diff --git a/onionr/onionrproofs.py b/onionr/onionrproofs.py
index f7bfc1f9..88329fb8 100755
--- a/onionr/onionrproofs.py
+++ b/onionr/onionrproofs.py
@@ -50,12 +50,8 @@ def getHashDifficulty(hexHash):
     '''
         Return the amount of leading zeroes in a hex hash string (hexHash)
     '''
-    difficulty = 0
     assert type(hexHash) is str
-
-    difficulty = len(hexHash) - len(hexHash.lstrip('0'))
-
-    return difficulty
+    return len(hexHash) - len(hexHash.lstrip('0'))
 
 def hashMeetsDifficulty(hexHash):
     '''
diff --git a/onionr/utils/detectoptimization.py b/onionr/utils/detectoptimization.py
index 20570242..eb208ff3 100755
--- a/onionr/utils/detectoptimization.py
+++ b/onionr/utils/detectoptimization.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 def detect_optimization():
     '''Returns true if Python is run in optimized mode (-o), based on optimization ignoring assert statements'''
     try:
-        assert True is False
+        assert False
     except AssertionError:
         return False
     return True
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/onionr/utils/hastor.py b/onionr/utils/hastor.py
index 94a33be1..f94298e8 100644
--- a/onionr/utils/hastor.py
+++ b/onionr/utils/hastor.py
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 import netcontroller
 
 def has_tor():
-    if netcontroller.tor_binary() is None:
-        return False
-    return True
\ No newline at end of file
+    return netcontroller.tor_binary() is not None
\ No newline at end of file