diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/transaction.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/transaction.hpp
index b6ae7a41..b8ffc1e9 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/transaction.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/transaction.hpp
@@ -97,20 +97,8 @@ namespace graphene { namespace chain {
       transaction_id_type id()const;
       void validate() const;
 
-      void set_expiration( fc::time_point_sec expiration_time )
-      {
-         ref_block_num = 0;
-         relative_expiration = 0;
-         ref_block_prefix = expiration_time.sec_since_epoch();
-         block_id_cache.reset();
-      }
-      void set_expiration( const block_id_type& reference_block, unsigned_int lifetime_intervals = 3 )
-      {
-         ref_block_num = ntohl(reference_block._hash[0]);
-         ref_block_prefix = reference_block._hash[1];
-         relative_expiration = lifetime_intervals;
-         block_id_cache = reference_block;
-      }
+      void set_expiration( fc::time_point_sec expiration_time );
+      void set_expiration( const block_id_type& reference_block, unsigned_int lifetime_intervals = 3 );
 
       /// visit all operations
       template<typename Visitor>
diff --git a/libraries/chain/transaction.cpp b/libraries/chain/transaction.cpp
index ee1b3c10..dea15771 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/transaction.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/transaction.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  */
 #include <graphene/chain/transaction.hpp>
 #include <fc/io/raw.hpp>
+#include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
 
 namespace graphene { namespace chain {
 
@@ -70,5 +71,12 @@ void graphene::chain::signed_transaction::sign(const private_key_type& key)
       signatures.push_back(key.sign_compact(digest()));
    }
 }
+void transaction::set_expiration( const block_id_type& reference_block, unsigned_int lifetime_intervals )
+{
+   ref_block_num = boost::endian::endian_reverse(reference_block._hash[0]);
+   ref_block_prefix = reference_block._hash[1];
+   relative_expiration = lifetime_intervals;
+   block_id_cache = reference_block;
+}
 
 } } // graphene::chain