diff --git a/consensus/reactor_test.go b/consensus/reactor_test.go
index 125b68b2..8474734f 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor_test.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor_test.go
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ func TestReactorVotingPowerChange(t *testing.T) {
 	logger.Debug("---------------------------- Testing changing the voting power of one validator a few times")
 
 	pubKey, err := css[0].privValidator.GetPubKey()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	val1PubKey := pubKey
 	val1PubKeyABCI := types.TM2PB.PubKey(val1PubKey)
 	updateValidatorTx := kvstore.MakeValSetChangeTx(val1PubKeyABCI, 25)
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ func TestReactorValidatorSetChanges(t *testing.T) {
 	activeVals := make(map[string]struct{})
 	for i := 0; i < nVals; i++ {
 		addr, err := css[i].privValidator.GetAddress()
-		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
 		activeVals[string(addr)] = struct{}{}
 	}
 
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ func TestReactorValidatorSetChanges(t *testing.T) {
 	logger.Info("---------------------------- Testing adding one validator")
 
 	pubKey, err := css[nVals].privValidator.GetPubKey()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	newValidatorPubKey1 := pubKey
 	valPubKey1ABCI := types.TM2PB.PubKey(newValidatorPubKey1)
 	newValidatorTx1 := kvstore.MakeValSetChangeTx(valPubKey1ABCI, testMinPower)
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ func TestReactorValidatorSetChanges(t *testing.T) {
 	logger.Info("---------------------------- Testing changing the voting power of one validator")
 
 	pubKey, err = css[nVals].privValidator.GetPubKey()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	updateValidatorPubKey1 := pubKey
 	updatePubKey1ABCI := types.TM2PB.PubKey(updateValidatorPubKey1)
 	updateValidatorTx1 := kvstore.MakeValSetChangeTx(updatePubKey1ABCI, 25)
@@ -399,13 +399,13 @@ func TestReactorValidatorSetChanges(t *testing.T) {
 	logger.Info("---------------------------- Testing adding two validators at once")
 
 	pubKey, err = css[nVals+1].privValidator.GetPubKey()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	newValidatorPubKey2 := pubKey
 	newVal2ABCI := types.TM2PB.PubKey(newValidatorPubKey2)
 	newValidatorTx2 := kvstore.MakeValSetChangeTx(newVal2ABCI, testMinPower)
 
 	pubKey, err = css[nVals+2].privValidator.GetPubKey()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	newValidatorPubKey3 := pubKey
 	newVal3ABCI := types.TM2PB.PubKey(newValidatorPubKey3)
 	newValidatorTx3 := kvstore.MakeValSetChangeTx(newVal3ABCI, testMinPower)
diff --git a/consensus/replay_test.go b/consensus/replay_test.go
index 748d7703..f9e6ec60 100644
--- a/consensus/replay_test.go
+++ b/consensus/replay_test.go
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ func testHandshakeReplay(t *testing.T, nBlocks int, mode uint) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	pubKey, err := privVal.GetPubKey()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	stateDB, state, store := stateAndStore(config, pubKey, kvstore.ProtocolVersion)
 	store.chain = chain
 	store.commits = commits
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ func TestInitChainUpdateValidators(t *testing.T) {
 	config := ResetConfig("proxy_test_")
 	privVal := privval.LoadFilePV(config.PrivValidatorFile())
 	pubKey, err := privVal.GetPubKey()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	stateDB, state, store := stateAndStore(config, pubKey, 0x0)
 
 	oldValAddr := state.Validators.Validators[0].Address
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 2ed6c741..97231f21 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	errs "github.com/pkg/errors"
+
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/common"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/fail"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
@@ -831,7 +833,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) enterPropose(height int64, round int) {
 	// if not a validator, we're done
 	address, err := cs.privValidator.GetAddress()
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Error("Could not retrieve potenial validator address", cs.privValidator)
+		logger.Error("Failed to get private validator address", "err", err)
 		return
 	}
 	if !cs.Validators.HasAddress(address) {
@@ -936,7 +938,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) createProposalBlock() (block *types.Block, blockParts
 	), maxGas)
 	proposerAddr, err := cs.privValidator.GetAddress()
 	if err != nil {
-		cs.Logger.Error("could not retrieve proposer's address from privValidator", cs.privValidator)
+		cs.Logger.Error("Failed to get private validator address", "err", err)
 		return
 	}
 	block, parts := cs.state.MakeBlock(cs.Height, txs, commit, evidence, proposerAddr)
@@ -1484,7 +1486,10 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) tryAddVote(vote *types.Vote, peerID p2p.ID) (bool, err
 			return added, err
 		} else if voteErr, ok := err.(*types.ErrVoteConflictingVotes); ok {
 			addr, err := cs.privValidator.GetAddress()
-			cs.Logger.Error("Can not retrieve privValidator's address", "err", err)
+			if err != nil {
+				cs.Logger.Error("Failed to get private validator address", "err", err)
+				return added, err
+			}
 			if bytes.Equal(vote.ValidatorAddress, addr) {
 				cs.Logger.Error("Found conflicting vote from ourselves. Did you unsafe_reset a validator?", "height", vote.Height, "round", vote.Round, "type", vote.Type)
 				return added, err
@@ -1652,8 +1657,8 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) addVote(vote *types.Vote, peerID p2p.ID) (added bool,
 func (cs *ConsensusState) signVote(type_ types.SignedMsgType, hash []byte, header types.PartSetHeader) (*types.Vote, error) {
 	addr, err := cs.privValidator.GetAddress()
 	if err != nil {
-		cs.Logger.Error("Could not retrieve privValidator's address. The remote signer's connection might have dropped?", "err", err)
-		return nil, err
+		cs.Logger.Error("Failed to get private validator address", "err", err)
+		return nil, errs.Wrap(err, "Failed to get private validator address")
 	}
 	valIndex, _ := cs.Validators.GetByAddress(addr)
 
@@ -1692,7 +1697,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) signAddVote(type_ types.SignedMsgType, hash []byte, he
 	// if we don't have a key or we're not in the validator set, do nothing
 	privValAddr, err := cs.privValidator.GetAddress()
 	if err != nil {
-		cs.Logger.Error("Error signing vote. Could not retrieve privValidator's address.", "privValidator", cs.privValidator, "height", cs.Height, "round", cs.Round)
+		cs.Logger.Error("Failed to get private validator address", "err", err, "height", cs.Height, "round", cs.Round)
 		return nil
 	}
 	if cs.privValidator == nil || !cs.Validators.HasAddress(privValAddr) {
diff --git a/consensus/state_test.go b/consensus/state_test.go
index bb6c6f8a..630d0c67 100644
--- a/consensus/state_test.go
+++ b/consensus/state_test.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func TestStateProposerSelection0(t *testing.T) {
 	// Commit a block and ensure proposer for the next height is correct.
 	prop := cs1.GetRoundState().Validators.GetProposer()
 	address, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	if !bytes.Equal(prop.Address, address) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected proposer to be validator %d. Got %X", 0, prop.Address)
 	}
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ func TestStateLockPOLSafety2(t *testing.T) {
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	unlockCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryUnlock)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 
 	// the block for R0: gets polkad but we miss it
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ func TestProposeValidBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	unlockCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryUnlock)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 
 	// start round and wait for propose and prevote
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ func TestSetValidBlockOnDelayedPrevote(t *testing.T) {
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	validBlockCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryValidBlock)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 
 	// start round and wait for propose and prevote
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ func TestSetValidBlockOnDelayedProposal(t *testing.T) {
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	validBlockCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryValidBlock)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 	proposalCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryCompleteProposal)
 
@@ -1132,7 +1132,7 @@ func TestWaitingTimeoutProposeOnNewRound(t *testing.T) {
 	timeoutWaitCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryTimeoutPropose)
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 
 	// start round
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ func TestRoundSkipOnNilPolkaFromHigherRound(t *testing.T) {
 	timeoutWaitCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryTimeoutWait)
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 
 	// start round
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ func TestWaitTimeoutProposeOnNilPolkaForTheCurrentRound(t *testing.T) {
 	timeoutProposeCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryTimeoutPropose)
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 
 	// start round in which PO is not proposer
@@ -1388,7 +1388,7 @@ func TestStateHalt1(t *testing.T) {
 	newRoundCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewRound)
 	newBlockCh := subscribe(cs1.eventBus, types.EventQueryNewBlock)
 	addr, err := cs1.privValidator.GetAddress()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	voteCh := subscribeToVoter(cs1, addr)
 
 	// start round and wait for propose and prevote