_of_artifacts);
 
       void flush();
+      std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_log_artifacts::block_attributes_t> read_common_raw_block_data_by_num(uint32_t block_num) const;
       std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_log_artifacts::artifacts_t> read_raw_block_data_by_num(uint32_t block_num) const;
       void multi_read_raw_block_data(uint32_t first_block_num, uint32_t last_block_num_from_disk,
         block_log_artifacts::artifact_container_t& plural_of_block_artifacts,
diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log_wrapper.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log_wrapper.hpp
index 48634a6c54..65afa83bba 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log_wrapper.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/hive/chain/block_log_wrapper.hpp
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ namespace hive { namespace chain {
 
     // Methods wrapping safely block_log ones.
     std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_attributes_t> read_raw_head_block() const;
-    std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_log_artifacts::artifacts_t>
-      read_raw_block_data_by_num(uint32_t block_num) const;
+    std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, block_attributes_t>
+      read_common_raw_block_data_by_num(uint32_t block_num) const;
     void multi_read_raw_block_data(uint32_t first_block_num, uint32_t last_block_num_from_disk,
       block_log_artifacts::artifact_container_t& plural_of_block_artifacts,
       std::unique_ptr<char[]>& block_data_buffer, size_t& block_data_buffer_size ) const;
diff --git a/programs/util/compress_block_log.cpp b/programs/util/compress_block_log.cpp
index b9294f0c70..55ac5553b4 100644
--- a/programs/util/compress_block_log.cpp
+++ b/programs/util/compress_block_log.cpp
@@ -315,15 +315,8 @@ void fill_pending_queue(const fc::path &input_path, const bool read_only, uint32
     block_to_compress *uncompressed_block = new block_to_compress;
     uncompressed_block->block_number = current_block_number;
 
-    std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, hive::chain::block_log::block_attributes_t> raw_compressed_block_data;
-    if (current_block_number == head_block_num)
-      raw_compressed_block_data = log_reader->read_raw_head_block();
-    else
-    {
-      std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, hive::chain::block_log_artifacts::artifacts_t> data_with_artifacts = 
-        log_reader->read_raw_block_data_by_num(current_block_number);
-      raw_compressed_block_data = std::make_tuple(std::get<0>(std::move(data_with_artifacts)), std::get<1>(data_with_artifacts), std::get<2>(data_with_artifacts).attributes);
-    }
+    std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t, hive::chain::block_log::block_attributes_t> raw_compressed_block_data =
+      log_reader->read_common_raw_block_data_by_num(current_block_number);
     std::tuple<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, size_t> raw_block_data = 
       hive::chain::block_log_compression::decompress_raw_block(std::move(raw_compressed_block_data));