diff --git a/consensus/replay.go b/consensus/replay.go
index f43c5ecad..441b27018 100644
--- a/consensus/replay.go
+++ b/consensus/replay.go
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ func (h *Handshaker) replayBlocks(proxyApp proxy.AppConns, appBlockHeight, store
 	// App is further behind than it should be, so we need to replay blocks.
 	// We replay all blocks from appBlockHeight+1.
 	// Note that we don't have an old version of the state,
-	// so we by-pass state validation/mutation using sm.ApplyBlock.
+	// so we by-pass state validation/mutation using sm.ExecCommitBlock.
 	// If mutateState == true, stop short of the last block
 	// so it can be replayed with a real state.ApplyBlock
 
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ func (h *Handshaker) replayBlocks(proxyApp proxy.AppConns, appBlockHeight, store
 	for i := appBlockHeight + 1; i <= finalBlock; i++ {
 		log.Info("Applying block", "height", i)
 		block := h.store.LoadBlock(i)
-		appHash, err = sm.ApplyBlock(proxyApp.Consensus(), block)
+		appHash, err = sm.ExecCommitBlock(proxyApp.Consensus(), block)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/state/execution.go b/state/execution.go
index 959231eed..4874fdc70 100644
--- a/state/execution.go
+++ b/state/execution.go
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ import (
 //--------------------------------------------------
 // Execute the block
 
-// ExecBlock executes the block, but does NOT mutate State.
+// ValExecBlock executes the block, but does NOT mutate State.
 // + validates the block
 // + executes block.Txs on the proxyAppConn
-func (s *State) ExecBlock(eventCache types.Fireable, proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnConsensus, block *types.Block) (*ABCIResponses, error) {
+func (s *State) ValExecBlock(eventCache types.Fireable, proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnConsensus, block *types.Block) (*ABCIResponses, error) {
 	// Validate the block.
 	if err := s.validateBlock(block); err != nil {
 		return nil, ErrInvalidBlock(err)
@@ -201,15 +201,15 @@ func (s *State) validateBlock(block *types.Block) error {
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// ApplyBlock executes the block, updates state w/ ABCI responses,
+// ApplyBlock validates & executes the block, updates state w/ ABCI responses,
 // then commits and updates the mempool atomically, then saves state.
 // Transaction results are optionally indexed.
 
-// Execute and commit block against app, save block and state
+// Validate, execute, and commit block against app, save block and state
 func (s *State) ApplyBlock(eventCache types.Fireable, proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnConsensus,
 	block *types.Block, partsHeader types.PartSetHeader, mempool types.Mempool) error {
 
-	abciResponses, err := s.ExecBlock(eventCache, proxyAppConn, block)
+	abciResponses, err := s.ValExecBlock(eventCache, proxyAppConn, block)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Exec failed for application: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -285,9 +285,9 @@ func (s *State) indexTxs(abciResponses *ABCIResponses) {
 	s.TxIndexer.Batch(batch)
 }
 
-// Apply and commit a block on the proxyApp without validating or mutating the state
+// Exec and commit a block on the proxyApp without validating or mutating the state
 // Returns the application root hash (result of abci.Commit)
-func ApplyBlock(appConnConsensus proxy.AppConnConsensus, block *types.Block) ([]byte, error) {
+func ExecCommitBlock(appConnConsensus proxy.AppConnConsensus, block *types.Block) ([]byte, error) {
 	var eventCache types.Fireable // nil
 	_, err := execBlockOnProxyApp(eventCache, appConnConsensus, block)
 	if err != nil {