diff --git a/distarray/dist/distarray.py b/distarray/dist/distarray.py
index f7d72086..0cdeb1ee 100644
--- a/distarray/dist/distarray.py
+++ b/distarray/dist/distarray.py
@@ -131,43 +131,10 @@ def __repr__(self):
             (self.shape, self.targets)
         return s
 
-    def _process_return_value(self, result, return_proxy, index, targets,
-                              new_distribution=None):
-
-        if return_proxy:
-            # proxy returned as result of slice
-            # slicing shouldn't alter the dtype
-            result = result[0]
-            return DistArray.from_localarrays(key=result,
-                                              targets=targets,
-                                              distribution=new_distribution,
-                                              dtype=self.dtype)
-
-        elif isinstance(result, Sequence):
-            somethings = [i for i in result if i is not None]
-            if len(somethings) == 0:
-                # using checked_getitem and all return None
-                raise IndexError("Index %r is is not present." % (index,))
-            if len(somethings) == 1:
-                return somethings[0]
-            else:
-                return result
-        else:
-            assert False  # impossible is nothing
-
-
-    def __getitem__(self, index):
-
-        # to be run locally
-        def checked_getitem(arr, index):
-            return arr.global_index.checked_getitem(index)
-
-        # to be run locally
-        def raw_getitem(arr, index):
-            return arr.global_index[index]
+    def _get_view(self, index):
 
         # to be run locally
-        def get_slice(arr, index, ddpr, comm):
+        def get_view(arr, index, ddpr, comm):
             from distarray.local.maps import Distribution
             if len(ddpr) == 0:
                 dim_data = ()
@@ -177,28 +144,62 @@ def get_slice(arr, index, ddpr, comm):
             result = arr.global_index.get_slice(index, local_distribution)
             return proxyize(result)
 
+        new_distribution = self.distribution.slice(index)
+        ddpr = new_distribution.get_dim_data_per_rank()
+
+        args = [self.key, index, ddpr, new_distribution.comm]
+        targets = new_distribution.targets
+        result = self.context.apply(get_view, args=args, targets=targets)[0]
+
+        return DistArray.from_localarrays(key=result,
+                                          targets=targets,
+                                          distribution=new_distribution,
+                                          dtype=self.dtype)
+
+    def _get_value(self, index):
+
+        # to be run locally
+        def get_value(arr, index):
+            return arr.global_index[index]
+
+        args = [self.key, index]
+        targets = self.distribution.owning_targets(index)
+        result = self.context.apply(get_value, args=args, targets=targets)
+
+        return [i for i in result if i is not None][0]
+
+    def _checked_getitem(self, index):
+
+        # to be run locally
+        def checked_getitem(arr, index):
+            return arr.global_index.checked_getitem(index)
+
+        args = [self.key, index]
+        targets = self.distribution.owning_targets(index)
+        result = self.context.apply(checked_getitem, args=args, targets=targets)
+
+        somethings = [i for i in result if i is not None]
+        if len(somethings) == 0:
+            # all return None
+            raise IndexError("Index %r is is not present." % (index,))
+        elif len(somethings) == 1:
+            return somethings[0]
+        else:
+            return result
+
+    def __getitem__(self, index):
         return_type, index = sanitize_indices(index, ndim=self.ndim,
                                               shape=self.shape)
-        return_proxy = (return_type == 'view')
-        targets = self.distribution.owning_targets(index) or [0]
+        if not self.distribution.has_precise_index:
+            result = self._checked_getitem(index)
+        elif return_type == 'view':
+            result = self._get_view(index)
+        elif return_type == 'value':
+            result = self._get_value(index)
+        else:
+            assert False
 
-        args = [self.key, index]
-        new_distribution = None
-        if self.distribution.has_precise_index:
-            if return_proxy:  # returning a new DistArray view
-                new_distribution = self.distribution.slice(index)
-                targets = new_distribution.targets
-                ddpr = new_distribution.get_dim_data_per_rank()
-                args.extend([ddpr, new_distribution.comm])
-                local_fn = get_slice
-            else:  # returning a value
-                local_fn = raw_getitem
-        else:  # returning a value from unstructured
-            local_fn = checked_getitem
-
-        result = self.context.apply(local_fn, args=args, targets=targets)
-        return self._process_return_value(result, return_proxy, index, targets,
-                                          new_distribution=new_distribution)
+        return result
 
     def __setitem__(self, index, value):
         # to be run locally