diff --git a/rlp/decode.go b/rlp/decode.go
index 7d95af02bc..7acbbfa0d2 100644
--- a/rlp/decode.go
+++ b/rlp/decode.go
@@ -81,6 +81,39 @@ func (err decodeError) Error() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("rlp: %s for %v", err.msg, err.typ)
 }
 
+var (
+	decoderInterface = reflect.TypeOf(new(Decoder)).Elem()
+	bigInt           = reflect.TypeOf(big.Int{})
+)
+
+func makeDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (dec decoder, err error) {
+	kind := typ.Kind()
+	switch {
+	case typ.Implements(decoderInterface):
+		return decodeDecoder, nil
+	case kind != reflect.Ptr && reflect.PtrTo(typ).Implements(decoderInterface):
+		return decodeDecoderNoPtr, nil
+	case typ.AssignableTo(reflect.PtrTo(bigInt)):
+		return decodeBigInt, nil
+	case typ.AssignableTo(bigInt):
+		return decodeBigIntNoPtr, nil
+	case isInteger(kind):
+		return makeNumDecoder(typ), nil
+	case kind == reflect.String:
+		return decodeString, nil
+	case kind == reflect.Slice || kind == reflect.Array:
+		return makeListDecoder(typ)
+	case kind == reflect.Struct:
+		return makeStructDecoder(typ)
+	case kind == reflect.Ptr:
+		return makePtrDecoder(typ)
+	case kind == reflect.Interface && typ.NumMethod() == 0:
+		return decodeInterface, nil
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("rlp: type %v is not RLP-serializable", typ)
+	}
+}
+
 func makeNumDecoder(typ reflect.Type) decoder {
 	kind := typ.Kind()
 	switch {
diff --git a/rlp/typecache.go b/rlp/typecache.go
index 75dbb43c27..f2595dac82 100644
--- a/rlp/typecache.go
+++ b/rlp/typecache.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package rlp
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-	"math/big"
 	"reflect"
 	"sync"
 )
@@ -51,39 +49,12 @@ func cachedTypeInfo1(typ reflect.Type) (*typeinfo, error) {
 	return typeCache[typ], err
 }
 
-var (
-	decoderInterface = reflect.TypeOf(new(Decoder)).Elem()
-	bigInt           = reflect.TypeOf(big.Int{})
-)
-
 func genTypeInfo(typ reflect.Type) (info *typeinfo, err error) {
 	info = new(typeinfo)
-	kind := typ.Kind()
-	switch {
-	case typ.Implements(decoderInterface):
-		info.decoder = decodeDecoder
-	case kind != reflect.Ptr && reflect.PtrTo(typ).Implements(decoderInterface):
-		info.decoder = decodeDecoderNoPtr
-	case typ.AssignableTo(reflect.PtrTo(bigInt)):
-		info.decoder = decodeBigInt
-	case typ.AssignableTo(bigInt):
-		info.decoder = decodeBigIntNoPtr
-	case isInteger(kind):
-		info.decoder = makeNumDecoder(typ)
-	case kind == reflect.String:
-		info.decoder = decodeString
-	case kind == reflect.Slice || kind == reflect.Array:
-		info.decoder, err = makeListDecoder(typ)
-	case kind == reflect.Struct:
-		info.decoder, err = makeStructDecoder(typ)
-	case kind == reflect.Ptr:
-		info.decoder, err = makePtrDecoder(typ)
-	case kind == reflect.Interface && typ.NumMethod() == 0:
-		info.decoder = decodeInterface
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf("rlp: type %v is not RLP-serializable", typ)
+	if info.decoder, err = makeDecoder(typ); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	return info, err
+	return info, nil
 }
 
 func isInteger(k reflect.Kind) bool {