diff --git a/include/file.h b/include/file.h
index 3a92c5bd..e63a5190 100644
--- a/include/file.h
+++ b/include/file.h
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ struct fileinit {
 
 extern struct castr *ef_cadef(int);
 extern int ef_read(int, int, void *);
-extern char *ef_ptr(int, int);
+extern void *ef_ptr(int, int);
 extern char *ef_nameof(int);
 extern time_t ef_mtime(int);
 extern int ef_open(int, int);
diff --git a/src/lib/common/file.c b/src/lib/common/file.c
index 4023cf93..b8a71f7f 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/file.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/file.c
@@ -171,20 +171,19 @@ ef_flush(int type)
 /*
  * Return a pointer the id 'id' of object of type 'type' in the cache.
  */
-char *
+void *
 ef_ptr(int type, int id)
 {
     struct empfile *ep;
 
     if (ef_check(type) < 0)
 	return NULL;
+
     ep = &empfile[type];
+    if (CANT_HAPPEN(!(ep->flags & EFF_MEM)))
+	return NULL;
     if (id < 0 || id >= ep->fids)
-	return NULL;
-    if ((ep->flags & EFF_MEM) == 0) {
-	logerror("ef_ptr: (%s) only valid for EFF_MEM entries", ep->file);
-	return NULL;
-    }
+	return NULL;		/* FIXME can this happen? */
     return ep->cache + ep->size * id;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/update/nxtitemp.c b/src/lib/update/nxtitemp.c
index f376f6cf..d9b2399e 100644
--- a/src/lib/update/nxtitemp.c
+++ b/src/lib/update/nxtitemp.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ nxtitemp(struct nstr_item *np)
 	} else {
 	    np->cur++;
 	}
-	gp = (struct genitem *)ef_ptr(np->type, np->cur);
+	gp = ef_ptr(np->type, np->cur);
 	if (gp == (struct genitem *)0)
 	    return 0;