diff --git a/src/Verraes/MagicTree/Branch.php b/src/Verraes/MagicTree/Branch.php
index 5cee8f8..bc2bf21 100644
--- a/src/Verraes/MagicTree/Branch.php
+++ b/src/Verraes/MagicTree/Branch.php
@@ -38,26 +38,13 @@ public function remove($key)
 
     public function offsetGet($index)
     {
-        if (!isset($this->_children[$index])) {
-            $this->addElement($index, new Branch());
-        }
-        return $this->_children[$index];
+        return $this->getChild($index);
     }
 
 
     public function __get($name)
     {
-        if (!isset($this->_children[$name])) {
-            $this->addElement($name, new Branch());
-        }
-
-        $child = $this->_children[$name];
-
-        if ($child instanceof Leaf) {
-            return $child->getValue();
-        }
-
-        return $child;
+        return $this->getChild($name);
     }
 
     public function offsetExists($offset)
@@ -255,4 +242,22 @@ public function isEmpty()
         }
         return true;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @param $index
+     * @return mixed
+     */
+    private function getChild($index)
+    {
+        if (!isset($this->_children[$index])) {
+            $this->addElement($index, new Branch());
+        }
+        $child = $this->_children[$index];
+
+        if ($child instanceof Leaf) {
+            return $child->getValue();
+        }
+
+        return $child;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Verraes/MagicTree/Tests/MagicTreeTest.php b/tests/Verraes/MagicTree/Tests/MagicTreeTest.php
index 57eddba..a052ea1 100644
--- a/tests/Verraes/MagicTree/Tests/MagicTreeTest.php
+++ b/tests/Verraes/MagicTree/Tests/MagicTreeTest.php
@@ -350,6 +350,24 @@ public function it_should_confirm_or_deny_being_empty()
 
         $this->assertFalse($nonEmptyBranch->isEmpty());
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @test
+     */
+    public function getting_a_leaf_should_return_its_value()
+    {
+        $branch = new Branch();
+        $branch->integer(5);
+
+        $this->assertInternalType('integer', $branch->integer);
+        $this->assertInternalType('integer', $branch['integer']);
+
+        $branch->string("MagicTree Rules");
+
+        $this->assertInternalType('string', $branch->string);
+        $this->assertInternalType('string', $branch['string']);
+
+    }
 }
 
  
\ No newline at end of file