diff --git a/src/obidms_taxonomy.c b/src/obidms_taxonomy.c
index 5822773..fb36b29 100755
--- a/src/obidms_taxonomy.c
+++ b/src/obidms_taxonomy.c
@@ -3549,7 +3549,7 @@ ecotx_t* obi_taxo_get_lca(ecotx_t* taxon1, ecotx_t* taxon2)  // TODO could be mo
 	next_taxon    = current_taxon->parent;
 	path1[0]      = current_taxon;
 	i=0;
-	while (current_taxon != next_taxon)  // root node
+	while (current_taxon->taxid != 1)  // root node
 	{
 		current_taxon = next_taxon;
 		next_taxon    = current_taxon->parent;
@@ -3563,7 +3563,7 @@ ecotx_t* obi_taxo_get_lca(ecotx_t* taxon1, ecotx_t* taxon2)  // TODO could be mo
 	next_taxon    = current_taxon->parent;
 	path2[0]      = current_taxon;
 	j=0;
-	while (current_taxon != next_taxon)  // root node
+	while (current_taxon->taxid != 1)  // root node
 	{
 		current_taxon = next_taxon;
 		next_taxon    = current_taxon->parent;