diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9438651..e36903b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ x.y.z / 2014-06-dd
 - added method `fromMasterSeed(seedBuffer, [versions])`
 - changed constructor from `new HDKey(masterSeed, [versions])` to `new HDKey([versions])`
 - added properties: `privateKey` and `publicKey`
+- removed method `getIdentifier()`, added property `identifier`
 
 0.0.1 / 2014-05-29
 ------------------
diff --git a/lib/hdkey.js b/lib/hdkey.js
index cc3e5ca..ea22c63 100644
--- a/lib/hdkey.js
+++ b/lib/hdkey.js
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ function HDKey(versions) {
   this.chainCode = null
 }
 
+Object.defineProperty(HDKey.prototype, 'identifier', {
+  get: function() {
+    return this._identifier
+  }
+})
+
 Object.defineProperty(HDKey.prototype, 'privateKey', {
   get: function() {
     return this._privateKey
@@ -36,6 +42,7 @@ Object.defineProperty(HDKey.prototype, 'privateKey', {
     this._privateKey = value
     this._privateKeyInteger = BigInteger.fromBuffer(this._privateKey)
     this._publicKey = ecparams.params.G.multiply(this._privateKeyInteger).getEncoded(true) //force compressed point
+    this._identifier = hash160(this.publicKey)
   }
 })
 
@@ -64,14 +71,8 @@ Object.defineProperty(HDKey.prototype, 'publicOld', {
   }
 })
 
-HDKey.prototype.getIdentifier = function() {
-  //just computing pubKeyHash here
-  var sha = crypto.createHash('sha256').update(this.publicKey).digest()
-  return crypto.createHash('rmd160').update(sha).digest()
-}
-
 HDKey.prototype.getFingerprint = function() {
-  return this.getIdentifier().slice(0, 4)
+  return this.identifier.slice(0, 4)
 }
 
 
@@ -214,3 +215,8 @@ function serialize(hdkey, version, key) {
     return buffer
 }
 
+function hash160(buf) {
+  var sha = crypto.createHash('sha256').update(buf).digest()
+  return crypto.createHash('rmd160').update(sha).digest()
+}
+