diff --git a/etc/sample.conf b/etc/sample.conf
index a1ffbeda..e63997e1 100644
--- a/etc/sample.conf
+++ b/etc/sample.conf
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ log-file: true
 # Chain
 #
 
-witness: true
 prune: false
 checkpoints: true
 coin-cache: 40
diff --git a/lib/blockchain/chain.js b/lib/blockchain/chain.js
index f895817d..2aa1ac1e 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain/chain.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain/chain.js
@@ -287,18 +287,6 @@ Chain.prototype.verify = co(function* verify(block, prev) {
   if (this.options.spv)
     return this.state;
 
-  // Skip any blocks below the
-  // last checkpoint.
-  if (!this.options.witness) {
-    // We can't skip this with segwit
-    // enabled since the block may have
-    // been malleated: we don't know
-    // until we verify the witness
-    // merkle root.
-    if (prev.isHistorical())
-      return this.state;
-  }
-
   ancestors = yield prev.getRetargetAncestors();
 
   // Ensure the POW is what we expect.
@@ -480,8 +468,7 @@ Chain.prototype.getDeployments = co(function* getDeployments(block, prev) {
   // Segregrated witness is now usable (bip141 - segnet4)
   active = yield this.isActive(prev, deployments.segwit);
   if (active) {
-    if (this.options.witness)
-      state.flags |= Script.flags.VERIFY_WITNESS;
+    state.flags |= Script.flags.VERIFY_WITNESS;
     // BIP147
     state.flags |= Script.flags.VERIFY_NULLDUMMY;
   }
@@ -1995,15 +1982,7 @@ Chain.prototype.findLocator = co(function* findLocator(locator) {
  */
 
 Chain.prototype.isActive = co(function* isActive(prev, deployment) {
-  var state;
-
-  if (!this.options.witness) {
-    if (prev.isHistorical())
-      return false;
-  }
-
-  state = yield this.getState(prev, deployment);
-
+  var state = yield this.getState(prev, deployment);
   return state === common.thresholdStates.ACTIVE;
 });
 
@@ -2296,7 +2275,6 @@ function ChainOptions(options) {
   this.bufferKeys = !util.isBrowser;
 
   this.spv = false;
-  this.witness = true;
   this.prune = false;
   this.indexTX = false;
   this.indexAddress = false;
@@ -2357,11 +2335,6 @@ ChainOptions.prototype.fromOptions = function fromOptions(options) {
     this.spv = options.spv;
   }
 
-  if (options.witness != null) {
-    assert(typeof options.witness === 'boolean');
-    this.witness = options.witness;
-  }
-
   if (options.prune != null) {
     assert(typeof options.prune === 'boolean');
     this.prune = options.prune;
diff --git a/lib/blockchain/chaindb.js b/lib/blockchain/chaindb.js
index 5a240edb..39ae4fde 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain/chaindb.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain/chaindb.js
@@ -1867,7 +1867,7 @@ function ChainFlags(options) {
 
   this.network = Network.primary;
   this.spv = false;
-  this.witness = false;
+  this.witness = true;
   this.prune = false;
   this.indexTX = false;
   this.indexAddress = false;
@@ -1884,11 +1884,6 @@ ChainFlags.prototype.fromOptions = function fromOptions(options) {
     this.spv = options.spv;
   }
 
-  if (options.witness != null) {
-    assert(typeof options.witness === 'boolean');
-    this.witness = options.witness;
-  }
-
   if (options.prune != null) {
     assert(typeof options.prune === 'boolean');
     this.prune = options.prune;
@@ -1922,11 +1917,8 @@ ChainFlags.prototype.verify = function verify(options) {
     throw new Error('Cannot retroactively disable SPV.');
 
   if (!options.forceWitness) {
-    if (options.witness && !this.witness)
+    if (!this.witness)
       throw new Error('Cannot retroactively enable witness.');
-
-    if (!options.witness && this.witness)
-      throw new Error('Cannot retroactively disable witness.');
   }
 
   if (options.prune && !this.prune)
diff --git a/lib/net/common.js b/lib/net/common.js
index 5cbfe0a8..b86e188d 100644
--- a/lib/net/common.js
+++ b/lib/net/common.js
@@ -115,8 +115,7 @@ exports.LOCAL_SERVICES = 0
  */
 
 exports.REQUIRED_SERVICES = 0
-  | exports.services.NETWORK
-  | exports.services.WITNESS;
+  | exports.services.NETWORK;
 
 /**
  * Default user agent: `/bcoin:[version]/`.
diff --git a/lib/net/peer.js b/lib/net/peer.js
index e60566c9..2d17dac8 100644
--- a/lib/net/peer.js
+++ b/lib/net/peer.js
@@ -1407,7 +1407,7 @@ Peer.prototype.blockType = function blockType() {
       return invTypes.CMPCT_BLOCK;
   }
 
-  if (this.options.witness && this.hasWitness())
+  if (this.hasWitness())
     return invTypes.WITNESS_BLOCK;
 
   return invTypes.BLOCK;
@@ -1419,7 +1419,7 @@ Peer.prototype.blockType = function blockType() {
  */
 
 Peer.prototype.txType = function txType() {
-  if (this.options.witness && this.hasWitness())
+  if (this.hasWitness())
     return invTypes.WITNESS_TX;
 
   return invTypes.TX;
@@ -1645,7 +1645,7 @@ Peer.prototype.handleVersion = co(function* handleVersion(packet) {
         throw new Error('Peer does not support BIP37.');
     }
 
-    if (this.options.witness) {
+    if (this.options.hasWitness()) {
       if (!(this.services & services.WITNESS))
         throw new Error('Peer does not support segregated witness.');
     }
@@ -1815,12 +1815,6 @@ Peer.prototype.handleFeeFilter = co(function* handleFeeFilter(packet) {
  */
 
 Peer.prototype.handleSendCmpct = co(function* handleSendCmpct(packet) {
-  var max = this.options.witness ? 2 : 1;
-
-  // Core witness nodes send this twice
-  // with both version 1 and 2 (why
-  // would you even _want_ non-witness
-  // blocks if you use segwit??).
   if (this.compactMode !== -1) {
     this.logger.debug(
       'Peer sent a duplicate sendcmpct (%s).',
@@ -1828,7 +1822,7 @@ Peer.prototype.handleSendCmpct = co(function* handleSendCmpct(packet) {
     return;
   }
 
-  if (packet.version > max) {
+  if (packet.version > 2) {
     // Ignore
     this.logger.info(
       'Peer request compact blocks version %d (%s).',
@@ -2041,9 +2035,16 @@ Peer.prototype.sendReject = function sendReject(code, reason, msg) {
  */
 
 Peer.prototype.sendCompact = function sendCompact(mode) {
-  var version = this.options.witness ? 2 : 1;
   this.logger.info('Initializing compact blocks (%s).', this.hostname());
-  this.send(new packets.SendCmpctPacket(mode, version));
+
+  if (this.services & common.services.WITNESS) {
+    if (this.version >= common.COMPACT_WITNESS_VERSION) {
+      this.send(new packets.SendCmpctPacket(mode, 2));
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+
+  this.send(new packets.SendCmpctPacket(mode, 1));
 };
 
 /**
@@ -2115,7 +2116,7 @@ Peer.prototype.hasCompact = function hasCompact() {
   if (this.version < common.COMPACT_VERSION)
     return false;
 
-  if (!this.options.witness)
+  if (!this.options.hasWitness())
     return true;
 
   if (!(this.services & services.WITNESS))
@@ -2159,12 +2160,12 @@ function PeerOptions(options) {
   this.noRelay = false;
   this.spv = false;
   this.compact = false;
-  this.witness = true;
   this.headers = false;
   this.banScore = common.BAN_SCORE;
 
   this.getHeight = PeerOptions.getHeight;
   this.isFull = PeerOptions.isFull;
+  this.hasWitness = PeerOptions.hasWitness;
   this.createNonce = PeerOptions.createNonce;
   this.hasNonce = PeerOptions.hasNonce;
   this.getRate = PeerOptions.getRate;
@@ -2236,11 +2237,6 @@ PeerOptions.prototype.fromOptions = function fromOptions(options) {
     this.compact = options.compact;
   }
 
-  if (options.witness != null) {
-    assert(typeof options.witness === 'boolean');
-    this.witness = options.witness;
-  }
-
   if (options.headers != null) {
     assert(typeof options.headers === 'boolean');
     this.headers = options.headers;
@@ -2261,6 +2257,11 @@ PeerOptions.prototype.fromOptions = function fromOptions(options) {
     this.isFull = options.isFull;
   }
 
+  if (options.hasWitness != null) {
+    assert(typeof options.hasWitness === 'function');
+    this.hasWitness = options.hasWitness;
+  }
+
   if (options.createNonce != null) {
     assert(typeof options.createNonce === 'function');
     this.createNonce = options.createNonce;
@@ -2309,6 +2310,16 @@ PeerOptions.isFull = function isFull() {
   return false;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Whether segwit is enabled.
+ * @private
+ * @returns {Boolean}
+ */
+
+PeerOptions.hasWitness = function hasWitness() {
+  return true;
+};
+
 /**
  * Create a version packet nonce.
  * @private
diff --git a/lib/net/pool.js b/lib/net/pool.js
index 7c47e0d5..d305de5a 100644
--- a/lib/net/pool.js
+++ b/lib/net/pool.js
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ Pool.prototype.sendSync = co(function* sendSync(peer) {
   if (!(peer.services & services.NETWORK))
     return false;
 
-  if (this.options.witness && !peer.hasWitness())
+  if (this.options.hasWitness() && !peer.hasWitness())
     return false;
 
   if (!peer.loader) {
@@ -826,7 +826,7 @@ Pool.prototype.sendBlock = co(function* sendBlock(peer, item, witness) {
 
   // If we have the same serialization, we
   // can write the raw binary to the socket.
-  if (witness === this.chain.options.witness) {
+  if (witness || !this.options.hasWitness()) {
     block = yield this.chain.db.getRawBlock(item.hash);
 
     if (block) {
@@ -1278,7 +1278,7 @@ Pool.prototype.handleGetAddr = co(function* handleGetAddr(peer, packet) {
 Pool.prototype.handleAddr = co(function* handleAddr(peer, packet) {
   var addrs = packet.items;
   var now = this.network.now();
-  var services = this.options.requiredServices;
+  var services = this.options.getRequiredServices();
   var i, addr;
 
   for (i = 0; i < addrs.length; i++) {
@@ -1395,7 +1395,7 @@ Pool.prototype.handleBlockInv = co(function* handleBlockInv(peer, hashes) {
   if (!this.chain.synced && !peer.loader)
     return;
 
-  if (this.options.witness && !peer.hasWitness())
+  if (this.options.hasWitness() && !peer.hasWitness())
     return;
 
   // Request headers instead.
@@ -2341,7 +2341,7 @@ Pool.prototype.handleSendCmpct = co(function* handleSendCmpct(peer, packet) {
 Pool.prototype.handleCmpctBlock = co(function* handleCmpctBlock(peer, packet) {
   var block = packet.block;
   var hash = block.hash('hex');
-  var witness = this.options.witness;
+  var witness = peer.hasWitness();
   var result;
 
   if (!this.syncing)
@@ -2603,7 +2603,7 @@ Pool.prototype.addInbound = function addInbound(socket) {
  */
 
 Pool.prototype.getHost = function getHost() {
-  var services = this.options.requiredServices;
+  var services = this.options.getRequiredServices();
   var now = this.network.now();
   var i, entry, addr;
 
@@ -3192,7 +3192,6 @@ function PoolOptions(options) {
   this.address = new NetAddress();
   this.address.port = this.network.port;
 
-  this.witness = true;
   this.checkpoints = true;
   this.spv = false;
   this.listen = false;
@@ -3257,14 +3256,6 @@ PoolOptions.prototype.fromOptions = function fromOptions(options) {
     this.mempool = options.mempool;
   }
 
-  if (options.witness != null) {
-    assert(typeof options.witness === 'boolean');
-    assert(options.witness === this.chain.options.witness);
-    this.witness = options.witness;
-  } else {
-    this.witness = this.chain.options.witness;
-  }
-
   if (options.checkpoints != null) {
     assert(typeof options.checkpoints === 'boolean');
     assert(options.checkpoints === this.chain.options.checkpoints);
@@ -3430,11 +3421,6 @@ PoolOptions.prototype.fromOptions = function fromOptions(options) {
     this.blockMode = options.blockMode;
   }
 
-  if (!this.witness) {
-    this.services &= ~common.services.WITNESS;
-    this.requiredServices &= ~common.services.WITNESS;
-  }
-
   if (this.spv) {
     this.requiredServices |= common.services.BLOOM;
     this.services &= ~common.services.NETWORK;
@@ -3491,6 +3477,29 @@ PoolOptions.prototype.isFull = function isFull() {
   return this.chain.synced;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Get required services for outbound peers.
+ * @private
+ * @returns {Number}
+ */
+
+PoolOptions.prototype.getRequiredServices = function getRequiredServices() {
+  var services = this.options.requiredServices;
+  if (this.hasWitness())
+    services |= common.services.WITNESS;
+  return services;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Whether segwit is enabled.
+ * @private
+ * @returns {Boolean}
+ */
+
+PoolOptions.prototype.hasWitness = function hasWitness() {
+  return this.chain.state.hasWitness();
+};
+
 /**
  * Create a version packet nonce.
  * @private
diff --git a/lib/node/config.js b/lib/node/config.js
index 3943a4cc..d0082747 100644
--- a/lib/node/config.js
+++ b/lib/node/config.js
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ config.parseData = function parseData(data, prefix, dirname) {
   options.logFile = boolpath(data.logfile, prefix, dirname);
 
   // Chain
-  options.witness = bool(data.witness);
   options.forceWitness = bool(data.forcewitness);
   options.prune = bool(data.prune);
   options.checkpoints = bool(data.checkpoints);
diff --git a/lib/node/fullnode.js b/lib/node/fullnode.js
index 88f5d9c8..8daffe3a 100644
--- a/lib/node/fullnode.js
+++ b/lib/node/fullnode.js
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ function FullNode(options) {
     location: this.location('chain'),
     maxFiles: this.options.maxFiles,
     cacheSize: this.options.cacheSize,
-    witness: this.options.witness,
     forceWitness: this.options.forceWitness,
     prune: this.options.prune,
     checkpoints: this.options.checkpoints,
diff --git a/lib/node/spvnode.js b/lib/node/spvnode.js
index 0f159212..d89a614d 100644
--- a/lib/node/spvnode.js
+++ b/lib/node/spvnode.js
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ function SPVNode(options) {
     location: this.location('spvchain'),
     maxFiles: this.options.maxFiles,
     cacheSize: this.options.cacheSize,
-    witness: this.options.witness,
     forceWitness: this.options.forceWitness,
     checkpoints: this.options.checkpoints,
     spv: true
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ function SPVNode(options) {
     network: this.network,
     logger: this.logger,
     chain: this.chain,
-    witness: this.options.witness,
     proxyServer: this.options.proxyServer,
     seeds: this.options.seeds,
     nodes: this.options.nodes,
diff --git a/migrate/chaindb1to2.js b/migrate/chaindb1to2.js
index 6a7225a7..96f2f015 100644
--- a/migrate/chaindb1to2.js
+++ b/migrate/chaindb1to2.js
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ db = LDB({
 
 options = {};
 options.spv = process.argv.indexOf('--spv') !== -1;
-options.witness = process.argv.indexOf('--witness') !== -1;
 options.prune = process.argv.indexOf('--prune') !== -1;
 options.indexTX = process.argv.indexOf('--index-tx') !== -1;
 options.indexAddress = process.argv.indexOf('--index-address') !== -1;