diff --git a/src/sha3.js b/src/sha3.js
index 8403277..6612704 100644
--- a/src/sha3.js
+++ b/src/sha3.js
@@ -60,22 +60,22 @@
     : ArrayBuffer.isView;
 
   var formatMessage = function (message) {
-    var notString, type = typeof message;
-    if (type !== 'string') {
-      if (type === 'object') {
-        if (message === null) {
-          throw new Error(INPUT_ERROR);
-        } else if (ARRAY_BUFFER && message.constructor === ArrayBuffer) {
-          message = new Uint8Array(message);
-        } else if (!isArray(message) && !isView(message)) {
-          throw new Error(INPUT_ERROR);
-        }
-      } else {
+    var type = typeof message;
+    if (type === 'string') {
+      return [message, false];
+    }
+    if (type === 'object') {
+      if (message === null) {
+        throw new Error(INPUT_ERROR);
+      } else if (ARRAY_BUFFER && message.constructor === ArrayBuffer) {
+        message = new Uint8Array(message);
+      } else if (!isArray(message) && !isView(message)) {
         throw new Error(INPUT_ERROR);
       }
-      notString = true;
+    } else {
+      throw new Error(INPUT_ERROR);
     }
-    return [message, notString];
+    return [message, true];
   }
 
   var empty = function (message) {