diff --git a/lib/services/db/index.js b/lib/services/db/index.js
index e1ae91ea..bdcf3c8c 100644
--- a/lib/services/db/index.js
+++ b/lib/services/db/index.js
@@ -160,7 +160,6 @@ DB.prototype.start = function(callback) {
   });
 
   self._sync.on('synced', function() {
-    log.permitWrites = true;
     log.info('Initial sync complete');
   });
 
@@ -169,8 +168,6 @@ DB.prototype.start = function(callback) {
   });
 
   self.node.once('ready', function() {
-    log.permitWrites = false;
-
     self._sync.initialSync();
 
     self.node.services.bitcoind.on('tip', function(height) {
diff --git a/lib/services/db/sync.js b/lib/services/db/sync.js
index d5a019d7..e45df76f 100644
--- a/lib/services/db/sync.js
+++ b/lib/services/db/sync.js
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ var async = require('async');
 var bitcore = require('bitcore-lib');
 var BufferUtil = bitcore.util.buffer;
 var ProgressBar = require('progress');
+var index = require('../../index');
+var log = index.log;
 var green = '\u001b[42m \u001b[0m';
 var red = '\u001b[41m \u001b[0m';
 
@@ -98,6 +100,7 @@ Sync.prototype.initialSync = function() {
     .pipe(processSerial);
 
   self.lastReportedBlock = self.db.tip.__height;
+
   self.progressBar = new ProgressBar('[:bar] :percent :current blks, :blockspersec blks/sec, :elapsed secs', {
     complete: green,
     incomplete: red,
@@ -105,15 +108,7 @@ Sync.prototype.initialSync = function() {
     clear: true
   });
 
-  self.progressBar.tick(self.db.tip.__height, {
-    blockspersec: 0
-  });
-
-  var timer = setInterval(function () {
-    var tick = self.db.tip.__height - self.lastReportedBlock;
-    self.progressBar.tick(tick, { blockspersec: tick });
-    self.lastReportedBlock = self.db.tip.__height;
-  }, 1000);
+  var timer = setInterval(self.reportStatus.bind(this), 1000);
 
   processSerial.on('finish', function() {
     self.syncing = false;
@@ -128,6 +123,16 @@ Sync.prototype.initialSync = function() {
 
 };
 
+Sync.prototype.reportStatus = function() {
+  if (process.stderr.isTTY) {
+    var tick = this.db.tip.__height - this.lastReportedBlock;
+    this.progressBar.tick(tick, { blockspersec: tick });
+    this.lastReportedBlock = this.db.tip.__height;
+  } else {
+    log.info('Sync: current height is: ' + this.db.tip.__height);
+  }
+};
+
 Sync.prototype.sync = function() {
   var self = this;
   if(this.syncing || this.db.reorg) {