diff --git a/lib/services/bitcoind.js b/lib/services/bitcoind.js
index 0ce7b480..7cba2e03 100644
--- a/lib/services/bitcoind.js
+++ b/lib/services/bitcoind.js
@@ -435,11 +435,12 @@ Bitcoin.prototype._zmqTransactionHandler = function(node, message) {
 Bitcoin.prototype._checkSyncedAndSubscribeZmqEvents = function(node) {
   var self = this;
   var interval;
-  interval = setInterval(function() {
+
+  function checkAndSubscribe(callback) {
     // update tip
     node.client.getBestBlockHash(function(err, response) {
       if (err) {
-        return log.error(self._wrapRPCError(err));
+        return callback(self._wrapRPCError(err));
       }
       var blockhash = new Buffer(response.result, 'hex');
       self._updateTip(node, blockhash);
@@ -447,17 +448,36 @@ Bitcoin.prototype._checkSyncedAndSubscribeZmqEvents = function(node) {
       // check if synced
       node.client.getBlockchainInfo(function(err, response) {
         if (err) {
-          return log.error(self._wrapRPCError(err));
+          return callback(self._wrapRPCError(err));
         }
         var percentSynced = response.result.verificationprogress * 100;
         if (Math.round(percentSynced) >= 99) {
           // subscribe to events for further updates
           self._subscribeZmqEvents(node);
           clearInterval(interval);
+          callback(null, true);
+        } else {
+          callback(null, false);
         }
       });
     });
-  }, node._tipUpdateInterval || Bitcoin.DEFAULT_TIP_UPDATE_INTERVAL).unref();
+  }
+
+  checkAndSubscribe(function(err, synced) {
+    if (err) {
+      log.error(err);
+    }
+    if (!synced) {
+      interval = setInterval(function() {
+        checkAndSubscribe(function(err) {
+          if (err) {
+            log.error(err);
+          }
+        });
+      }, node._tipUpdateInterval || Bitcoin.DEFAULT_TIP_UPDATE_INTERVAL).unref();
+    }
+  });
+
 };
 
 Bitcoin.prototype._subscribeZmqEvents = function(node) {
diff --git a/test/services/bitcoind.unit.js b/test/services/bitcoind.unit.js
index b8a2e778..7a2ab905 100644
--- a/test/services/bitcoind.unit.js
+++ b/test/services/bitcoind.unit.js
@@ -685,11 +685,20 @@ describe('Bitcoin Service', function() {
         result: '00000000000000001bb82a7f5973618cfd3185ba1ded04dd852a653f92a27c45'
       });
       getBestBlockHash.onCall(0).callsArgWith(0, {code: -1 , message: 'Test error'});
-      var getBlockchainInfo = sinon.stub().callsArgWith(0, null, {
-        result: {
-          verificationprogress: 0.99
+      var progress = 0.90;
+      function getProgress() {
+        progress = progress + 0.01;
+        return progress;
+      }
+      var info = {};
+      Object.defineProperty(info, 'result', {
+        get: function() {
+          return {
+            verificationprogress: getProgress()
+          };
         }
       });
+      var getBlockchainInfo = sinon.stub().callsArgWith(0, null, info);
       getBlockchainInfo.onCall(0).callsArgWith(0, {code: -1, message: 'Test error'});
       var node = {
         _reindex: true,
@@ -703,10 +712,10 @@ describe('Bitcoin Service', function() {
       bitcoind._checkSyncedAndSubscribeZmqEvents(node);
       setTimeout(function() {
         log.error.callCount.should.equal(2);
-        bitcoind._updateTip.callCount.should.equal(2);
+        bitcoind._updateTip.callCount.should.equal(10);
         bitcoind._subscribeZmqEvents.callCount.should.equal(1);
         done();
-      }, 10);
+      }, 20);
     });
   });