diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 3e393e50..e6f860ad 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -273,14 +273,10 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     let hostVerifier;
     if (typeof cfg.hostVerifier === 'function') {
       const hashCb = cfg.hostVerifier;
-      let hasher;
-      if (HASHES.indexOf(cfg.hostHash) !== -1) {
-        // Default to old behavior of hashing on user's behalf
-        hasher = createHash(cfg.hostHash);
-      }
       hostVerifier = (key, verify) => {
-        if (hasher) {
-          hasher.update(key);
+      if (HASHES.indexOf(cfg.hostHash) !== -1) {
+          // Default to old behavior of hashing on user's behalf
+          const hasher = createHash(cfg.hostHash).update(key);
           key = hasher.digest('hex');
         }
         const ret = hashCb(key, verify);