diff --git a/internal/blockchain/v0/reactor.go b/internal/blockchain/v0/reactor.go
index 8dec338c3..014f39f83 100644
--- a/internal/blockchain/v0/reactor.go
+++ b/internal/blockchain/v0/reactor.go
@@ -85,9 +85,10 @@ type Reactor struct {
 	consReactor consensusReactor
 	fastSync    bool
 
-	blockchainCh *p2p.Channel
-	peerUpdates  *p2p.PeerUpdates
-	closeCh      chan struct{}
+	blockchainCh  *p2p.Channel
+	peerUpdates   *p2p.PeerUpdates
+	peerUpdatesCh chan p2p.Envelope
+	closeCh       chan struct{}
 
 	requestsCh <-chan BlockRequest
 	errorsCh   <-chan peerError
@@ -122,17 +123,18 @@ func NewReactor(
 	errorsCh := make(chan peerError, maxPeerErrBuffer) // NOTE: The capacity should be larger than the peer count.
 
 	r := &Reactor{
-		initialState: state,
-		blockExec:    blockExec,
-		store:        store,
-		pool:         NewBlockPool(startHeight, requestsCh, errorsCh),
-		consReactor:  consReactor,
-		fastSync:     fastSync,
-		requestsCh:   requestsCh,
-		errorsCh:     errorsCh,
-		blockchainCh: blockchainCh,
-		peerUpdates:  peerUpdates,
-		closeCh:      make(chan struct{}),
+		initialState:  state,
+		blockExec:     blockExec,
+		store:         store,
+		pool:          NewBlockPool(startHeight, requestsCh, errorsCh),
+		consReactor:   consReactor,
+		fastSync:      fastSync,
+		requestsCh:    requestsCh,
+		errorsCh:      errorsCh,
+		blockchainCh:  blockchainCh,
+		peerUpdates:   peerUpdates,
+		peerUpdatesCh: make(chan p2p.Envelope),
+		closeCh:       make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
 	r.BaseService = *service.NewBaseService(logger, "Blockchain", r)
@@ -277,9 +279,9 @@ func (r *Reactor) handleMessage(chID p2p.ChannelID, envelope p2p.Envelope) (err
 }
 
 // processBlockchainCh initiates a blocking process where we listen for and handle
-// envelopes on the BlockchainChannel. Any error encountered during message
-// execution will result in a PeerError being sent on the BlockchainChannel. When
-// the reactor is stopped, we will catch the signal and close the p2p Channel
+// envelopes on the BlockchainChannel and peerUpdatesCh. Any error encountered during
+// message execution will result in a PeerError being sent on the BlockchainChannel.
+// When the reactor is stopped, we will catch the signal and close the p2p Channel
 // gracefully.
 func (r *Reactor) processBlockchainCh() {
 	defer r.blockchainCh.Close()
@@ -295,9 +297,13 @@ func (r *Reactor) processBlockchainCh() {
 				}
 			}
 
+		case envelop := <-r.peerUpdatesCh:
+			r.blockchainCh.Out <- envelop
+
 		case <-r.closeCh:
 			r.Logger.Debug("stopped listening on blockchain channel; closing...")
 			return
+
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -314,7 +320,7 @@ func (r *Reactor) processPeerUpdate(peerUpdate p2p.PeerUpdate) {
 	switch peerUpdate.Status {
 	case p2p.PeerStatusUp:
 		// send a status update the newly added peer
-		r.blockchainCh.Out <- p2p.Envelope{
+		r.peerUpdatesCh <- p2p.Envelope{
 			To: peerUpdate.NodeID,
 			Message: &bcproto.StatusResponse{
 				Base:   r.store.Base(),