diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a54d251..0ea33bc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ The contracts in this repository are deployed on [Ara Privatenet](https://github
 
 ### Registry
 
-* [registry.proxyExists(contentDid)](#proxyexists)
 * [registry.getProxyAddress(contentDid)](#getproxy)
 * [registry.upgradeProxy(opts)](#upgrade)
 * [registry.deployProxy(opts)](#deploy)
@@ -112,17 +111,6 @@ await purchase({
 })
 ```
 
-<a name="proxyexists"></a>
-### `registry.proxyExists(contentDid)`
-
-Checks if the proxy for a content `DID` exists.
-
-- `contentDid` - The `DID` of the content to check
-
-```js
-const exists = await registry.proxyExists(contentDid)
-```
-
 <a name="getproxy"></a>
 ### `registry.getProxyAddress(contentDid)`
 
diff --git a/commerce.js b/commerce.js
index a613a39..c51eea0 100644
--- a/commerce.js
+++ b/commerce.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const { abi } = require('./build/contracts/AFS.json')
+const { getProxyAddress } = require('./registry')
 const hasDIDMethod = require('has-did-method')
 const { AID_PREFIX } = require('./constants')
 
@@ -14,11 +15,6 @@ const {
   }
 } = require('ara-util')
 
-const {
-  getProxyAddress,
-  proxyExists
-} = require('./registry')
-
 /**
  * Requests ownership of an AFS.
  * @param  {Object} opts
@@ -103,11 +99,13 @@ async function approveOwnershipTransfer(opts) {
       Ensure ${newOwnerDid} is a valid Ara identity.`)
   }
 
-  if (!(await proxyExists(did))) {
-    throw new Error('Content does not have a valid proxy contract')
+  let proxy
+  try {
+    proxy = await getProxyAddress(did)
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw err
   }
-
-  const proxy = await getProxyAddress(did)
+  
   let owner = getDocumentOwner(ddo, true)
   owner = `${AID_PREFIX}${owner}`
 
@@ -170,12 +168,13 @@ async function _updateOwnershipRequest(opts, functionName = '') {
       Ensure ${requesterDid} is a valid Ara identity.`)
   }
 
-  if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-    throw new Error('Content does not have a valid proxy contract')
+  let proxy
+  try {
+    proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw err
   }
 
-  const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
-
   if (!hasDIDMethod(requesterDid)) {
     requesterDid = `${AID_PREFIX}${requesterDid}`
   }
diff --git a/library.js b/library.js
index b7637a0..d8fce6f 100644
--- a/library.js
+++ b/library.js
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
 const { abi: libAbi } = require('./build/contracts/Library.json')
 const { abi: proxyAbi } = require('./build/contracts/AFS.json')
 const { LIBRARY_ADDRESS } = require('./constants')
-
-const {
-  proxyExists,
-  getProxyAddress
-} = require('./registry')
+const { getProxyAddress } = require('./registry')
 
 const {
   hashDID,
@@ -119,11 +115,13 @@ async function hasPurchased(opts) {
   }
 
   const { purchaserDid, contentDid, keyringOpts } = opts
-  if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-    throw new Error('This content does not have a valid proxy contract')
-  }
 
-  const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
+  let proxy
+  try {
+    proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw err
+  }
   let purchaser = await getAddressFromDID(purchaserDid, keyringOpts)
 
   if (!isAddress(purchaser)) {
diff --git a/purchase.js b/purchase.js
index e96f00a..5ce3b09 100644
--- a/purchase.js
+++ b/purchase.js
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 const { abi: afsAbi } = require('./build/contracts/AFS.json')
 const debug = require('debug')('ara-contracts:purchase')
+const { getProxyAddress } = require('./registry')
 const { randomBytes } = require('ara-crypto')
 const { AID_PREFIX } = require('./constants')
 const token = require('./token')
 
-const {
-  proxyExists,
-  getProxyAddress
-} = require('./registry')
-
 const {
   hasPurchased,
   getLibrarySize,
@@ -87,11 +83,13 @@ async function purchase(opts) {
       throw new Error('Identity has already purchased this')
     }
 
-    if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-      throw new Error('This content does not have a valid proxy contract')
+    let proxy
+    try {
+      proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
+    } catch (err) {
+      throw err
     }
-
-    const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
+    
     let price = await call({
       abi: afsAbi,
       address: proxy,
diff --git a/registry.js b/registry.js
index 9b4ae2a..2ac11bb 100644
--- a/registry.js
+++ b/registry.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const { abi } = require('./build/contracts/Registry.json')
 const debug = require('debug')('ara-contracts:registry')
 const { parse, resolve } = require('path')
+const { deprecate } = require('util')
 const solc = require('solc')
 const fs = require('fs')
 
@@ -26,15 +27,6 @@ const {
   }
 } = require('ara-util')
 
-async function proxyExists(contentDid = '') {
-  try {
-    const address = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
-    return !/^0x0+$/.test(address)
-  } catch (err) {
-    return false
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * Gets the proxy contract address for contentDid
  * @param  {String} contentDid //unhashed
@@ -48,8 +40,9 @@ async function getProxyAddress(contentDid = '') {
 
   contentDid = normalize(contentDid)
 
+  let address
   try {
-    return call({
+    address = await call({
       abi,
       address: REGISTRY_ADDRESS,
       functionName: 'getProxyAddress',
@@ -57,9 +50,14 @@ async function getProxyAddress(contentDid = '') {
         ethify(contentDid)
       ]
     })
+    if (!/^0x0+$/.test(address)) {
+      throw new Error('Content does not have a valid proxy.')
+    }
   } catch (err) {
     throw err
   }
+
+  return address
 }
 
 async function getProxyVersion(contentDid = '') {
@@ -430,7 +428,6 @@ async function deployNewStandard(opts) {
 }
 
 module.exports = {
-  proxyExists,
   deployProxy,
   getStandard,
   upgradeProxy,
diff --git a/rewards.js b/rewards.js
index ace80bd..5ca68cc 100644
--- a/rewards.js
+++ b/rewards.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const { abi: tokenAbi } = require('./build/contracts/AraToken.json')
 const { abi: afsAbi } = require('./build/contracts/AFS.json')
 const debug = require('debug')('ara-contracts:rewards')
+const { getProxyAddress } = require('./registry')
 const { info } = require('ara-console')
 const token = require('./token')
 
@@ -10,11 +11,6 @@ const {
   AID_PREFIX
 } = require('./constants')
 
-const {
-  proxyExists,
-  getProxyAddress
-} = require('./registry')
-
 const {
   validate,
   normalize,
@@ -105,10 +101,6 @@ async function submit(opts) {
 
   let receipt
   try {
-    if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-      throw new Error('This content does not have a valid proxy contract')
-    }
-
     const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
 
     budget = budget.toString()
@@ -253,10 +245,6 @@ async function allocate(opts) {
   debug(did, 'allocating rewards for job:', jobId)
 
   try {
-    if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-      throw new Error('This content does not have a valid proxy contract')
-    }
-
     const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
     const allocateTx = await tx.create({
       account: acct,
@@ -333,10 +321,6 @@ async function redeem(opts) {
 
   let balance = 0
   try {
-    if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-      throw new Error('This content does not have a valid proxy contract')
-    }
-
     const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
 
     const redeemTx = await tx.create({
@@ -395,10 +379,6 @@ async function getBudget(opts) {
   contentDid = normalize(contentDid)
 
   try {
-    if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-      throw new Error('This content does not have a valid proxy contract')
-    }
-
     const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
     const budget = await call({
       abi: afsAbi,
@@ -451,10 +431,6 @@ async function getRewardsBalance(opts) {
   const { address } = await account.load({ did, password })
 
   try {
-    if (!(await proxyExists(contentDid))) {
-      throw new Error('This content does not have a valid proxy contract')
-    }
-
     const proxy = await getProxyAddress(contentDid)
     const balance = await call({
       abi: afsAbi,