diff --git a/lib/services/block/index.js b/lib/services/block/index.js
index c5cfc061..0b3f7dcf 100644
--- a/lib/services/block/index.js
+++ b/lib/services/block/index.js
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ var BlockService = function(options) {
 
   this.GENESIS_HASH = constants.BITCOIN_GENESIS_HASH[this.node.network];
   this._initialSync = false;
+  this._serviceIniting = false;
   this._reorgBackToBlock = null; // use this to rewind your indexes to a specific point by height or hash
-  this._timeOfLastBlockReport = Date.now() - 30000;
   this._blocksInQueue = 0;
 };
 
@@ -524,20 +524,40 @@ BlockService.prototype._removeAllSubscriptions = function() {
   this._bus.removeAllListeners();
   this.removeAllListeners(); // will remove listeners for 'next block' and 'synced'
   this._subscribedBlock = false;
+  if (this._reportInterval) {
+    clearInterval(this._reportInterval);
+  }
+  if (this._getBlocksTimer) {
+    clearTimeout(this._getBlocksTimer);
+  }
 };
 
 BlockService.prototype.onHeaders = function(callback) {
 
   var self = this;
 
-  // this fires under 2 conditions:
-  // 1. on initial boot right after all headers are synced by the header service
-  // 2. right after the header service handles a reorg
+  // at this point, we need to ensure the block header is in a very specific state
+  // 1. we should have no listeners of any kind that could cause side effects
+  // 2. we should have no pending events, yet to be fired, after this routine yields
 
   self._initialSync = true;
+  self._serviceIniting = true;
 
   self._removeAllSubscriptions();
 
+  // this should ensure that any handlers, yet to be fired, will fire
+  setImmediate(function() {
+    self._onHeaders(callback);
+  });
+
+};
+
+BlockService.prototype._onHeaders = function(callback) {
+
+  var self = this;
+
+  self._serviceIniting = false;
+
   // check whether or not we need build a new tip (unlikely)
   self._resetTip(function(err) {
 
@@ -720,7 +740,7 @@ BlockService.prototype._onBlock = function(block, callback) {
 
   var self = this;
 
-  if (self._reorging) {
+  if (self._reorging || self._serviceIniting) {
     return callback();
   }
 
@@ -872,6 +892,10 @@ BlockService.prototype._onSynced = function() {
     clearInterval(this._reportInterval);
   }
 
+  if (this._serviceIniting) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   self._logProgress();
   self._initialSync = false;
   self._startBlockSubscription();
@@ -888,7 +912,7 @@ BlockService.prototype._startSync = function() {
     this.on('next block', this._sync.bind(this));
     this.on('synced', this._onSynced.bind(this));
     clearInterval(this._reportInterval);
-    this._reportingInterval = setInterval(this._reportStatus.bind(this), 5000);
+    this._reportingInterval = setInterval(this._logProgress.bind(this), 5000);
     return this._sync();
   }
 
@@ -896,13 +920,6 @@ BlockService.prototype._startSync = function() {
 
 };
 
-BlockService.prototype._reportStatus = function() {
-  if (this._tip.height % 144 === 0 || Date.now() - this._timeOfLastBlockReport > 10000) {
-    this._timeOfLastBlockReport = Date.now();
-    this._logProgress();
-  }
-};
-
 BlockService.prototype._sync = function() {
 
   var self = this;
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 540c0e31..ceb1a2c8 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -4266,6 +4266,14 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/statuses/-/statuses-1.3.1.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-+vUbnrdKrvOzrPStX2Gr8ky3uT4="
     },
+    "string_decoder": {
+      "version": "1.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/string_decoder/-/string_decoder-1.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-4AH6Z5fzNNBcH+6XDMfA/BTt87skxqJlO0lAh3Dker5zThcAxG6mKz+iGu308UKoPPQ8Dcqx/4JhujzltRa+hQ==",
+      "requires": {
+        "safe-buffer": "5.1.1"
+      }
+    },
     "string-length": {
       "version": "1.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/string-length/-/string-length-1.0.1.tgz",
@@ -4285,14 +4293,6 @@
         "strip-ansi": "3.0.1"
       }
     },
-    "string_decoder": {
-      "version": "1.0.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/string_decoder/-/string_decoder-1.0.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-4AH6Z5fzNNBcH+6XDMfA/BTt87skxqJlO0lAh3Dker5zThcAxG6mKz+iGu308UKoPPQ8Dcqx/4JhujzltRa+hQ==",
-      "requires": {
-        "safe-buffer": "5.1.1"
-      }
-    },
     "stringstream": {
       "version": "0.0.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/stringstream/-/stringstream-0.0.5.tgz",