diff --git a/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/geth.rs b/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/geth.rs
index a76e6c274c5..ba205d6077f 100644
--- a/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/geth.rs
+++ b/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/geth.rs
@@ -121,19 +121,19 @@ impl GethInstance {
     }
 
     /// Returns the path to this instances' data directory
-    pub const fn data_dir(&self) -> &Option<PathBuf> {
-        &self.data_dir
+    pub const fn data_dir(&self) -> Option<&PathBuf> {
+        self.data_dir.as_ref()
     }
 
     /// Returns the genesis configuration used to configure this instance
-    pub const fn genesis(&self) -> &Option<Genesis> {
-        &self.genesis
+    pub const fn genesis(&self) -> Option<&Genesis> {
+        self.genesis.as_ref()
     }
 
     /// Returns the private key used to configure clique on this instance
     #[deprecated = "clique support was removed in geth >=1.14"]
-    pub const fn clique_private_key(&self) -> &Option<SigningKey> {
-        &self.clique_private_key
+    pub const fn clique_private_key(&self) -> Option<&SigningKey> {
+        self.clique_private_key.as_ref()
     }
 
     /// Takes the stderr contained in the child process.
diff --git a/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/reth.rs b/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/reth.rs
index b61653be5bf..a7a90edc7a4 100644
--- a/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/reth.rs
+++ b/crates/node-bindings/src/nodes/reth.rs
@@ -102,13 +102,13 @@ impl RethInstance {
     }
 
     /// Returns the path to this instances' data directory.
-    pub const fn data_dir(&self) -> &Option<PathBuf> {
-        &self.data_dir
+    pub const fn data_dir(&self) -> Option<&PathBuf> {
+        self.data_dir.as_ref()
     }
 
     /// Returns the genesis configuration used to configure this instance
-    pub const fn genesis(&self) -> &Option<Genesis> {
-        &self.genesis
+    pub const fn genesis(&self) -> Option<&Genesis> {
+        self.genesis.as_ref()
     }
 
     /// Takes the stdout contained in the child process.