diff --git a/atxsdata/data.go b/atxsdata/data.go
index a360d8d45e..e719c85eb2 100644
--- a/atxsdata/data.go
+++ b/atxsdata/data.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
+
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/go-spacemesh/common/types"
 )
 
@@ -147,6 +149,12 @@ func (d *Data) SetMalicious(node types.NodeID) {
 	d.malicious[node] = struct{}{}
 }
 
+func (d *Data) MaliciousIdentities() []types.NodeID {
+	d.mu.RLock()
+	defer d.mu.RUnlock()
+	return maps.Keys(d.malicious)
+}
+
 // Get returns atx data.
 // SAFETY: The returned pointer MUST NOT be modified.
 func (d *Data) Get(epoch types.EpochID, atx types.ATXID) *ATX {
diff --git a/tortoise/recover.go b/tortoise/recover.go
index 6c742c9fa5..6a150d1318 100644
--- a/tortoise/recover.go
+++ b/tortoise/recover.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/go-spacemesh/sql/beacons"
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/go-spacemesh/sql/blocks"
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/go-spacemesh/sql/certificates"
-	"github.com/spacemeshos/go-spacemesh/sql/identities"
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/go-spacemesh/sql/layers"
 )
 
@@ -60,11 +59,7 @@ func Recover(
 		}
 	}
 
-	malicious, err := identities.GetMalicious(db)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("recover malicious %w", err)
-	}
-	for _, id := range malicious {
+	for _, id := range atxdata.MaliciousIdentities() {
 		trtl.OnMalfeasance(id)
 	}