diff --git a/consensus/carnot-engine/src/overlay/tree_overlay/overlay.rs b/consensus/carnot-engine/src/overlay/tree_overlay/overlay.rs
index 9a3e833a..8155238a 100644
--- a/consensus/carnot-engine/src/overlay/tree_overlay/overlay.rs
+++ b/consensus/carnot-engine/src/overlay/tree_overlay/overlay.rs
@@ -146,14 +146,10 @@ where
         if self.is_member_of_leaf_committee(id) {
             return 0;
         }
-        match self
-            .carnot_tree
+        self.carnot_tree
             .committee_by_member_id(&id)
             .map(|c| apply_threshold(c.len(), self.threshold))
-        {
-            Some(threshold) => threshold,
-            None => panic!("node {id} is not part of any committee"),
-        }
+            .expect("node is not part of any committee")
     }
 
     // TODO: Carnot node in sim does not send votes to the next leader from the child committee of