diff --git a/rpc/client/httpclient.go b/rpc/client/httpclient.go
index 4e54cbf7d..7f29183d5 100644
--- a/rpc/client/httpclient.go
+++ b/rpc/client/httpclient.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func (c *HTTP) Genesis() (*ctypes.ResultGenesis, error) {
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-func (c *HTTP) Block(height int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
+func (c *HTTP) Block(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
 	result := new(ctypes.ResultBlock)
 	_, err := c.rpc.Call("block", map[string]interface{}{"height": height}, result)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func (c *HTTP) Block(height int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-func (c *HTTP) Commit(height int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
+func (c *HTTP) Commit(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
 	result := new(ctypes.ResultCommit)
 	_, err := c.rpc.Call("commit", map[string]interface{}{"height": height}, result)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -176,9 +176,7 @@ func (c *HTTP) Tx(hash []byte, prove bool) (*ctypes.ResultTx, error) {
 
 func (c *HTTP) Validators(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultValidators, error) {
 	result := new(ctypes.ResultValidators)
-	_, err := c.rpc.Call("validators", map[string]interface{}{
-		"height": height,
-	}, result)
+	_, err := c.rpc.Call("validators", map[string]interface{}{"height": height}, result)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Validators")
 	}
diff --git a/rpc/client/interface.go b/rpc/client/interface.go
index 8845e5e5a..ed7ccabaf 100644
--- a/rpc/client/interface.go
+++ b/rpc/client/interface.go
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ type ABCIClient interface {
 // SignClient groups together the interfaces need to get valid
 // signatures and prove anything about the chain
 type SignClient interface {
-	Block(height int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error)
-	Commit(height int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error)
+	Block(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error)
+	Commit(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error)
 	Validators(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultValidators, error)
 	Tx(hash []byte, prove bool) (*ctypes.ResultTx, error)
 }
diff --git a/rpc/client/localclient.go b/rpc/client/localclient.go
index 0d8500e1e..134f935ca 100644
--- a/rpc/client/localclient.go
+++ b/rpc/client/localclient.go
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ func (c Local) Genesis() (*ctypes.ResultGenesis, error) {
 	return core.Genesis()
 }
 
-func (c Local) Block(height int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
+func (c Local) Block(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
 	return core.Block(height)
 }
 
-func (c Local) Commit(height int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
+func (c Local) Commit(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
 	return core.Commit(height)
 }
 
diff --git a/rpc/client/mock/client.go b/rpc/client/mock/client.go
index be61b7af3..f32694edd 100644
--- a/rpc/client/mock/client.go
+++ b/rpc/client/mock/client.go
@@ -116,11 +116,11 @@ func (c Client) Genesis() (*ctypes.ResultGenesis, error) {
 	return core.Genesis()
 }
 
-func (c Client) Block(height int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
+func (c Client) Block(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
 	return core.Block(height)
 }
 
-func (c Client) Commit(height int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
+func (c Client) Commit(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
 	return core.Commit(height)
 }
 
diff --git a/rpc/client/rpc_test.go b/rpc/client/rpc_test.go
index 304d2b906..fee92b4a9 100644
--- a/rpc/client/rpc_test.go
+++ b/rpc/client/rpc_test.go
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ func TestAppCalls(t *testing.T) {
 		sh := s.LatestBlockHeight
 
 		// look for the future
-		_, err = c.Block(sh + 2)
+		h := sh + 2
+		_, err = c.Block(&h)
 		assert.NotNil(err) // no block yet
 
 		// write something
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ func TestAppCalls(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.EqualValues(tx, ptx.Tx)
 
 		// and we can even check the block is added
-		block, err := c.Block(apph)
+		block, err := c.Block(&apph)
 		require.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", i, err)
 		appHash := block.BlockMeta.Header.AppHash
 		assert.True(len(appHash) > 0)
@@ -158,14 +159,15 @@ func TestAppCalls(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		// and get the corresponding commit with the same apphash
-		commit, err := c.Commit(apph)
+		commit, err := c.Commit(&apph)
 		require.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", i, err)
 		cappHash := commit.Header.AppHash
 		assert.Equal(appHash, cappHash)
 		assert.NotNil(commit.Commit)
 
 		// compare the commits (note Commit(2) has commit from Block(3))
-		commit2, err := c.Commit(apph - 1)
+		h = apph - 1
+		commit2, err := c.Commit(&h)
 		require.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", i, err)
 		assert.Equal(block.Block.LastCommit, commit2.Commit)
 
diff --git a/rpc/core/blocks.go b/rpc/core/blocks.go
index 5603cdd22..aa22da0f4 100644
--- a/rpc/core/blocks.go
+++ b/rpc/core/blocks.go
@@ -184,8 +184,16 @@ func BlockchainInfo(minHeight, maxHeight int) (*ctypes.ResultBlockchainInfo, err
 //   "jsonrpc": "2.0"
 // }
 // ```
-func Block(height int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
-	if height == 0 {
+func Block(heightPtr *int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
+	if heightPtr == nil {
+		height := blockStore.Height()
+		blockMeta := blockStore.LoadBlockMeta(height)
+		block := blockStore.LoadBlock(height)
+		return &ctypes.ResultBlock{blockMeta, block}, nil
+	}
+
+	height := *heightPtr
+	if height <= 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Height must be greater than 0")
 	}
 	if height > blockStore.Height() {
@@ -267,8 +275,16 @@ func Block(height int) (*ctypes.ResultBlock, error) {
 //   "jsonrpc": "2.0"
 // }
 // ```
-func Commit(height int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
-	if height == 0 {
+func Commit(heightPtr *int) (*ctypes.ResultCommit, error) {
+	if heightPtr == nil {
+		height := blockStore.Height()
+		header := blockStore.LoadBlockMeta(height).Header
+		commit := blockStore.LoadSeenCommit(height)
+		return &ctypes.ResultCommit{header, commit, false}, nil
+	}
+
+	height := *heightPtr
+	if height <= 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Height must be greater than 0")
 	}
 	storeHeight := blockStore.Height()
diff --git a/rpc/core/consensus.go b/rpc/core/consensus.go
index 55596ec26..ca50ff595 100644
--- a/rpc/core/consensus.go
+++ b/rpc/core/consensus.go
@@ -42,17 +42,19 @@ import (
 // 	"jsonrpc": "2.0"
 // }
 // ```
-func Validators(height *int) (*ctypes.ResultValidators, error) {
-	if height == nil {
+func Validators(heightPtr *int) (*ctypes.ResultValidators, error) {
+	if heightPtr == nil {
 		blockHeight, validators := consensusState.GetValidators()
 		return &ctypes.ResultValidators{blockHeight, validators}, nil
 	}
+
+	height := *heightPtr
 	state := consensusState.GetState()
-	validators, err := state.LoadValidators(*height)
+	validators, err := state.LoadValidators(height)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return &ctypes.ResultValidators{*height, validators.Validators}, nil
+	return &ctypes.ResultValidators{height, validators.Validators}, nil
 }
 
 // Dump consensus state.