diff --git a/blockchain/reactor.go b/blockchain/reactor.go
index f80abbe34..56ae6a241 100644
--- a/blockchain/reactor.go
+++ b/blockchain/reactor.go
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ type BlockchainReactor struct {
 	timeoutsCh chan string
 	lastBlock  *types.Block
 	quit       chan struct{}
-	started    uint32
-	stopped    uint32
+	running    uint32
 }
 
 func NewBlockchainReactor(state *sm.State, store *BlockStore) *BlockchainReactor {
@@ -57,15 +56,14 @@ func NewBlockchainReactor(state *sm.State, store *BlockStore) *BlockchainReactor
 		requestsCh: requestsCh,
 		timeoutsCh: timeoutsCh,
 		quit:       make(chan struct{}),
-		started:    0,
-		stopped:    0,
+		running:    uint32(0),
 	}
 	return bcR
 }
 
 // Implements Reactor
 func (bcR *BlockchainReactor) Start(sw *p2p.Switch) {
-	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&bcR.started, 0, 1) {
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&bcR.running, 0, 1) {
 		log.Info("Starting BlockchainReactor")
 		bcR.sw = sw
 		bcR.pool.Start()
@@ -75,7 +73,7 @@ func (bcR *BlockchainReactor) Start(sw *p2p.Switch) {
 
 // Implements Reactor
 func (bcR *BlockchainReactor) Stop() {
-	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&bcR.stopped, 0, 1) {
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&bcR.running, 1, 0) {
 		log.Info("Stopping BlockchainReactor")
 		close(bcR.quit)
 		bcR.pool.Stop()
@@ -201,8 +199,14 @@ FOR_LOOP:
 			// method of syncing in the consensus reactor.
 			if lastValidatedBlock != nil && time.Now().Sub(lastValidatedBlock.Time) < stopSyncingDurationMinutes*time.Minute {
 				go func() {
-					bcR.sw.Reactor("BLOCKCHAIN").Stop()
-					bcR.sw.Reactor("CONSENSUS").Start(bcR.sw)
+					log.Info("Stopping blockpool syncing, turning on consensus...")
+					//bcR.sw.Reactor("BLOCKCHAIN").Stop()
+					trySyncTicker.Stop() // Just stop the block requests.  Still serve blocks to others.
+					conR := bcR.sw.Reactor("CONSENSUS")
+					conR.Start(bcR.sw)
+					for _, peer := range bcR.sw.Peers().List() {
+						conR.AddPeer(peer)
+					}
 				}()
 				break FOR_LOOP
 			}
diff --git a/consensus/reactor.go b/consensus/reactor.go
index bbc39c89c..30ebde879 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor.go
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ const (
 // We atomically copy the RoundState struct before using it.
 type ConsensusReactor struct {
 	sw      *p2p.Switch
-	started uint32
-	stopped uint32
+	running uint32
 	quit    chan struct{}
 
 	blockStore *bc.BlockStore
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ func NewConsensusReactor(consensusState *ConsensusState, blockStore *bc.BlockSto
 
 // Implements Reactor
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Start(sw *p2p.Switch) {
-	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&conR.started, 0, 1) {
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&conR.running, 0, 1) {
 		log.Info("Starting ConsensusReactor")
 		conR.sw = sw
 		conR.conS.Start()
@@ -62,15 +61,15 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Start(sw *p2p.Switch) {
 
 // Implements Reactor
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Stop() {
-	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&conR.stopped, 0, 1) {
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&conR.running, 1, 0) {
 		log.Info("Stopping ConsensusReactor")
 		conR.conS.Stop()
 		close(conR.quit)
 	}
 }
 
-func (conR *ConsensusReactor) IsStopped() bool {
-	return atomic.LoadUint32(&conR.stopped) == 1
+func (conR *ConsensusReactor) IsRunning() bool {
+	return atomic.LoadUint32(&conR.running) == 0
 }
 
 // Implements Reactor
@@ -94,6 +93,10 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) GetChannels() []*p2p.ChannelDescriptor {
 
 // Implements Reactor
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) AddPeer(peer *p2p.Peer) {
+	if !conR.IsRunning() {
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Create peerState for peer
 	peerState := NewPeerState(peer)
 	peer.Data.Set(peerStateKey, peerState)
@@ -108,11 +111,18 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) AddPeer(peer *p2p.Peer) {
 
 // Implements Reactor
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) RemovePeer(peer *p2p.Peer, reason interface{}) {
+	if !conR.IsRunning() {
+		return
+	}
+
 	//peer.Data.Get(peerStateKey).(*PeerState).Disconnect()
 }
 
 // Implements Reactor
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Receive(chId byte, peer *p2p.Peer, msgBytes []byte) {
+	if !conR.IsRunning() {
+		return
+	}
 
 	// Get round state
 	rs := conR.conS.GetRoundState()
@@ -215,6 +225,10 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) SetPrivValidator(priv *sm.PrivValidator) {
 	conR.conS.SetPrivValidator(priv)
 }
 
+func (conR *ConsensusReactor) UpdateToState(state *sm.State) {
+	conR.conS.updateToState(state, false)
+}
+
 //--------------------------------------
 
 func makeRoundStepMessages(rs *RoundState) (nrsMsg *NewRoundStepMessage, csMsg *CommitStepMessage) {
@@ -279,7 +293,7 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) gossipDataRoutine(peer *p2p.Peer, ps *PeerState) {
 OUTER_LOOP:
 	for {
 		// Manage disconnects from self or peer.
-		if peer.IsStopped() || conR.IsStopped() {
+		if !peer.IsRunning() || !conR.IsRunning() {
 			log.Info(Fmt("Stopping gossipDataRoutine for %v.", peer))
 			return
 		}
@@ -382,7 +396,7 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) gossipVotesRoutine(peer *p2p.Peer, ps *PeerState)
 OUTER_LOOP:
 	for {
 		// Manage disconnects from self or peer.
-		if peer.IsStopped() || conR.IsStopped() {
+		if !peer.IsRunning() || !conR.IsRunning() {
 			log.Info(Fmt("Stopping gossipVotesRoutine for %v.", peer))
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index e2738ca98..683612496 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ func NewConsensusState(state *sm.State, blockStore *bc.BlockStore, mempoolReacto
 		runActionCh:    make(chan RoundAction, 1),
 		newStepCh:      make(chan *RoundState, 1),
 	}
-	cs.updateToState(state)
+	cs.updateToState(state, true)
 	return cs
 }
 
@@ -457,9 +457,9 @@ ACTION_LOOP:
 // If calculated round is greater than 0 (based on BlockTime or calculated StartTime)
 // then also sets up the appropriate round, and cs.Step becomes RoundStepNewRound.
 // Otherwise the round is 0 and cs.Step becomes RoundStepNewHeight.
-func (cs *ConsensusState) updateToState(state *sm.State) {
+func (cs *ConsensusState) updateToState(state *sm.State, contiguous bool) {
 	// Sanity check state.
-	if cs.Height > 0 && cs.Height != state.LastBlockHeight {
+	if contiguous && cs.Height > 0 && cs.Height != state.LastBlockHeight {
 		panic(Fmt("updateToState() expected state height of %v but found %v",
 			cs.Height, state.LastBlockHeight))
 	}
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) TryFinalizeCommit(height uint) bool {
 			// We have the block, so save/stage/sign-commit-vote.
 			cs.saveCommitVoteBlock(cs.ProposalBlock, cs.ProposalBlockParts, cs.Commits)
 			// Increment height.
-			cs.updateToState(cs.stagedState)
+			cs.updateToState(cs.stagedState, true)
 			// cs.Step is now RoundStepNewHeight or RoundStepNewRound
 			cs.newStepCh <- cs.getRoundState()
 			return true
diff --git a/daemon/daemon.go b/daemon/daemon.go
index ddc310762..1b029f9d7 100644
--- a/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (n *Node) Start() {
 		go n.inboundConnectionRoutine(l)
 	}
 	n.book.Start()
-	n.sw.StartReactors()
+	//n.sw.StartReactors()
 }
 
 func (n *Node) Stop() {
diff --git a/p2p/peer.go b/p2p/peer.go
index 68137a63a..173297eb0 100644
--- a/p2p/peer.go
+++ b/p2p/peer.go
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ import (
 type Peer struct {
 	outbound bool
 	mconn    *MConnection
-	started  uint32
-	stopped  uint32
+	running  uint32
 
 	Key  string
 	Data *CMap // User data.
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ func newPeer(conn net.Conn, outbound bool, reactorsByCh map[byte]Reactor, chDesc
 	p = &Peer{
 		outbound: outbound,
 		mconn:    mconn,
-		stopped:  0,
+		running:  0,
 		Key:      mconn.RemoteAddress.String(),
 		Data:     NewCMap(),
 	}
@@ -45,21 +44,21 @@ func newPeer(conn net.Conn, outbound bool, reactorsByCh map[byte]Reactor, chDesc
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) start() {
-	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&p.started, 0, 1) {
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&p.running, 0, 1) {
 		log.Debug("Starting Peer", "peer", p)
 		p.mconn.Start()
 	}
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) stop() {
-	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&p.stopped, 0, 1) {
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&p.running, 1, 0) {
 		log.Debug("Stopping Peer", "peer", p)
 		p.mconn.Stop()
 	}
 }
 
-func (p *Peer) IsStopped() bool {
-	return atomic.LoadUint32(&p.stopped) == 1
+func (p *Peer) IsRunning() bool {
+	return atomic.LoadUint32(&p.running) == 1
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) Connection() *MConnection {
@@ -71,21 +70,21 @@ func (p *Peer) IsOutbound() bool {
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) Send(chId byte, msg interface{}) bool {
-	if atomic.LoadUint32(&p.stopped) == 1 {
+	if atomic.LoadUint32(&p.running) == 0 {
 		return false
 	}
 	return p.mconn.Send(chId, msg)
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) TrySend(chId byte, msg interface{}) bool {
-	if atomic.LoadUint32(&p.stopped) == 1 {
+	if atomic.LoadUint32(&p.running) == 0 {
 		return false
 	}
 	return p.mconn.TrySend(chId, msg)
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) CanSend(chId byte) bool {
-	if atomic.LoadUint32(&p.stopped) == 1 {
+	if atomic.LoadUint32(&p.running) == 0 {
 		return false
 	}
 	return p.mconn.CanSend(chId)