diff --git a/swh/web/ui/service.py b/swh/web/ui/service.py
index 7fa7deec..91b4cc72 100644
--- a/swh/web/ui/service.py
+++ b/swh/web/ui/service.py
@@ -1,83 +1,79 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2015  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU Affero General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 
 from swh.core import hashutil
 from swh.web.ui import converters, main, query, upload
 
 
-def hash_and_search(filepath_or_data):
-    """Hash the filepath_or_data's content as sha1, then search in storage if
+def hash_and_search(filepath):
+    """Hash the filepath's content as sha1, then search in storage if
     it exists.
 
     Args:
         Filepath of the file to hash and search.
 
     Returns:
         Tuple (hex sha1, found as True or false).
         The found boolean, according to whether the sha1 of the file
         is present or not.
 
     """
-    if isinstance(filepath_or_data, str):
-        hash = hashutil.hashfile(filepath_or_data)
-    else:
-        hash = hashutil.hashdata(filepath_or_data)
-
+    hash = hashutil.hashfile(filepath)
     sha1 = hash['sha1']
     return (hashutil.hash_to_hex(sha1),
             main.storage().content_exist({'sha1': sha1}))
 
 
 def upload_and_search(file):
     """Upload a file and compute its hash.
 
     """
     tmpdir, filename, filepath = upload.save_in_upload_folder(file)
     try:
         sha1, found = None, None
         if filepath:
             sha1, found = hash_and_search(filepath)
         return filename, sha1, found
     finally:
         # clean up
         if tmpdir:
             upload.cleanup(tmpdir)
 
 
 def lookup_hash(q):
     """Checks if the storage contains a given content checksum
 
     Args: query string
 
     Returns:
         True or False, according to whether the checksum is present or not
 
     """
     (algo, hash) = query.parse_hash(q)
     return main.storage().content_exist({algo: hash})
 
 
 def lookup_hash_origin(q):
     """Return information about the checksum contained in the query q.
 
     Args: query string
 
     Returns:
         True or False, according to whether the checksum is present or not
 
     """
     algo, h = query.parse_hash(q)
     origin = main.storage().content_find_occurrence({algo: h})
     return converters.from_origin(origin)
 
 
 def stat_counters():
     """Return the stat counters for Software Heritage
 
     Returns:
         A dict mapping textual labels to integer values.
     """
     return main.storage().stat_counters()