diff --git a/catcli/noder.py b/catcli/noder.py
index d0ab9d4..cfd21da 100644
--- a/catcli/noder.py
+++ b/catcli/noder.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ import anytree  # type: ignore
 # local imports
 from catcli import nodes
 from catcli.nodes import NodeAny, NodeStorage, \
-    NodeTop, NodeFile, NodeArchived, NodeDir, NodeMeta
+    NodeTop, NodeFile, NodeArchived, NodeDir, NodeMeta, \
+    typcast_node
 from catcli.utils import size_to_str, epoch_to_str, md5sum, fix_badchars
 from catcli.logger import Logger
 from catcli.nodeprinter import NodePrinter
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ class Noder:
         try:
             bpath = os.path.basename(path)
             the_node = resolv.get(top, bpath)
+            typcast_node(the_node)
             return cast(NodeAny, the_node)
         except anytree.resolver.ChildResolverError:
             if not quiet:
@@ -296,6 +298,7 @@ class Noder:
         """remove any node not flagged and clean flags"""
         cnt = 0
         for node in anytree.PreOrderIter(top):
+            typcast_node(node)
             if node.type not in [nodes.TYPE_DIR, nodes.TYPE_FILE]:
                 continue
             if self._clean(node):
diff --git a/catcli/nodes.py b/catcli/nodes.py
index eb42e81..b622410 100644
--- a/catcli/nodes.py
+++ b/catcli/nodes.py
@@ -21,6 +21,22 @@ NAME_TOP = 'top'
 NAME_META = 'meta'
 
 
+def typcast_node(node: Any) -> None:
+    """typecast node to its sub type"""
+    if node.type == TYPE_TOP:
+        node.__class__ = NodeTop
+    elif node.type == TYPE_FILE:
+        node.__class__ = NodeFile
+    elif node.type == TYPE_DIR:
+        node.__class__ = NodeDir
+    elif node.type == TYPE_ARCHIVED:
+        node.__class__ = NodeArchived
+    elif node.type == TYPE_STORAGE:
+        node.__class__ = NodeStorage
+    elif node.type == TYPE_META:
+        node.__class__ = NodeMeta
+
+
 class NodeAny(NodeMixin):  # type: ignore
     """generic node"""
 
diff --git a/tests/test_update.py b/tests/test_update.py
index 1107b45..6f75610 100644
--- a/tests/test_update.py
+++ b/tests/test_update.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class TestUpdate(unittest.TestCase):
         noder.print_tree(top)
 
         # explore the top node to find all nodes
-        self.assertTrue(len(top.children) == 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(top.children), 1)
         storage = top.children[0]
         self.assertTrue(len(storage.children) == 8)