diff --git a/mempool/clist_mempool.go b/mempool/clist_mempool.go
index 1f18c72d5..1b6d92af4 100644
--- a/mempool/clist_mempool.go
+++ b/mempool/clist_mempool.go
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) CheckTx(tx types.Tx, cb func(*abci.Response), txInfo Tx
 		// (eg. after committing a block, txs are removed from mempool but not cache),
 		// so we only record the sender for txs still in the mempool.
 		if e, ok := mem.txsMap.Load(TxKey(tx)); ok {
-			memTx := e.(*clist.CElement).Value.(*mempoolTx)
+			memTx := e.(*clist.CElement).Value.(*MempoolTx)
 			memTx.senders.LoadOrStore(txInfo.SenderID, true)
 			// TODO: consider punishing peer for dups,
 			// its non-trivial since invalid txs can become valid,
@@ -357,11 +357,11 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) reqResCb(
 
 // Called from:
 //  - resCbFirstTime (lock not held) if tx is valid
-func (mem *CListMempool) addTx(memTx *mempoolTx) {
+func (mem *CListMempool) addTx(memTx *MempoolTx) {
 	e := mem.txs.PushBack(memTx)
-	mem.txsMap.Store(TxKey(memTx.tx), e)
-	atomic.AddInt64(&mem.txsBytes, int64(len(memTx.tx)))
-	mem.metrics.TxSizeBytes.Observe(float64(len(memTx.tx)))
+	mem.txsMap.Store(TxKey(memTx.Tx), e)
+	atomic.AddInt64(&mem.txsBytes, int64(len(memTx.Tx)))
+	mem.metrics.TxSizeBytes.Observe(float64(len(memTx.Tx)))
 }
 
 // Called from:
@@ -381,9 +381,9 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) removeTx(tx types.Tx, elem *clist.CElement, removeFromC
 // RemoveTxByKey removes a transaction from the mempool by its TxKey index.
 func (mem *CListMempool) RemoveTxByKey(txKey [TxKeySize]byte, removeFromCache bool) {
 	if e, ok := mem.txsMap.Load(txKey); ok {
-		memTx := e.(*clist.CElement).Value.(*mempoolTx)
+		memTx := e.(*clist.CElement).Value.(*MempoolTx)
 		if memTx != nil {
-			mem.removeTx(memTx.tx, e.(*clist.CElement), removeFromCache)
+			mem.removeTx(memTx.Tx, e.(*clist.CElement), removeFromCache)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -430,10 +430,10 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) resCbFirstTime(
 				return
 			}
 
-			memTx := &mempoolTx{
+			memTx := &MempoolTx{
 				height:    mem.height,
 				gasWanted: r.CheckTx.GasWanted,
-				tx:        tx,
+				Tx:        tx,
 			}
 			memTx.senders.Store(peerID, true)
 			mem.addTx(memTx)
@@ -465,11 +465,11 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) resCbRecheck(req *abci.Request, res *abci.Response) {
 	switch r := res.Value.(type) {
 	case *abci.Response_CheckTx:
 		tx := req.GetCheckTx().Tx
-		memTx := mem.recheckCursor.Value.(*mempoolTx)
-		if !bytes.Equal(tx, memTx.tx) {
+		memTx := mem.recheckCursor.Value.(*MempoolTx)
+		if !bytes.Equal(tx, memTx.Tx) {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf(
 				"Unexpected tx response from proxy during recheck\nExpected %X, got %X",
-				memTx.tx,
+				memTx.Tx,
 				tx))
 		}
 		var postCheckErr error
@@ -534,9 +534,9 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) ReapMaxBytesMaxGas(maxBytes, maxGas int64) types.Txs {
 	// txs := make([]types.Tx, 0, tmmath.MinInt(mem.txs.Len(), max/mem.avgTxSize))
 	txs := make([]types.Tx, 0, mem.txs.Len())
 	for e := mem.txs.Front(); e != nil; e = e.Next() {
-		memTx := e.Value.(*mempoolTx)
+		memTx := e.Value.(*MempoolTx)
 
-		dataSize := types.ComputeProtoSizeForTxs(append(txs, memTx.tx))
+		dataSize := types.ComputeProtoSizeForTxs(append(txs, memTx.Tx))
 
 		// Check total size requirement
 		if maxBytes > -1 && dataSize > maxBytes {
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) ReapMaxBytesMaxGas(maxBytes, maxGas int64) types.Txs {
 			return txs
 		}
 		totalGas = newTotalGas
-		txs = append(txs, memTx.tx)
+		txs = append(txs, memTx.Tx)
 	}
 	return txs
 }
@@ -567,8 +567,8 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) ReapMaxTxs(max int) types.Txs {
 
 	txs := make([]types.Tx, 0, tmmath.MinInt(mem.txs.Len(), max))
 	for e := mem.txs.Front(); e != nil && len(txs) <= max; e = e.Next() {
-		memTx := e.Value.(*mempoolTx)
-		txs = append(txs, memTx.tx)
+		memTx := e.Value.(*MempoolTx)
+		txs = append(txs, memTx.Tx)
 	}
 	return txs
 }
@@ -649,9 +649,9 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) recheckTxs() {
 	// Push txs to proxyAppConn
 	// NOTE: globalCb may be called concurrently.
 	for e := mem.txs.Front(); e != nil; e = e.Next() {
-		memTx := e.Value.(*mempoolTx)
+		memTx := e.Value.(*MempoolTx)
 		_, err := mem.proxyAppConn.CheckTxAsync(ctx, abci.RequestCheckTx{
-			Tx:   memTx.tx,
+			Tx:   memTx.Tx,
 			Type: abci.CheckTxType_Recheck,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
@@ -668,11 +668,11 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) recheckTxs() {
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// mempoolTx is a transaction that successfully ran
-type mempoolTx struct {
+// MempoolTx is a transaction that successfully ran
+type MempoolTx struct {
 	height    int64    // height that this tx had been validated in
 	gasWanted int64    // amount of gas this tx states it will require
-	tx        types.Tx //
+	Tx        types.Tx //
 
 	// ids of peers who've sent us this tx (as a map for quick lookups).
 	// senders: PeerID -> bool
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ type mempoolTx struct {
 }
 
 // Height returns the height for this transaction
-func (memTx *mempoolTx) Height() int64 {
+func (memTx *MempoolTx) Height() int64 {
 	return atomic.LoadInt64(&memTx.height)
 }
 
diff --git a/mempool/clist_mempool_test.go b/mempool/clist_mempool_test.go
index 723cf42fd..c870a952f 100644
--- a/mempool/clist_mempool_test.go
+++ b/mempool/clist_mempool_test.go
@@ -96,12 +96,12 @@ func TestReapMaxBytesMaxGas(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Ensure gas calculation behaves as expected
 	checkTxs(t, mempool, 1, UnknownPeerID)
-	tx0 := mempool.TxsFront().Value.(*mempoolTx)
+	tx0 := mempool.TxsFront().Value.(*MempoolTx)
 	// assert that kv store has gas wanted = 1.
-	require.Equal(t, app.CheckTx(abci.RequestCheckTx{Tx: tx0.tx}).GasWanted, int64(1), "KVStore had a gas value neq to 1")
+	require.Equal(t, app.CheckTx(abci.RequestCheckTx{Tx: tx0.Tx}).GasWanted, int64(1), "KVStore had a gas value neq to 1")
 	require.Equal(t, tx0.gasWanted, int64(1), "transactions gas was set incorrectly")
 	// ensure each tx is 20 bytes long
-	require.Equal(t, len(tx0.tx), 20, "Tx is longer than 20 bytes")
+	require.Equal(t, len(tx0.Tx), 20, "Tx is longer than 20 bytes")
 	mempool.Flush()
 
 	// each table driven test creates numTxsToCreate txs with checkTx, and at the end clears all remaining txs.
diff --git a/mempool/reactor.go b/mempool/reactor.go
index 182068dc1..9e8c75efd 100644
--- a/mempool/reactor.go
+++ b/mempool/reactor.go
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ func (memR *Reactor) broadcastTxRoutine(peer p2p.Peer) {
 		}
 
 		// Allow for a lag of 1 block.
-		memTx := next.Value.(*mempoolTx)
+		memTx := next.Value.(*MempoolTx)
 		if peerState.GetHeight() < memTx.Height()-1 {
 			time.Sleep(peerCatchupSleepIntervalMS * time.Millisecond)
 			continue
@@ -274,20 +274,20 @@ func (memR *Reactor) txs(next *clist.CElement, peerID uint16, peerHeight int64)
 	batch := make([][]byte, 0)
 
 	for {
-		memTx := next.Value.(*mempoolTx)
+		memTx := next.Value.(*MempoolTx)
 
 		if _, ok := memTx.senders.Load(peerID); !ok {
 			// If current batch + this tx size is greater than max => return.
 			batchMsg := protomem.Message{
 				Sum: &protomem.Message_Txs{
-					Txs: &protomem.Txs{Txs: append(batch, memTx.tx)},
+					Txs: &protomem.Txs{Txs: append(batch, memTx.Tx)},
 				},
 			}
 			if batchMsg.Size() > memR.config.MaxBatchBytes {
 				return batch
 			}
 
-			batch = append(batch, memTx.tx)
+			batch = append(batch, memTx.Tx)
 		}
 
 		n := next.Next()
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index a994ea97e..1a1c60a2c 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -3,20 +3,19 @@ package node
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"reflect"
 
 	abci "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/abci/types"
 	llcfg "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/config"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/libs/clist"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/libs/log"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/libs/service"
-	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/mempool"
 	corep2p "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/p2p"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/proxy"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/types"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/crypto"
 
 	"github.com/lazyledger/optimint/config"
+	"github.com/lazyledger/optimint/mempool"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/optimint/p2p"
 )
 
@@ -114,10 +113,8 @@ func (n *Node) mempoolPublishLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 		// send transactions
 		for {
 			n.Logger.Debug("Gossiping...")
-			// TODO(tzdybal): refactor lazyledger-core to avoid reflection
-			v := reflect.Indirect(reflect.ValueOf(next.Value))
-			f := v.FieldByName("tx")
-			tx := f.Bytes()
+			memTx := next.Value.(*mempool.MempoolTx)
+			tx := memTx.Tx
 
 			err := n.P2P.GossipTx(ctx, tx)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/rpcclient/local.go b/rpcclient/local.go
index 7fdff24d9..000f9335a 100644
--- a/rpcclient/local.go
+++ b/rpcclient/local.go
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ import (
 	tmbytes "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/libs/bytes"
 	tmpubsub "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/libs/pubsub"
 	tmquery "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/libs/pubsub/query"
-	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/mempool"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/proxy"
 	rpcclient "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/rpc/client"
 	ctypes "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/rpc/core/types"
 	rpctypes "github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/rpc/jsonrpc/types"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/lazyledger-core/types"
 
+	"github.com/lazyledger/optimint/mempool"
 	"github.com/lazyledger/optimint/node"
 )