diff --git a/consensus/reactor.go b/consensus/reactor.go
index d1edfc481..a0291c137 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor.go
@@ -178,10 +178,15 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) Receive(chId byte, peer *p2p.Peer, msgBytes []byte
 		switch msg := msg_.(type) {
 		case *VoteMessage:
 			vote := msg.Vote
-			// XXX if we're receiving a commit from the last block while...
 			if rs.Height != vote.Height {
+				if rs.Height == vote.Height+1 {
+					if rs.Step == RoundStepNewHeight && vote.Type == types.VoteTypeCommit {
+						goto VOTE_PASS // *ducks*
+					}
+				}
 				return // Wrong height. Not necessarily a bad peer.
 			}
+		VOTE_PASS:
 			validatorIndex := msg.ValidatorIndex
 			address, _ := rs.Validators.GetByIndex(validatorIndex)
 			added, index, err := conR.conS.AddVote(address, vote)
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index ceebdb702..53fe6498b 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ Consensus State Machine Overview:
   at least Delta duration *after* +2/3 Commits were found.
   The step stays at NewHeight until this timeout occurs before
   proceeding to Propose.
+* The NewHeight is a transition period after the height is incremented,
+  where the node still receives late commits before potentially proposing.
+  The height should be incremented because a block had been
+  "committed by the network", and clients should see that
+  reflected as a new height.
 
                             +-------------------------------------+
                             |                                     |
@@ -550,7 +555,6 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) updateToState(state *sm.State, contiguous bool) {
 
 // After the call cs.Step becomes RoundStepNewRound.
 func (cs *ConsensusState) setupNewRound(round uint) {
-	// XXX Looks like this is just not called.
 	// Sanity check
 	if round == 0 {
 		panic("setupNewRound() should never be called for round 0")