diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 6a0c54bf..a768a7a0 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) finalizeCommit(height int) {
 
 	// Fire off event for new block.
 	// TODO: Handle app failure.  See #177
-	cs.evsw.FireEvent(types.EventStringNewBlock(), types.EventDataNewBlock{block})
+	cs.evsw.FireEvent(types.EventStringNewBlock(), types.EventDataNewBlock{&types.BlockHeader{block.Header}})
 
 	// Create a copy of the state for staging
 	stateCopy := cs.state.Copy()
diff --git a/types/events.go b/types/events.go
index 247b1e7b..02e6b072 100644
--- a/types/events.go
+++ b/types/events.go
@@ -57,7 +57,11 @@ var _ = wire.RegisterInterface(
 // but some (an input to a call tx or a receive) are more exotic
 
 type EventDataNewBlock struct {
-	Block *Block `json:"block"`
+	// we drop block data but keep the form the same
+	Block *BlockHeader `json:"block"`
+}
+type BlockHeader struct {
+	Header *Header `json:"header"`
 }
 
 // All txs fire EventDataTx