diff --git a/consensus/common_test.go b/consensus/common_test.go
index 4ddd6b8a..3eaeea70 100644
--- a/consensus/common_test.go
+++ b/consensus/common_test.go
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func newConsensusStateWithConfigAndBlockStore(thisConfig *cfg.Config, state sm.S
 	// mock the evidence pool
 	evpool := types.MockEvidencePool{}
 
-	// Make ConsensusReactor
+	// Make ConsensusState
 	stateDB := dbm.NewMemDB()
 	blockExec := sm.NewBlockExecutor(stateDB, log.TestingLogger(), proxyAppConnCon, mempool, evpool)
 	cs := NewConsensusState(thisConfig.Consensus, state, blockExec, blockStore, mempool, evpool)
diff --git a/consensus/reactor.go b/consensus/reactor.go
index 9535108c..1193ed72 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package consensus
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"sync"
@@ -49,6 +48,12 @@ func NewConsensusReactor(consensusState *ConsensusState, fastSync bool) *Consens
 		conS:     consensusState,
 		fastSync: fastSync,
 	}
+	// XXX: modifing state to send us new round steps, votes and proposal heartbeats
+	consensusState.reactorChs = &reactorChs{
+		newRoundSteps:      make(chan *cstypes.RoundState),
+		votes:              make(chan *types.Vote),
+		proposalHeartbeats: make(chan *types.Heartbeat),
+	}
 	conR.BaseReactor = *p2p.NewBaseReactor("ConsensusReactor", conR)
 	return conR
 }
@@ -345,60 +350,22 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) FastSync() bool {
 
 //--------------------------------------
 
-// startBroadcastRoutine subscribes for new round steps, votes and proposal
-// heartbeats using the event bus and starts a go routine to broadcasts events
-// to peers upon receiving them.
+// startBroadcastRoutine subscribes for new round steps, votes and
+// proposal heartbeats using the channels created for precisely this
+// purpose in consensus state and starts a goroutine to broadcasts
+// events to peers upon receiving them.
 func (conR *ConsensusReactor) startBroadcastRoutine() error {
-	const subscriber = "consensus-reactor"
-	ctx := context.Background()
-
-	// new round steps
-	stepsCh := make(chan interface{})
-	err := conR.eventBus.Subscribe(ctx, subscriber, types.EventQueryNewRoundStep, stepsCh)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to subscribe %s to %s", subscriber, types.EventQueryNewRoundStep)
-	}
-
-	// votes
-	votesCh := make(chan interface{})
-	err = conR.eventBus.Subscribe(ctx, subscriber, types.EventQueryVote, votesCh)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to subscribe %s to %s", subscriber, types.EventQueryVote)
-	}
-
-	// proposal heartbeats
-	heartbeatsCh := make(chan interface{})
-	err = conR.eventBus.Subscribe(ctx, subscriber, types.EventQueryProposalHeartbeat, heartbeatsCh)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to subscribe %s to %s", subscriber, types.EventQueryProposalHeartbeat)
-	}
-
 	go func() {
-		var data interface{}
-		var ok bool
+		rchs := conR.conS.reactorChs.(*reactorChs)
 		for {
 			select {
-			case data, ok = <-stepsCh:
-				if ok { // a receive from a closed channel returns the zero value immediately
-					edrs := data.(types.EventDataRoundState)
-					conR.broadcastNewRoundStep(edrs.RoundState.(*cstypes.RoundState))
-				}
-			case data, ok = <-votesCh:
-				if ok {
-					edv := data.(types.EventDataVote)
-					conR.broadcastHasVoteMessage(edv.Vote)
-				}
-			case data, ok = <-heartbeatsCh:
-				if ok {
-					edph := data.(types.EventDataProposalHeartbeat)
-					conR.broadcastProposalHeartbeatMessage(edph)
-				}
+			case rs := <-rchs.newRoundSteps:
+				conR.broadcastNewRoundStepMessage(rs)
+			case vote := <-rchs.votes:
+				conR.broadcastHasVoteMessage(vote)
+			case heartbeat := <-rchs.proposalHeartbeats:
+				conR.broadcastProposalHeartbeat(heartbeat)
 			case <-conR.Quit():
-				conR.eventBus.UnsubscribeAll(ctx, subscriber)
-				return
-			}
-			if !ok {
-				conR.eventBus.UnsubscribeAll(ctx, subscriber)
 				return
 			}
 		}
@@ -407,15 +374,14 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) startBroadcastRoutine() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (conR *ConsensusReactor) broadcastProposalHeartbeatMessage(heartbeat types.EventDataProposalHeartbeat) {
-	hb := heartbeat.Heartbeat
+func (conR *ConsensusReactor) broadcastProposalHeartbeat(hb *types.Heartbeat) {
 	conR.Logger.Debug("Broadcasting proposal heartbeat message",
 		"height", hb.Height, "round", hb.Round, "sequence", hb.Sequence)
 	msg := &ProposalHeartbeatMessage{hb}
 	conR.Switch.Broadcast(StateChannel, cdc.MustMarshalBinaryBare(msg))
 }
 
-func (conR *ConsensusReactor) broadcastNewRoundStep(rs *cstypes.RoundState) {
+func (conR *ConsensusReactor) broadcastNewRoundStepMessage(rs *cstypes.RoundState) {
 	nrsMsg, csMsg := makeRoundStepMessages(rs)
 	if nrsMsg != nil {
 		conR.Switch.Broadcast(StateChannel, cdc.MustMarshalBinaryBare(nrsMsg))
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index b5b94368..5668ea82 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -110,8 +110,40 @@ type ConsensusState struct {
 
 	// closed when we finish shutting down
 	done chan struct{}
+
+	// synchronous pubsub between consensus state and reactor
+	// only set when there is a reactor
+	reactorChs reactorChsI
 }
 
+type reactorChsI interface {
+	NewRoundStep(*cstypes.RoundState)
+	Vote(*types.Vote)
+	ProposalHeartbeat(*types.Heartbeat)
+}
+
+// A list of channels to send new round steps, votes and proposal heartbeats to.
+type reactorChs struct {
+	newRoundSteps      chan (*cstypes.RoundState)
+	votes              chan (*types.Vote)
+	proposalHeartbeats chan (*types.Heartbeat)
+}
+
+var _ reactorChsI = (*reactorChs)(nil)
+
+// BLOCKING
+func (rchs *reactorChs) NewRoundStep(rs *cstypes.RoundState)   { rchs.newRoundSteps <- rs }
+func (rchs *reactorChs) Vote(vote *types.Vote)                 { rchs.votes <- vote }
+func (rchs *reactorChs) ProposalHeartbeat(hb *types.Heartbeat) { rchs.proposalHeartbeats <- hb }
+
+type nilReactorChs struct{}
+
+var _ reactorChsI = nilReactorChs{}
+
+func (nilReactorChs) NewRoundStep(rs *cstypes.RoundState)   {}
+func (nilReactorChs) Vote(vote *types.Vote)                 {}
+func (nilReactorChs) ProposalHeartbeat(hb *types.Heartbeat) {}
+
 // NewConsensusState returns a new ConsensusState.
 func NewConsensusState(config *cfg.ConsensusConfig, state sm.State, blockExec *sm.BlockExecutor, blockStore types.BlockStore, mempool types.Mempool, evpool types.EvidencePool) *ConsensusState {
 	cs := &ConsensusState{
@@ -126,6 +158,7 @@ func NewConsensusState(config *cfg.ConsensusConfig, state sm.State, blockExec *s
 		doWALCatchup:     true,
 		wal:              nilWAL{},
 		evpool:           evpool,
+		reactorChs:       nilReactorChs{},
 	}
 	// set function defaults (may be overwritten before calling Start)
 	cs.decideProposal = cs.defaultDecideProposal
@@ -509,6 +542,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) newStep() {
 	// newStep is called by updateToStep in NewConsensusState before the eventBus is set!
 	if cs.eventBus != nil {
 		cs.eventBus.PublishEventNewRoundStep(rs)
+		cs.reactorChs.NewRoundStep(&cs.RoundState)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -752,6 +786,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) proposalHeartbeat(height int64, round int) {
 		}
 		cs.privValidator.SignHeartbeat(chainID, heartbeat)
 		cs.eventBus.PublishEventProposalHeartbeat(types.EventDataProposalHeartbeat{heartbeat})
+		cs.reactorChs.ProposalHeartbeat(heartbeat)
 		counter++
 		time.Sleep(proposalHeartbeatIntervalSeconds * time.Second)
 	}
@@ -1418,6 +1453,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) addVote(vote *types.Vote, peerID p2p.ID) (added bool,
 
 		cs.Logger.Info(cmn.Fmt("Added to lastPrecommits: %v", cs.LastCommit.StringShort()))
 		cs.eventBus.PublishEventVote(types.EventDataVote{vote})
+		cs.reactorChs.Vote(vote)
 
 		// if we can skip timeoutCommit and have all the votes now,
 		if cs.config.SkipTimeoutCommit && cs.LastCommit.HasAll() {
@@ -1445,6 +1481,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) addVote(vote *types.Vote, peerID p2p.ID) (added bool,
 	}
 
 	cs.eventBus.PublishEventVote(types.EventDataVote{vote})
+	cs.reactorChs.Vote(vote)
 
 	switch vote.Type {
 	case types.VoteTypePrevote: