diff --git a/tuf/client/updater.py b/tuf/client/updater.py
index dac17a6c..427d271f 100755
--- a/tuf/client/updater.py
+++ b/tuf/client/updater.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
 import tuf.sig
 import tuf.util
 
-logger = logging.getLogger('tuf')
+from tuf.log import logger
 
 
 class Updater(object):
@@ -664,12 +664,8 @@ def _update_metadata(self, metadata_role, fileinfo, compression=None,
 
     # Extract file length and file hashes.  They will be passed as arguments
     # to 'download_file' function.
-    if fileinfo is not None:
-      file_length=fileinfo['length']
-      file_hashes=fileinfo['hashes']
-    else:
-      file_length=None
-      file_hashes=None
+    file_length=fileinfo['length']
+    file_hashes=fileinfo['hashes']
 
     # Attempt a file download from each mirror until the file is downloaded and
     # verified.  If the signature of the downloaded file is valid, proceed,
@@ -836,12 +832,9 @@ def _update_metadata_if_changed(self, metadata_role, referenced_metadata='releas
     # The 'root' role may be updated without having 'release'
     # available.  
     if referenced_metadata not in self.metadata['current']:
-      if metadata_role == 'root':
-        new_fileinfo = None
-      else:
-        message = 'Cannot update '+repr(metadata_role)+' because ' \
-                  +referenced_metadata+' is missing.'
-        raise tuf.RepositoryError(message)
+      message = 'Cannot update '+repr(metadata_role)+' because ' \
+                +referenced_metadata+' is missing.'
+      raise tuf.RepositoryError(message)
     # The referenced metadata has been loaded.  Extract the new
     # fileinfo for 'metadata_role' from it. 
     else:
@@ -1019,11 +1012,6 @@ def _fileinfo_has_changed(self, metadata_filename, new_fileinfo):
     if self.fileinfo.get(metadata_filename) is None:
       return True
 
-    # 'new_fileinfo' should only be 'None' if updating 'root.txt'
-    # without having 'release.txt'.
-    if new_fileinfo is None:
-      return True
-
     current_fileinfo = self.fileinfo[metadata_filename]
 
     if current_fileinfo['length'] != new_fileinfo['length']:
diff --git a/tuf/tests/test_updater.py b/tuf/tests/test_updater.py
index ae4e7bbd..70376a02 100755
--- a/tuf/tests/test_updater.py
+++ b/tuf/tests/test_updater.py
@@ -61,11 +61,14 @@ class guarantees the order of unit tests.  So that, 'test_something_A'
 roledb = tuf.roledb
 keydb = tuf.keydb
 
+# This is the default metadata that we would create for the timestamp role,
+# because it has no signed metadata for itself.
 DEFAULT_TIMESTAMP_FILEINFO = {
-  'length': tuf.conf.DEFAULT_TIMESTAMP_REQUIRED_LENGTH,
-  'hashes':None
+  'hashes': None,
+  'length': tuf.conf.DEFAULT_TIMESTAMP_REQUIRED_LENGTH
 }
 
+
 class TestUpdater_init_(unittest_toolbox.Modified_TestCase):
 
   def test__init__exceptions(self):
@@ -204,7 +207,7 @@ def _mock_download_url_to_tempfileobj(self, output):
 
     """
 
-    def _mock_download(url, length, hashes=None, HARD_LIMIT_REQUIRED_LENGTH=True):
+    def _mock_download(url, length, hashes=None, STRICT_REQUIRED_LENGTH=True):
       if isinstance(output, (str, unicode)):
         file_path = output
       elif isinstance(output, list):
@@ -505,12 +508,14 @@ def test_3__update_metadata(self):
     # Test: Invalid file downloaded.
     #  Patch 'download.download_url_to_tempfileobj' function.
     self._mock_download_url_to_tempfileobj(self.release_filepath)
+    # TODO: Set fileinfo to a valid object.
     self.assertRaises(tuf.RepositoryError, _update_metadata, 'targets', None)
 
 
     # Test: normal case.
     #  Patch 'download.download_url_to_tempfileobj' function.
     self._mock_download_url_to_tempfileobj(self.targets_filepath)
+    # TODO: Set fileinfo to a valid object.
     _update_metadata('targets', None)
     list_of_targets = self.Repository.metadata['current']['targets']['targets']
 
@@ -528,6 +533,7 @@ def test_3__update_metadata(self):
 
     #  Re-patch 'download.download_url_to_tempfileobj' function.
     self._mock_download_url_to_tempfileobj(targets_filepath_compressed)
+    # TODO: Set fileinfo to a valid object.
     _update_metadata('targets', None, compression='gzip')
     list_of_targets = self.Repository.metadata['current']['targets']['targets']