diff --git a/config/tendermint_test/config.go b/config/tendermint_test/config.go
index 702fb689..fa1fe3de 100644
--- a/config/tendermint_test/config.go
+++ b/config/tendermint_test/config.go
@@ -41,9 +41,8 @@ func initTMRoot(rootDir string) {
 	if !FileExists(genesisFilePath) {
 		MustWriteFile(genesisFilePath, []byte(defaultGenesis), 0644)
 	}
-	if !FileExists(privFilePath) {
-		MustWriteFile(privFilePath, []byte(defaultPrivValidator), 0644)
-	}
+	// we always overwrite the priv val
+	MustWriteFile(privFilePath, []byte(defaultPrivValidator), 0644)
 }
 
 func GetConfig(rootDir string) cfg.Config {
diff --git a/consensus/reactor.go b/consensus/reactor.go
index 608ebef0..81991972 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor.go
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func (conR *ConsensusReactor) registerEventCallbacks() {
 		conR.broadcastNewRoundStep(rs)
 	})
 
-	conR.evsw.AddListenerForEvent("conR", types.EventStringVote(), func(data types.EventData) {
+	conR.evsw.AddListenerForEvent("conR", types.EventStringVote(), func(data events.EventData) {
 		edv := data.(types.EventDataVote)
 		conR.broadcastHasVoteMessage(edv.Vote, edv.Index)
 	})
diff --git a/consensus/replay.go b/consensus/replay.go
index 4590acaa..611f5e7a 100644
--- a/consensus/replay.go
+++ b/consensus/replay.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package consensus
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) catchupReplay(height int) error {
 		}
 		m, ok := msg.Msg.(*types.EventDataRoundState)
 		if ok && m.Step == RoundStepNewHeight.String() {
-			r, err := f.Seek(0, 1)
+			f.Seek(0, 1)
 			// TODO: ensure the height matches
 			return true
 		}
@@ -203,7 +202,7 @@ func (pb *playback) replayReset(count int) error {
 
 	pb.cs.Stop()
 
-	newCs := NewConsensusState(pb.genesisState.Copy(), pb.cs.proxyAppCtx, pb.cs.blockStore, pb.cs.mempool)
+	newCs := NewConsensusState(pb.genesisState.Copy(), pb.cs.proxyAppConn, pb.cs.blockStore, pb.cs.mempool)
 	newCs.SetEventSwitch(pb.cs.evsw)
 
 	// ensure all new step events are regenerated as expected
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 354038e7..8b61aa88 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -1430,41 +1430,6 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) signAddVote(type_ byte, hash []byte, header types.Part
 	}
 }
 
-// Save Block, save the +2/3 Commits we've seen
-func (cs *ConsensusState) saveBlock(block *types.Block, blockParts *types.PartSet, commits *types.VoteSet) {
-
-	// The proposal must be valid.
-	if err := cs.stageBlock(block, blockParts); err != nil {
-		PanicSanity(Fmt("saveBlock() an invalid block: %v", err))
-	}
-
-	// Save to blockStore.
-	if cs.blockStore.Height() < block.Height {
-		seenValidation := commits.MakeValidation()
-		cs.blockStore.SaveBlock(block, blockParts, seenValidation)
-	}
-
-	// Commit to proxyAppCtx
-	err := cs.stagedState.Commit(cs.proxyAppCtx)
-	if err != nil {
-		// TODO: handle this gracefully.
-		PanicQ(Fmt("Commit failed for applicaiton"))
-	}
-
-	// Save the state.
-	cs.stagedState.Save()
-
-	// Update mempool.
-	cs.mempool.Update(block)
-
-	// Fire off event
-	if cs.evsw != nil && cs.evc != nil {
-		cs.evsw.FireEvent(types.EventStringNewBlock(), types.EventDataNewBlock{block})
-		go cs.evc.Flush()
-	}
-
-}
-
 //---------------------------------------------------------
 
 func CompareHRS(h1, r1 int, s1 RoundStepType, h2, r2 int, s2 RoundStepType) int {
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index c090e871..b9250bdd 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -323,11 +323,11 @@ func newConsensusState() *consensus.ConsensusState {
 	stateDB := dbm.GetDB("state")
 	state := sm.MakeGenesisStateFromFile(stateDB, config.GetString("genesis_file"))
 
-	// Create two proxyAppCtx connections,
+	// Create two proxyAppConn connections,
 	// one for the consensus and one for the mempool.
 	proxyAddr := config.GetString("proxy_app")
-	proxyAppCtxMempool := getProxyApp(proxyAddr, state.LastAppHash)
-	proxyAppCtxConsensus := getProxyApp(proxyAddr, state.LastAppHash)
+	proxyAppConnMempool := getProxyApp(proxyAddr, state.AppHash)
+	proxyAppConnConsensus := getProxyApp(proxyAddr, state.AppHash)
 
 	// add the chainid to the global config
 	config.Set("chain_id", state.ChainID)
@@ -339,9 +339,9 @@ func newConsensusState() *consensus.ConsensusState {
 		Exit(Fmt("Failed to start event switch: %v", err))
 	}
 
-	mempool := mempl.NewMempool(proxyAppCtxMempool)
+	mempool := mempl.NewMempool(proxyAppConnMempool)
 
-	consensusState := consensus.NewConsensusState(state.Copy(), proxyAppCtxConsensus, blockStore, mempool)
+	consensusState := consensus.NewConsensusState(state.Copy(), proxyAppConnConsensus, blockStore, mempool)
 	consensusState.SetEventSwitch(eventSwitch)
 	return consensusState
 }