diff --git a/src/nt/ntscalar.cpp b/src/nt/ntscalar.cpp
index 9bd935b..27eaf0e 100644
--- a/src/nt/ntscalar.cpp
+++ b/src/nt/ntscalar.cpp
@@ -206,11 +206,11 @@ PVStructurePtr NTScalar::getControl() const
 
 PVFieldPtr NTScalar::getValue() const
 {
-    return pvNTScalar->getSubField("value");
+    return pvValue;
 }
 
 NTScalar::NTScalar(PVStructurePtr const & pvStructure) :
-    pvNTScalar(pvStructure)
+    pvNTScalar(pvStructure), pvValue(pvNTScalar->getSubField("value"))
 {}
 
 
diff --git a/src/nt/ntscalar.h b/src/nt/ntscalar.h
index cab4d7c..a6b6f12 100644
--- a/src/nt/ntscalar.h
+++ b/src/nt/ntscalar.h
@@ -229,16 +229,13 @@ public:
     template<typename PVT>
     std::tr1::shared_ptr<PVT> getValue() const
     {
-        epics::pvData::PVFieldPtr pvField = getValue();
-        if (pvField.get())
-            return std::tr1::dynamic_pointer_cast<PVT>(pvField);
-        else
-            return std::tr1::shared_ptr<PVT>();
+        return std::tr1::dynamic_pointer_cast<PVT>(pvValue);
     }
 
 private:
     NTScalar(epics::pvData::PVStructurePtr const & pvStructure);
     epics::pvData::PVStructurePtr pvNTScalar;
+    epics::pvData::PVFieldPtr pvValue;
     friend class detail::NTScalarBuilder;
 };