diff --git a/src/generator.c b/src/generator.c
index 3a678efc..34f89671 100644
--- a/src/generator.c
+++ b/src/generator.c
@@ -180,6 +180,8 @@ struct generator_data {
 	share_msg_t *shares;
 	int64_t share_id;
 
+	server_instance_t *current_si;
+
 	proxy_instance_t *current_proxy;
 };
 
@@ -242,7 +244,7 @@ out:
 }
 
 /* Find the highest priority server alive and return it */
-static server_instance_t *live_server(ckpool_t *ckp)
+static server_instance_t *live_server(ckpool_t *ckp, gdata_t *gdata)
 {
 	server_instance_t *alive = NULL;
 	connsock_t *cs;
@@ -275,6 +277,7 @@ retry:
 	sleep(5);
 	goto retry;
 living:
+	gdata->current_si = alive;
 	cs = &alive->cs;
 	LOGINFO("Connected to live server %s:%s", cs->url, cs->port);
 	send_proc(ckp->connector, alive ? "accept" : "reject");
@@ -321,7 +324,7 @@ static void gen_loop(proc_instance_t *pi)
 reconnect:
 	clear_unix_msg(&umsg);
 	old_si = si;
-	si = live_server(ckp);
+	si = live_server(ckp, ckp->gdata);
 	if (!si)
 		goto out;
 	if (unlikely(!ckp->generator_ready)) {
@@ -792,6 +795,38 @@ static void reconnect_generator(ckpool_t *ckp)
 	send_proc(ckp->generator, "reconnect");
 }
 
+json_t *generator_genbase(ckpool_t *ckp)
+{
+	gdata_t *gdata = ckp->gdata;
+	server_instance_t *si;
+	gbtbase_t gbt = {};
+	json_t *val = NULL;
+	connsock_t *cs;
+
+	/* Use temporary variables to prevent deref while accessing */
+	si = gdata->current_si;
+	if (unlikely(!si)) {
+		LOGWARNING("No live current server in generator_genbase");
+		goto out;
+	}
+	cs = &si->cs;
+	if (unlikely(!cs)) {
+		LOGWARNING("No live connsock for current server in generator_genbase");
+		goto out;
+	}
+	if (unlikely(!gen_gbtbase(cs, &gbt))) {
+		LOGWARNING("Failed to get block template from %s:%s", cs->url, cs->port);
+		si->alive = cs->alive = false;
+		reconnect_generator(ckp);
+		goto out;
+	}
+	val = gbt.json;
+	gbt.json = NULL;
+	clear_gbtbase(&gbt);
+out:
+	return val;
+}
+
 static bool parse_notify(ckpool_t *ckp, proxy_instance_t *proxi, json_t *val)
 {
 	const char *prev_hash, *bbversion, *nbit, *ntime;
@@ -2800,7 +2835,7 @@ reconnect:
 
 	if (ckp->node) {
 		old_si = si;
-		si = live_server(ckp);
+		si = live_server(ckp, gdata);
 		if (!si)
 			goto out;
 		cs = &si->cs;
diff --git a/src/generator.h b/src/generator.h
index 639af50a..8c0fdd89 100644
--- a/src/generator.h
+++ b/src/generator.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 
 void generator_add_send(ckpool_t *ckp, json_t *val);
+json_t *generator_genbase(ckpool_t *ckp);
 void *generator(void *arg);
 
 #endif /* GENERATOR_H */
diff --git a/src/stratifier.c b/src/stratifier.c
index 5a39bcaf..7fd4ae16 100644
--- a/src/stratifier.c
+++ b/src/stratifier.c
@@ -1442,7 +1442,6 @@ static void *do_update(void *arg)
 	bool ret = false;
 	workbase_t *wb;
 	time_t now_t;
-	char *buf;
 
 	pthread_detach(pthread_self());
 	rename_proc("updater");
@@ -1458,12 +1457,8 @@ static void *do_update(void *arg)
 	} else
 		cksem_wait(&sdata->update_sem);
 retry:
-	buf = send_recv_generator(ckp, "getbase", prio);
-	if (unlikely(!buf)) {
-		LOGNOTICE("Get base in update_base delayed due to higher priority request");
-		goto out;
-	}
-	if (unlikely(cmdmatch(buf, "failed"))) {
+	val = generator_genbase(ckp);
+	if (unlikely(!val)) {
 		if (retries++ < 5 || prio == GEN_PRIORITY) {
 			LOGWARNING("Generator returned failure in update_base, retry #%d", retries);
 			goto retry;
@@ -1476,7 +1471,6 @@ retry:
 
 	wb = ckzalloc(sizeof(workbase_t));
 	wb->ckp = ckp;
-	val = json_loads(buf, 0, NULL);
 
 	json_strcpy(wb->target, val, "target");
 	json_dblcpy(&wb->diff, val, "diff");
@@ -1542,7 +1536,6 @@ out:
 		LOGINFO("Broadcast ping due to failed stratum base update");
 		broadcast_ping(sdata);
 	}
-	dealloc(buf);
 out_free:
 	free(ur->pth);
 	free(ur);