diff --git a/consensus/common_test.go b/consensus/common_test.go
index 297b842e9..d7c090aa2 100644
--- a/consensus/common_test.go
+++ b/consensus/common_test.go
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ func randConsensusNet(nValidators int) []*ConsensusState {
 		thisConfig := tendermint_test.ResetConfig(Fmt("consensus_reactor_test_%d", i))
 		EnsureDir(thisConfig.GetString("cs_wal_dir"), 0700) // dir for wal
 		css[i] = newConsensusStateWithConfig(thisConfig, state, privVals[i], counter.NewCounterApplication(true))
+		css[i].SetPrivValidatorIndex(i)
 	}
 	return css
 }
diff --git a/consensus/reactor.go b/consensus/reactor.go
index 60d5a8f5d..418bdc62d 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor.go
@@ -287,11 +287,6 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Receive(chID byte, src *p2p.Peer, msgBytes []byte)
 	}
 }
 
-// Sets our private validator account for signing votes.
-func (conR *ConsensusReactor) SetPrivValidator(priv PrivValidator) {
-	conR.conS.SetPrivValidator(priv)
-}
-
 // implements events.Eventable
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) SetEventSwitch(evsw types.EventSwitch) {
 	conR.evsw = evsw
diff --git a/consensus/reactor_test.go b/consensus/reactor_test.go
index 6b76d2aaa..ce1b63c9b 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor_test.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor_test.go
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
 	eventChans := make([]chan interface{}, N)
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
 		reactors[i] = NewConsensusReactor(css[i], false)
-		reactors[i].SetPrivValidator(css[i].privValidator)
 
 		eventSwitch := events.NewEventSwitch()
 		_, err := eventSwitch.Start()
@@ -101,10 +100,8 @@ func TestByzantine(t *testing.T) {
 	reactors := make([]p2p.Reactor, N)
 	eventChans := make([]chan interface{}, N)
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
-		var privVal PrivValidator
-		privVal = css[i].privValidator
 		if i == 0 {
-			privVal = NewByzantinePrivValidator(privVal.(*types.PrivValidator))
+			css[i].privValidator = NewByzantinePrivValidator(css[i].privValidator.(*types.PrivValidator))
 			// make byzantine
 			css[i].decideProposal = func(j int) func(int, int) {
 				return func(height, round int) {
@@ -122,7 +119,6 @@ func TestByzantine(t *testing.T) {
 		eventChans[i] = subscribeToEvent(eventSwitch, "tester", types.EventStringNewBlock(), 1)
 
 		conR := NewConsensusReactor(css[i], false)
-		conR.SetPrivValidator(privVal)
 		conR.SetEventSwitch(eventSwitch)
 
 		var conRI p2p.Reactor
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 85d4d1679..0442fb829 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -221,11 +221,13 @@ type PrivValidator interface {
 type ConsensusState struct {
 	BaseService
 
-	config        cfg.Config
-	proxyAppConn  proxy.AppConnConsensus
-	blockStore    *bc.BlockStore
-	mempool       *mempl.Mempool
-	privValidator PrivValidator
+	config       cfg.Config
+	proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnConsensus
+	blockStore   *bc.BlockStore
+	mempool      *mempl.Mempool
+
+	privValidator      PrivValidator
+	privValidatorIndex int // TODO: update if validator set changes
 
 	mtx sync.Mutex
 	RoundState
@@ -313,12 +315,20 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) GetValidators() (int, []*types.Validator) {
 	return cs.state.LastBlockHeight, cs.state.Validators.Copy().Validators
 }
 
+// Sets our private validator account for signing votes.
 func (cs *ConsensusState) SetPrivValidator(priv PrivValidator) {
 	cs.mtx.Lock()
 	defer cs.mtx.Unlock()
 	cs.privValidator = priv
 }
 
+// Caches the index of our privValidator in the validator set to use when voting
+func (cs *ConsensusState) SetPrivValidatorIndex(index int) {
+	cs.mtx.Lock()
+	defer cs.mtx.Unlock()
+	cs.privValidatorIndex = index
+}
+
 func (cs *ConsensusState) LoadCommit(height int) *types.Commit {
 	cs.mtx.Lock()
 	defer cs.mtx.Unlock()
@@ -1498,12 +1508,9 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) addVote(vote *types.Vote, peerKey string) (added bool,
 }
 
 func (cs *ConsensusState) signVote(type_ byte, hash []byte, header types.PartSetHeader) (*types.Vote, error) {
-	// TODO: store our index in the cs so we don't have to do this every time
-	addr := cs.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	valIndex, _ := cs.Validators.GetByAddress(addr)
 	vote := &types.Vote{
-		ValidatorAddress: addr,
-		ValidatorIndex:   valIndex,
+		ValidatorAddress: cs.privValidator.GetAddress(),
+		ValidatorIndex:   cs.privValidatorIndex,
 		Height:           cs.Height,
 		Round:            cs.Round,
 		Type:             type_,
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index f4a04d82c..8dbf2fac9 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -101,10 +101,17 @@ func NewNode(config cfg.Config, privValidator *types.PrivValidator, clientCreato
 
 	// Make ConsensusReactor
 	consensusState := consensus.NewConsensusState(config, state.Copy(), proxyApp.Consensus(), blockStore, mempool)
-	consensusReactor := consensus.NewConsensusReactor(consensusState, fastSync)
 	if privValidator != nil {
-		consensusReactor.SetPrivValidator(privValidator)
+		consensusState.SetPrivValidator(privValidator)
+		// TODO: just return -1 for not found
+		valIdx, val := state.Validators.GetByAddress(privValidator.GetAddress())
+		if val == nil {
+			consensusState.SetPrivValidatorIndex(-1)
+		} else {
+			consensusState.SetPrivValidatorIndex(valIdx)
+		}
 	}
+	consensusReactor := consensus.NewConsensusReactor(consensusState, fastSync)
 
 	// Make p2p network switch
 	sw := p2p.NewSwitch(config.GetConfig("p2p"))