diff --git a/config/tendermint/config.go b/config/tendermint/config.go
index 7e8e5b44c..74bf7b2ff 100644
--- a/config/tendermint/config.go
+++ b/config/tendermint/config.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ func GetConfig(rootDir string) cfg.Config {
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("prof_laddr", "")
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("revision_file", rootDir+"/revision")
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("cswal", rootDir+"/data/cswal")
+	mapConfig.SetDefault("cswal_light", false)
 
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("block_size", 10000)
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("timeout_propose", 3000)
@@ -77,6 +78,8 @@ func GetConfig(rootDir string) cfg.Config {
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("timeout_precommit_delta", 500)
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("timeout_commit", 1000)
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("mempool_recheck", true)
+	mapConfig.SetDefault("mempool_broadcast", true)
+	mapConfig.SetDefault("mempool_reap", true)
 
 	return mapConfig
 }
diff --git a/config/tendermint_test/config.go b/config/tendermint_test/config.go
index a9153e50c..1263dc135 100644
--- a/config/tendermint_test/config.go
+++ b/config/tendermint_test/config.go
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ func GetConfig(rootDir string) cfg.Config {
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("prof_laddr", "")
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("revision_file", rootDir+"/revision")
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("cswal", rootDir+"/data/cswal")
+	mapConfig.SetDefault("cswal_light", false)
 
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("block_size", 10000)
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("timeout_propose", 100)
@@ -101,6 +102,8 @@ func GetConfig(rootDir string) cfg.Config {
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("timeout_precommit_delta", 1)
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("timeout_commit", 1)
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("mempool_recheck", true)
+	mapConfig.SetDefault("mempool_broadcast", true)
+	mapConfig.SetDefault("mempool_reap", true)
 
 	return mapConfig
 }
diff --git a/consensus/replay_test.go b/consensus/replay_test.go
index 2e93450a5..f18cc0ccb 100644
--- a/consensus/replay_test.go
+++ b/consensus/replay_test.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func TestReplayCatchup(t *testing.T) {
 
 func openWAL(t *testing.T, cs *ConsensusState, file string) {
 	// open the wal
-	wal, err := NewWAL(file)
+	wal, err := NewWAL(file, config.GetBool("cswal_light"))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 6fdda4087..49be32ea1 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) OnStop() {
 func (cs *ConsensusState) OpenWAL(file string) (err error) {
 	cs.mtx.Lock()
 	defer cs.mtx.Unlock()
-	wal, err := NewWAL(file)
+	wal, err := NewWAL(file, config.GetBool("cswal_light"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -655,7 +655,6 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) handleMsg(mi msgInfo, rs RoundState) {
 		err = cs.setProposal(msg.Proposal)
 	case *BlockPartMessage:
 		// if the proposal is complete, we'll enterPrevote or tryFinalizeCommit
-		// if we're the only validator, the enterPrevote may take us through to the next round
 		_, err = cs.addProposalBlockPart(msg.Height, msg.Part)
 	case *VoteMessage:
 		// attempt to add the vote and dupeout the validator if its a duplicate signature
@@ -675,7 +674,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) handleMsg(mi msgInfo, rs RoundState) {
 		log.Warn("Unknown msg type", reflect.TypeOf(msg))
 	}
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Error("Error with msg", "type", reflect.TypeOf(msg), "error", err, "msg", msg)
+		log.Error("Error with msg", "type", reflect.TypeOf(msg), "peer", peerKey, "error", err, "msg", msg)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/consensus/wal.go b/consensus/wal.go
index 00536f9dc..832368e6c 100644
--- a/consensus/wal.go
+++ b/consensus/wal.go
@@ -39,9 +39,11 @@ type WAL struct {
 	exists bool // if the file already existed (restarted process)
 
 	done chan struct{}
+
+	light bool // ignore block parts
 }
 
-func NewWAL(file string) (*WAL, error) {
+func NewWAL(file string, light bool) (*WAL, error) {
 	var walExists bool
 	if _, err := os.Stat(file); err == nil {
 		walExists = true
@@ -54,12 +56,20 @@ func NewWAL(file string) (*WAL, error) {
 		fp:     fp,
 		exists: walExists,
 		done:   make(chan struct{}),
+		light:  light,
 	}, nil
 }
 
 // called in newStep and for each pass in receiveRoutine
 func (wal *WAL) Save(msg ConsensusLogMessageInterface) {
 	if wal != nil {
+		if wal.light {
+			if m, ok := msg.(msgInfo); ok {
+				if _, ok := m.Msg.(*BlockPartMessage); ok {
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}
 		var n int
 		var err error
 		wire.WriteJSON(ConsensusLogMessage{time.Now(), msg}, wal.fp, &n, &err)
diff --git a/consensus/wal_test.go b/consensus/wal_test.go
index 8348ca24d..808a5e414 100644
--- a/consensus/wal_test.go
+++ b/consensus/wal_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func TestSeek(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	f.Close()
 
-	wal, err := NewWAL(path.Join(os.TempDir(), name))
+	wal, err := NewWAL(path.Join(os.TempDir(), name), config.GetBool("cswal_light"))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/mempool/mempool.go b/mempool/mempool.go
index 1d0a375d6..a511c2e46 100644
--- a/mempool/mempool.go
+++ b/mempool/mempool.go
@@ -184,6 +184,10 @@ func (mem *Mempool) resCbRecheck(req *tmsp.Request, res *tmsp.Response) {
 
 // Get the valid transactions remaining
 func (mem *Mempool) Reap() []types.Tx {
+	if !config.GetBool("mempool_reap") {
+		return []types.Tx{}
+	}
+
 	mem.proxyMtx.Lock()
 	defer mem.proxyMtx.Unlock()
 
diff --git a/mempool/reactor.go b/mempool/reactor.go
index 9a8649fd2..dc4c9fede 100644
--- a/mempool/reactor.go
+++ b/mempool/reactor.go
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ type Peer interface {
 // TODO: Handle mempool or reactor shutdown?
 // As is this routine may block forever if no new txs come in.
 func (memR *MempoolReactor) broadcastTxRoutine(peer Peer) {
+	if !config.GetBool("mempool_broadcast") {
+		return
+	}
+
 	var next *clist.CElement
 	for {
 		if !memR.IsRunning() {
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 53805e211..8beafcee8 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -58,8 +58,9 @@ func NewNode(privValidator *types.PrivValidator) *Node {
 	proxyAppConnMempool := getProxyApp(proxyAddr, state.AppHash)
 	proxyAppConnConsensus := getProxyApp(proxyAddr, state.AppHash)
 
-	// add the chainid to the global config
+	// add the chainid and number of validators to the global config
 	config.Set("chain_id", state.ChainID)
+	config.Set("num_vals", state.Validators.Size())
 
 	// Generate node PrivKey
 	privKey := crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519()
diff --git a/rpc/core/mempool.go b/rpc/core/mempool.go
index 61bf08a56..8eca1883e 100644
--- a/rpc/core/mempool.go
+++ b/rpc/core/mempool.go
@@ -39,3 +39,8 @@ func UnconfirmedTxs() (*ctypes.ResultUnconfirmedTxs, error) {
 	txs := mempoolReactor.Mempool.Reap()
 	return &ctypes.ResultUnconfirmedTxs{len(txs), txs}, nil
 }
+
+func TestStartMempool() (*ctypes.ResultTestStartMempool, error) {
+	config.Set("mempool_reap", true)
+	return &ctypes.ResultTestStartMempool{}, nil
+}
diff --git a/rpc/core/routes.go b/rpc/core/routes.go
index 23cd56163..1d6eaac17 100644
--- a/rpc/core/routes.go
+++ b/rpc/core/routes.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ var Routes = map[string]*rpc.RPCFunc{
 	"broadcast_tx_sync":    rpc.NewRPCFunc(BroadcastTxSyncResult, "tx"),
 	"broadcast_tx_async":   rpc.NewRPCFunc(BroadcastTxAsyncResult, "tx"),
 	"unconfirmed_txs":      rpc.NewRPCFunc(UnconfirmedTxsResult, ""),
+	"test_start_mempool":   rpc.NewRPCFunc(TestStartMempoolResult, ""), // move to test server ?
 	// subscribe/unsubscribe are reserved for websocket events.
 }
 
@@ -126,3 +127,11 @@ func BroadcastTxAsyncResult(tx []byte) (ctypes.TMResult, error) {
 		return r, nil
 	}
 }
+
+func TestStartMempoolResult() (ctypes.TMResult, error) {
+	if r, err := TestStartMempool(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	} else {
+		return r, nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/rpc/core/types/responses.go b/rpc/core/types/responses.go
index b56d701b9..78e722e38 100644
--- a/rpc/core/types/responses.go
+++ b/rpc/core/types/responses.go
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ type ResultUnconfirmedTxs struct {
 	Txs []types.Tx `json:"txs"`
 }
 
+type ResultTestStartMempool struct{}
+
 type ResultSubscribe struct {
 }
 
@@ -105,6 +107,9 @@ const (
 	ResultTypeSubscribe   = byte(0x80)
 	ResultTypeUnsubscribe = byte(0x81)
 	ResultTypeEvent       = byte(0x82)
+
+	// 0xa bytes for testing
+	ResultTypeTestStartMempool = byte(0xa0)
 )
 
 type TMResult interface {
@@ -127,4 +132,5 @@ var _ = wire.RegisterInterface(
 	wire.ConcreteType{&ResultSubscribe{}, ResultTypeSubscribe},
 	wire.ConcreteType{&ResultUnsubscribe{}, ResultTypeUnsubscribe},
 	wire.ConcreteType{&ResultEvent{}, ResultTypeEvent},
+	wire.ConcreteType{&ResultTestStartMempool{}, ResultTypeTestStartMempool},
 )