diff --git a/Code/common/src/validator_set.rs b/Code/common/src/validator_set.rs
index 408b1517b..092ac4dc8 100644
--- a/Code/common/src/validator_set.rs
+++ b/Code/common/src/validator_set.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ where
     fn total_voting_power(&self) -> VotingPower;
 
     /// The proposer in the validator set.
-    fn get_proposer(&self) -> Ctx::Validator;
+    fn get_proposer(&self) -> &Ctx::Validator;
 
     /// Get the validator with the given public key.
     fn get_by_public_key(&self, public_key: &PublicKey<Ctx>) -> Option<&Ctx::Validator>;
diff --git a/Code/test/src/validator_set.rs b/Code/test/src/validator_set.rs
index 23b88a107..a5cd18e81 100644
--- a/Code/test/src/validator_set.rs
+++ b/Code/test/src/validator_set.rs
@@ -133,12 +133,14 @@ impl ValidatorSet {
         vals.dedup();
     }
 
-    pub fn get_proposer(&self) -> Validator {
+    pub fn get_proposer(&self) -> &Validator {
         // TODO: Proper implementation
         assert!(!self.validators.is_empty());
-        let proposer = self.validators[self.proposer.load(Ordering::Relaxed)].clone();
+
+        let idx = self.proposer.load(Ordering::Relaxed) % self.validators.len();
         self.proposer.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
-        proposer
+
+        &self.validators[idx]
     }
 }
 
@@ -151,7 +153,7 @@ impl malachite_common::ValidatorSet<TestContext> for ValidatorSet {
         self.get_by_public_key(public_key)
     }
 
-    fn get_proposer(&self) -> Validator {
+    fn get_proposer(&self) -> &Validator {
         self.get_proposer()
     }