diff --git a/example/index.js b/example/index.js
index 4cfc8c0d..3e3930c0 100755
--- a/example/index.js
+++ b/example/index.js
@@ -14,28 +14,7 @@ bitcoind.start(function(err) {
   });
   bitcoind.on('open', function(status) {
     console.log('bitcoind: status="%s"', status);
-    setTimeout(function() {
-      (function next(hash) {
-        return bitcoind.getBlock(hash, function(err, block) {
-          if (err) return print(err.message);
-          print(block);
-          if (block.tx.length && block.tx[0].txid) {
-            var txid = block.tx[0].txid;
-            // XXX Dies with a segfault!
-            // bitcoind.getTx(txid, hash, function(err, tx) {
-            bitcoind.getTx(txid, function(err, tx) {
-              if (err) return print(err.message);
-              print('TX -----------------------------------------------------');
-              print(tx);
-              print('/TX ----------------------------------------------------');
-            });
-          }
-          if (process.argv[2] === '-r' && block.nextblockhash) {
-            setTimeout(next.bind(null, block.nextblockhash), 500);
-          }
-        });
-      })(genesisBlock);
-    }, 1000);
+    // getBlocks(bitcoind);
     bitcoind.on('block', function(block) {
       console.log('Found block');
       console.log('Next: %s', block.nextblockhash);
@@ -43,6 +22,31 @@ bitcoind.start(function(err) {
   });
 });
 
+function getBlocks(bitcoind) {
+  setTimeout(function() {
+    (function next(hash) {
+      return bitcoind.getBlock(hash, function(err, block) {
+        if (err) return print(err.message);
+        print(block);
+        if (block.tx.length && block.tx[0].txid) {
+          var txid = block.tx[0].txid;
+          // XXX Dies with a segfault!
+          // bitcoind.getTx(txid, hash, function(err, tx) {
+          bitcoind.getTx(txid, function(err, tx) {
+            if (err) return print(err.message);
+            print('TX -----------------------------------------------------');
+            print(tx);
+            print('/TX ----------------------------------------------------');
+          });
+        }
+        if (process.argv[2] === '-r' && block.nextblockhash) {
+          setTimeout(next.bind(null, block.nextblockhash), 500);
+        }
+      });
+    })(genesisBlock);
+  }, 1000);
+}
+
 function inspect(obj) {
   return util.inspect(obj, null, 20, true);
 }
diff --git a/src/bitcoindjs.cc b/src/bitcoindjs.cc
index f20c8823..8fe07305 100644
--- a/src/bitcoindjs.cc
+++ b/src/bitcoindjs.cc
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ start_node(void);
 static void
 start_node_thread(void);
 
+static void
+poll_blocks(void);
+
 #if OUTPUT_REDIR
 static void
 open_pipes(int **out_pipe, int **log_pipe);
@@ -177,6 +180,8 @@ init(Handle<Object>);
  * Private Variables
  */
 
+static volatile CBlockIndex *lastindex = NULL;
+
 static volatile bool shutdownComplete = false;
 
 /**
@@ -382,6 +387,8 @@ start_node(void) {
 
   (boost::thread *)new boost::thread(boost::bind(&start_node_thread));
 
+  (boost::thread *)new boost::thread(boost::bind(&poll_blocks));
+
   // horrible fix for a race condition
   sleep(2);
   signal(SIGINT, SIG_DFL);
@@ -1085,6 +1092,9 @@ async_get_tx_after(uv_work_t *req) {
  * bitcoind.onBlock(callback)
  */
 
+Persistent<Function> onBlockCb;
+static bool blockCbSet = false;
+
 NAN_METHOD(OnBlock) {
   NanScope();
 
@@ -1095,9 +1105,12 @@ NAN_METHOD(OnBlock) {
 
   Local<Function> callback = Local<Function>::Cast(args[0]);
 
+  onBlockCb = Persistent<Function>::New(callback);
+  blockCbSet = true;
+
+#if 0
   Persistent<Function> cb;
   cb = Persistent<Function>::New(callback);
-
   Local<Object> block = NanNew<Object>();
 
   const unsigned argc = 1;
@@ -1109,6 +1122,7 @@ NAN_METHOD(OnBlock) {
   if (try_catch.HasCaught()) {
     node::FatalException(try_catch);
   }
+#endif
 
   NanReturnValue(Undefined());
 }
@@ -1146,6 +1160,52 @@ NAN_METHOD(OnTx) {
   NanReturnValue(Undefined());
 }
 
+static void
+poll_blocks(void) {
+  if (!lastindex) {
+    lastindex = chainActive.Tip();
+  }
+  CBlockIndex *pnext = chainActive.Next((const CBlockIndex *)lastindex);
+  CBlockIndex *pcur = pnext;
+  if (pnext) {
+    // execute callback
+    printf("Found block\n");
+    if (blockCbSet) {
+      Local<Object> block = NanNew<Object>();
+      const unsigned argc = 1;
+      Local<Value> argv[argc] = {
+        Local<Value>::New(block)
+      };
+      TryCatch try_catch;
+      onBlockCb->Call(Context::GetCurrent()->Global(), argc, argv);
+      if (try_catch.HasCaught()) {
+        node::FatalException(try_catch);
+      }
+    }
+    while ((pcur = chainActive.Next(pcur))) {
+      // execute callback
+      printf("Found block\n");
+      if (blockCbSet) {
+        Local<Object> block = NanNew<Object>();
+        const unsigned argc = 1;
+        Local<Value> argv[argc] = {
+          Local<Value>::New(block)
+        };
+        TryCatch try_catch;
+        onBlockCb->Call(Context::GetCurrent()->Global(), argc, argv);
+        if (try_catch.HasCaught()) {
+          node::FatalException(try_catch);
+        }
+      }
+      pnext = pcur;
+    }
+  }
+  if (pnext) {
+    lastindex = pnext;
+  }
+  sleep(1);
+}
+
 /**
  * Init
  */