diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d9b6fdf97..ac1956dde 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ build_race:
 
 test: build
 	go test `${NOVENDOR}`
+	
+test_race: build
+	go test -race `${NOVENDOR}`
 
 test100: build
 	for i in {1..100}; do make test; done
diff --git a/blockchain/pool.go b/blockchain/pool.go
index f3bf5d204..86f67296d 100644
--- a/blockchain/pool.go
+++ b/blockchain/pool.go
@@ -35,15 +35,13 @@ type BlockPool struct {
 	QuitService
 	startTime time.Time
 
+	mtx sync.Mutex
 	// block requests
-	mtx        sync.Mutex
 	requesters map[int]*bpRequester
 	height     int   // the lowest key in requesters.
 	numPending int32 // number of requests pending assignment or block response
-
 	// peers
-	peersMtx sync.Mutex
-	peers    map[string]*bpPeer
+	peers map[string]*bpPeer
 
 	requestsCh chan<- BlockRequest
 	timeoutsCh chan<- string
@@ -81,13 +79,13 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) makeRequestersRoutine() {
 		if !pool.IsRunning() {
 			break
 		}
-		_, numPending := pool.GetStatus()
+		_, numPending, lenRequesters := pool.GetStatus()
 		if numPending >= maxPendingRequests {
 			// sleep for a bit.
 			time.Sleep(requestIntervalMS * time.Millisecond)
 			// check for timed out peers
 			pool.removeTimedoutPeers()
-		} else if len(pool.requesters) >= maxTotalRequesters {
+		} else if lenRequesters >= maxTotalRequesters {
 			// sleep for a bit.
 			time.Sleep(requestIntervalMS * time.Millisecond)
 			// check for timed out peers
@@ -100,6 +98,9 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) makeRequestersRoutine() {
 }
 
 func (pool *BlockPool) removeTimedoutPeers() {
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
+	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
+
 	for _, peer := range pool.peers {
 		if !peer.didTimeout && peer.numPending > 0 {
 			curRate := peer.recvMonitor.Status().CurRate
@@ -111,25 +112,24 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) removeTimedoutPeers() {
 			}
 		}
 		if peer.didTimeout {
-			pool.peersMtx.Lock() // Lock
 			pool.removePeer(peer.id)
-			pool.peersMtx.Unlock()
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (pool *BlockPool) GetStatus() (height int, numPending int32) {
-	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
+func (pool *BlockPool) GetStatus() (height int, numPending int32, lenRequesters int) {
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
-	return pool.height, pool.numPending
+	return pool.height, pool.numPending, len(pool.requesters)
 }
 
 // TODO: relax conditions, prevent abuse.
 func (pool *BlockPool) IsCaughtUp() bool {
 	pool.mtx.Lock()
+	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
+
 	height := pool.height
-	pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	// Need at least 1 peer to be considered caught up.
 	if len(pool.peers) == 0 {
@@ -137,12 +137,10 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) IsCaughtUp() bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	pool.peersMtx.Lock()
 	maxPeerHeight := 0
 	for _, peer := range pool.peers {
 		maxPeerHeight = MaxInt(maxPeerHeight, peer.height)
 	}
-	pool.peersMtx.Unlock()
 
 	isCaughtUp := (height > 0 || time.Now().Sub(pool.startTime) > 5*time.Second) && (maxPeerHeight == 0 || height >= maxPeerHeight)
 	log.Notice(Fmt("IsCaughtUp: %v", isCaughtUp), "height", height, "maxPeerHeight", maxPeerHeight)
@@ -153,7 +151,7 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) IsCaughtUp() bool {
 // So we peek two blocks at a time.
 // The caller will verify the commit.
 func (pool *BlockPool) PeekTwoBlocks() (first *types.Block, second *types.Block) {
-	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	if r := pool.requesters[pool.height]; r != nil {
@@ -168,7 +166,7 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) PeekTwoBlocks() (first *types.Block, second *types.Block)
 // Pop the first block at pool.height
 // It must have been validated by 'second'.Commit from PeekTwoBlocks().
 func (pool *BlockPool) PopRequest() {
-	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	if r := pool.requesters[pool.height]; r != nil {
@@ -188,21 +186,21 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) PopRequest() {
 // Invalidates the block at pool.height,
 // Remove the peer and redo request from others.
 func (pool *BlockPool) RedoRequest(height int) {
-	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
-	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
-
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
 	request := pool.requesters[height]
+	pool.mtx.Unlock()
+
 	if request.block == nil {
 		PanicSanity("Expected block to be non-nil")
 	}
 	// RemovePeer will redo all requesters associated with this peer.
 	// TODO: record this malfeasance
-	pool.RemovePeer(request.peerID) // Lock on peersMtx.
+	pool.RemovePeer(request.peerID)
 }
 
 // TODO: ensure that blocks come in order for each peer.
 func (pool *BlockPool) AddBlock(peerID string, block *types.Block, blockSize int) {
-	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	requester := pool.requesters[block.Height]
@@ -212,7 +210,7 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) AddBlock(peerID string, block *types.Block, blockSize int
 
 	if requester.setBlock(block, peerID) {
 		pool.numPending--
-		peer := pool.getPeer(peerID)
+		peer := pool.peers[peerID]
 		peer.decrPending(blockSize)
 	} else {
 		// Bad peer?
@@ -221,8 +219,8 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) AddBlock(peerID string, block *types.Block, blockSize int
 
 // Sets the peer's alleged blockchain height.
 func (pool *BlockPool) SetPeerHeight(peerID string, height int) {
-	pool.peersMtx.Lock() // Lock
-	defer pool.peersMtx.Unlock()
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
+	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	peer := pool.peers[peerID]
 	if peer != nil {
@@ -234,8 +232,8 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) SetPeerHeight(peerID string, height int) {
 }
 
 func (pool *BlockPool) RemovePeer(peerID string) {
-	pool.peersMtx.Lock() // Lock
-	defer pool.peersMtx.Unlock()
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
+	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	pool.removePeer(peerID)
 }
@@ -250,22 +248,14 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) removePeer(peerID string) {
 	delete(pool.peers, peerID)
 }
 
-func (pool *BlockPool) getPeer(peerID string) *bpPeer {
-	pool.peersMtx.Lock() // Lock
-	defer pool.peersMtx.Unlock()
-
-	peer := pool.peers[peerID]
-	return peer
-}
-
 // Pick an available peer with at least the given minHeight.
 // If no peers are available, returns nil.
 func (pool *BlockPool) pickIncrAvailablePeer(minHeight int) *bpPeer {
-	pool.peersMtx.Lock()
-	defer pool.peersMtx.Unlock()
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
+	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	for _, peer := range pool.peers {
-		if peer.isBad() {
+		if peer.didTimeout {
 			pool.removePeer(peer.id)
 			continue
 		} else {
@@ -283,7 +273,7 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) pickIncrAvailablePeer(minHeight int) *bpPeer {
 }
 
 func (pool *BlockPool) makeNextRequester() {
-	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
+	pool.mtx.Lock()
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	nextHeight := pool.height + len(pool.requesters)
@@ -330,11 +320,13 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) debug() string {
 type bpPeer struct {
 	pool        *BlockPool
 	id          string
-	height      int
-	numPending  int32
 	recvMonitor *flow.Monitor
-	timeout     *time.Timer
-	didTimeout  bool
+
+	mtx        sync.Mutex
+	height     int
+	numPending int32
+	timeout    *time.Timer
+	didTimeout bool
 }
 
 func newBPPeer(pool *BlockPool, peerID string, height int) *bpPeer {
@@ -380,15 +372,14 @@ func (peer *bpPeer) decrPending(recvSize int) {
 }
 
 func (peer *bpPeer) onTimeout() {
+	peer.pool.mtx.Lock()
+	defer peer.pool.mtx.Unlock()
+
 	peer.pool.sendTimeout(peer.id)
 	log.Warn("SendTimeout", "peer", peer.id, "reason", "onTimeout")
 	peer.didTimeout = true
 }
 
-func (peer *bpPeer) isBad() bool {
-	return peer.didTimeout
-}
-
 //-------------------------------------
 
 type bpRequester struct {
diff --git a/blockchain/reactor.go b/blockchain/reactor.go
index a668e5f10..53aa311cc 100644
--- a/blockchain/reactor.go
+++ b/blockchain/reactor.go
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ FOR_LOOP:
 			// ask for status updates
 			go bcR.BroadcastStatusRequest()
 		case _ = <-switchToConsensusTicker.C:
-			height, numPending := bcR.pool.GetStatus()
+			height, numPending, _ := bcR.pool.GetStatus()
 			outbound, inbound, _ := bcR.Switch.NumPeers()
 			log.Info("Consensus ticker", "numPending", numPending, "total", len(bcR.pool.requesters),
 				"outbound", outbound, "inbound", inbound)