diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0e715ef16..93312024e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 GOTOOLS = \
 	github.com/golang/dep/cmd/dep \
 	github.com/gogo/protobuf/protoc-gen-gogo \
-	github.com/gogo/protobuf/gogoproto
+	github.com/gogo/protobuf/gogoproto \
+	github.com/square/certstrap
 	# github.com/alecthomas/gometalinter.v2 \
 
 GOTOOLS_CHECK = dep gometalinter.v2 protoc protoc-gen-gogo
@@ -66,8 +67,21 @@ get_vendor_deps:
 ########################################
 ### Testing
 
-test:
+gen_certs: clean_certs
+	## Generating certificates for TLS testing...
+	certstrap init --common-name "tendermint.com" --passphrase ""
+	certstrap request-cert -ip "::" --passphrase ""
+	certstrap sign "::" --CA "tendermint.com" --passphrase ""
+	mv out/{::.crt,::.key} remotedb
+
+clean_certs:
+	## Cleaning TLS testing certificates...
+	rm -rf out
+	rm -f remotedb/{::.crt,::.key}
+
+test: gen_certs
 	go test -tags gcc $(shell go list ./... | grep -v vendor)
+	make clean_certs
 
 test100:
 	@for i in {1..100}; do make test; done
@@ -118,7 +132,7 @@ metalinter_all:
 # To avoid unintended conflicts with file names, always add to .PHONY
 # unless there is a reason not to.
 # https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/Phony-Targets.html
-.PHONY: check protoc build check_tools get_tools get_protoc update_tools get_vendor_deps test fmt metalinter metalinter_all
+.PHONY: check protoc build check_tools get_tools get_protoc update_tools get_vendor_deps test fmt metalinter metalinter_all gen_certs clean_certs
 
 grpc_dbserver:
 	protoc -I proto/ proto/defs.proto --go_out=plugins=grpc:proto
diff --git a/grpcdb/client.go b/grpcdb/client.go
index a09720abc..07fd461ec 100644
--- a/grpcdb/client.go
+++ b/grpcdb/client.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package grpcdb
 
 import (
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
 
 	protodb "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/proto"
 )
@@ -16,12 +17,12 @@ const (
 
 // NewClient creates a gRPC client connected to the bound gRPC server at serverAddr.
 // Use kind to set the level of security to either Secure or Insecure.
-func NewClient(serverAddr string, kind Security) (protodb.DBClient, error) {
-	var opts []grpc.DialOption
-	if kind == Insecure {
-		opts = append(opts, grpc.WithInsecure())
+func NewClient(serverAddr string, serverCert string) (protodb.DBClient, error) {
+	creds, err := credentials.NewClientTLSFromFile(serverCert, "")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	cc, err := grpc.Dial(serverAddr, opts...)
+	cc, err := grpc.Dial(serverAddr, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(creds))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/grpcdb/doc.go b/grpcdb/doc.go
index a54cab207..c92de82d3 100644
--- a/grpcdb/doc.go
+++ b/grpcdb/doc.go
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ should use it, for functionality such as:
 
 or
 	addr := ":8998"
+  cert := "server.crt"
+  key := "server.key"
 	go func() {
-		if err := grpcdb.ListenAndServe(addr); err != nil {
+		if err := grpcdb.ListenAndServe(addr, cert, key); err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("BindServer: %v", err)
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/grpcdb/example_test.go b/grpcdb/example_test.go
index cbe1abf92..5a9c6eed9 100644
--- a/grpcdb/example_test.go
+++ b/grpcdb/example_test.go
@@ -11,13 +11,15 @@ import (
 
 func Example() {
 	addr := ":8998"
+	cert := "server.crt"
+	key := "server.key"
 	go func() {
-		if err := grpcdb.ListenAndServe(addr); err != nil {
+		if err := grpcdb.ListenAndServe(addr, cert, key); err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("BindServer: %v", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
-	client, err := grpcdb.NewClient(addr, grpcdb.Insecure)
+	client, err := grpcdb.NewClient(addr, cert)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Failed to create grpcDB client: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/grpcdb/server.go b/grpcdb/server.go
index 1e8495300..d8dc1581f 100644
--- a/grpcdb/server.go
+++ b/grpcdb/server.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/db"
 	protodb "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/proto"
@@ -15,19 +16,27 @@ import (
 // ListenAndServe is a blocking function that sets up a gRPC based
 // server at the address supplied, with the gRPC options passed in.
 // Normally in usage, invoke it in a goroutine like you would for http.ListenAndServe.
-func ListenAndServe(addr string, opts ...grpc.ServerOption) error {
+func ListenAndServe(addr string, cert string, key string, opts ...grpc.ServerOption) error {
 	ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", addr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	srv := NewServer(opts...)
+	srv, err := NewServer(cert, key, opts...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	return srv.Serve(ln)
 }
 
-func NewServer(opts ...grpc.ServerOption) *grpc.Server {
+func NewServer(cert string, key string, opts ...grpc.ServerOption) (*grpc.Server, error) {
+	creds, err := credentials.NewServerTLSFromFile(cert, key)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	opts = append(opts, grpc.Creds(creds))
 	srv := grpc.NewServer(opts...)
 	protodb.RegisterDBServer(srv, new(server))
-	return srv
+	return srv, nil
 }
 
 type server struct {
diff --git a/remotedb/remotedb.go b/remotedb/remotedb.go
index a110e816c..b80cd3fdb 100644
--- a/remotedb/remotedb.go
+++ b/remotedb/remotedb.go
@@ -14,12 +14,8 @@ type RemoteDB struct {
 	dc  protodb.DBClient
 }
 
-func NewSecure(serverAddr string) (*RemoteDB, error) {
-	return newRemoteDB(grpcdb.NewClient(serverAddr, grpcdb.Secure))
-}
-
-func NewInsecure(serverAddr string) (*RemoteDB, error) {
-	return newRemoteDB(grpcdb.NewClient(serverAddr, grpcdb.Insecure))
+func NewRemoteDB(serverAddr string, serverKey string) (*RemoteDB, error) {
+	return newRemoteDB(grpcdb.NewClient(serverAddr, serverKey))
 }
 
 func newRemoteDB(gdc protodb.DBClient, err error) (*RemoteDB, error) {
diff --git a/remotedb/remotedb_test.go b/remotedb/remotedb_test.go
index 37ce0c59a..a5b77cf5a 100644
--- a/remotedb/remotedb_test.go
+++ b/remotedb/remotedb_test.go
@@ -11,9 +11,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestRemoteDB(t *testing.T) {
+	cert := "::.crt"
+	key := "::.key"
 	ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", "0.0.0.0:0")
 	require.Nil(t, err, "expecting a port to have been assigned on which we can listen")
-	srv := grpcdb.NewServer()
+	srv, err := grpcdb.NewServer(cert, key)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
 	defer srv.Stop()
 	go func() {
 		if err := srv.Serve(ln); err != nil {
@@ -21,7 +24,7 @@ func TestRemoteDB(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	client, err := remotedb.NewInsecure(ln.Addr().String())
+	client, err := remotedb.NewRemoteDB(ln.Addr().String(), cert)
 	require.Nil(t, err, "expecting a successful client creation")
 	require.Nil(t, client.InitRemote(&remotedb.Init{Name: "test-remote-db", Type: "leveldb"}))