diff --git a/consensus/reactor.go b/consensus/reactor.go
index 3e12a3148..222339241 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor.go
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@ const (
 type ConsensusReactor struct {
 	p2p.BaseReactor // BaseService + p2p.Switch
 
-	conS     *ConsensusState
+	conS *ConsensusState
+	evsw types.EventSwitch
+
+	mtx      sync.RWMutex
 	fastSync bool
-	evsw     types.EventSwitch
 }
 
 // NewConsensusReactor returns a new ConsensusReactor with the given consensusState.
@@ -49,14 +51,14 @@ func NewConsensusReactor(consensusState *ConsensusState, fastSync bool) *Consens
 
 // OnStart implements BaseService.
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) OnStart() error {
-	conR.Logger.Info("ConsensusReactor ", "fastSync", conR.fastSync)
+	conR.Logger.Info("ConsensusReactor ", "fastSync", conR.FastSync())
 	conR.BaseReactor.OnStart()
 
 	// callbacks for broadcasting new steps and votes to peers
 	// upon their respective events (ie. uses evsw)
 	conR.registerEventCallbacks()
 
-	if !conR.fastSync {
+	if !conR.FastSync() {
 		_, err := conR.conS.Start()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -79,7 +81,11 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) SwitchToConsensus(state *sm.State) {
 	// NOTE: The line below causes broadcastNewRoundStepRoutine() to
 	// broadcast a NewRoundStepMessage.
 	conR.conS.updateToState(state)
+
+	conR.mtx.Lock()
 	conR.fastSync = false
+	conR.mtx.Unlock()
+
 	conR.conS.Start()
 }
 
@@ -130,7 +136,7 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) AddPeer(peer *p2p.Peer) {
 
 	// Send our state to peer.
 	// If we're fast_syncing, broadcast a RoundStepMessage later upon SwitchToConsensus().
-	if !conR.fastSync {
+	if !conR.FastSync() {
 		conR.sendNewRoundStepMessages(peer)
 	}
 }
@@ -210,7 +216,7 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Receive(chID byte, src *p2p.Peer, msgBytes []byte)
 		}
 
 	case DataChannel:
-		if conR.fastSync {
+		if conR.FastSync() {
 			conR.Logger.Info("Ignoring message received during fastSync", "msg", msg)
 			return
 		}
@@ -228,7 +234,7 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Receive(chID byte, src *p2p.Peer, msgBytes []byte)
 		}
 
 	case VoteChannel:
-		if conR.fastSync {
+		if conR.FastSync() {
 			conR.Logger.Info("Ignoring message received during fastSync", "msg", msg)
 			return
 		}
@@ -250,7 +256,7 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Receive(chID byte, src *p2p.Peer, msgBytes []byte)
 		}
 
 	case VoteSetBitsChannel:
-		if conR.fastSync {
+		if conR.FastSync() {
 			conR.Logger.Info("Ignoring message received during fastSync", "msg", msg)
 			return
 		}
@@ -296,6 +302,13 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) SetEventSwitch(evsw types.EventSwitch) {
 	conR.conS.SetEventSwitch(evsw)
 }
 
+// FastSync returns whether the consensus reactor is in fast-sync mode.
+func (conR *ConsensusReactor) FastSync() bool {
+	conR.mtx.RLock()
+	defer conR.mtx.RUnlock()
+	return conR.fastSync
+}
+
 //--------------------------------------
 
 // Listens for new steps and votes,
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index e55731f4f..96c913cb4 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ func (n *Node) ConfigureRPC() {
 	rpccore.SetAddrBook(n.addrBook)
 	rpccore.SetProxyAppQuery(n.proxyApp.Query())
 	rpccore.SetTxIndexer(n.txIndexer)
+	rpccore.SetConsensusReactor(n.consensusReactor)
 	rpccore.SetLogger(n.Logger.With("module", "rpc"))
 }
 
diff --git a/rpc/core/pipe.go b/rpc/core/pipe.go
index a18de2ad8..92e5746a6 100644
--- a/rpc/core/pipe.go
+++ b/rpc/core/pipe.go
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ type P2P interface {
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------
+// These package level globals come with setters
+// that are expected to be called only once, on startup
 
 var (
 	// external, thread safe interfaces
@@ -41,10 +43,11 @@ var (
 	p2pSwitch      P2P
 
 	// objects
-	pubKey    crypto.PubKey
-	genDoc    *types.GenesisDoc // cache the genesis structure
-	addrBook  *p2p.AddrBook
-	txIndexer txindex.TxIndexer
+	pubKey           crypto.PubKey
+	genDoc           *types.GenesisDoc // cache the genesis structure
+	addrBook         *p2p.AddrBook
+	txIndexer        txindex.TxIndexer
+	consensusReactor *consensus.ConsensusReactor
 
 	logger log.Logger
 )
@@ -89,6 +92,10 @@ func SetTxIndexer(indexer txindex.TxIndexer) {
 	txIndexer = indexer
 }
 
+func SetConsensusReactor(conR *consensus.ConsensusReactor) {
+	consensusReactor = conR
+}
+
 func SetLogger(l log.Logger) {
 	logger = l
 }
diff --git a/rpc/core/status.go b/rpc/core/status.go
index 7493aeb0a..ba19c0e9b 100644
--- a/rpc/core/status.go
+++ b/rpc/core/status.go
@@ -27,5 +27,6 @@ func Status() (*ctypes.ResultStatus, error) {
 		LatestBlockHash:   latestBlockHash,
 		LatestAppHash:     latestAppHash,
 		LatestBlockHeight: latestHeight,
-		LatestBlockTime:   latestBlockTime}, nil
+		LatestBlockTime:   latestBlockTime,
+		Syncing:           consensusReactor.FastSync()}, nil
 }
diff --git a/rpc/core/types/responses.go b/rpc/core/types/responses.go
index b9c22a8b0..6b66f1168 100644
--- a/rpc/core/types/responses.go
+++ b/rpc/core/types/responses.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ type ResultStatus struct {
 	LatestAppHash     data.Bytes    `json:"latest_app_hash"`
 	LatestBlockHeight int           `json:"latest_block_height"`
 	LatestBlockTime   int64         `json:"latest_block_time"` // nano
+	Syncing           bool          `json:"syncing"`
 }
 
 func (s *ResultStatus) TxIndexEnabled() bool {