diff --git a/internal/consensus/iterator.go b/internal/consensus/iterator.go
index 97b962283..9472031a2 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/iterator.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/iterator.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func (l *LiveIterator) Next(ctx context.Context) bool {
 	case t := <-l.timeoutTicker.Chan():
 		l.e = Event{Message: t, Time: time.Now()}
 	case <-l.txNotifier.TxsAvailable():
-		l.e = Event{txAvailable{}, time.Now()}
+		l.e = Event{Message: txAvailable{}, Time: time.Now()}
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 		l.err = ctx.Err()
 		return false
@@ -103,3 +103,39 @@ func (l *LiveIterator) Event() Event {
 func (l *LiveIterator) Error() error {
 	return l.err
 }
+
+type WALWritingIterator struct {
+	wal     WAL
+	Wrapped Iterator
+
+	err error
+	e   Event
+}
+
+func (w *WALWritingIterator) Next(ctx context.Context) bool {
+	if !w.Wrapped.Next(ctx) {
+		return false
+	}
+	w.e = w.Wrapped.Event()
+
+	switch m := w.e.Message.(type) {
+	case msgInfo, timeoutInfo:
+		if err := w.wal.WriteSync(m); err != nil {
+			w.err = err
+			return false
+		}
+	default:
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func (w *WALWritingIterator) Event() Event {
+	return w.e
+}
+
+func (w *WALWritingIterator) Error() error {
+	if w.err != nil {
+		return w.err
+	}
+	return w.Wrapped.Error()
+}
diff --git a/internal/consensus/replay.go b/internal/consensus/replay.go
index dccfca325..ba1e904c8 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/replay.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/replay.go
@@ -144,28 +144,6 @@ func (cs *State) catchupReplay(ctx context.Context, csHeight int64) error {
 	dec := WALDecoder{gr}
 
 	cs.receiveRoutine(ctx, WALReadingIterator{dec: dec}, 0)
-	/*
-		LOOP:
-			for {
-				msg, err = dec.Decode()
-				switch {
-				case err == io.EOF:
-					break LOOP
-				case IsDataCorruptionError(err):
-					cs.logger.Error("data has been corrupted in last height of consensus WAL", "err", err, "height", csHeight)
-					return err
-				case err != nil:
-					return err
-				}
-
-				// NOTE: since the priv key is set when the msgs are received
-				// it will attempt to eg double sign but we can just ignore it
-				// since the votes will be replayed and we'll get to the next step
-				if err := cs.readReplayMessage(ctx, msg, nil); err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
-			}
-	*/
 	cs.logger.Info("Replay: Done")
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/consensus/state.go b/internal/consensus/state.go
index fad9648a6..6b2d01c09 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/state.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/state.go
@@ -442,14 +442,21 @@ func (cs *State) OnStart(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	// now start the receiveRoutine
-	iter := LiveIterator{
+	var iter Iterator
+
+	iter = &LiveIterator{
 		peerMsgQueue:     cs.peerMsgQueue,
 		internalMsgQueue: cs.internalMsgQueue,
 		timeoutTicker:    cs.timeoutTicker,
 		txNotifier:       cs.txNotifier,
 	}
 
-	go cs.receiveRoutine(ctx, &iter, 0)
+	iter = &WALWritingIterator{
+		wal:     cs.wal,
+		Wrapped: iter,
+	}
+
+	go cs.receiveRoutine(ctx, iter, 0)
 
 	// schedule the first round!
 	// use GetRoundState so we don't race the receiveRoutine for access
@@ -469,7 +476,13 @@ func (cs *State) startRoutines(ctx context.Context, maxSteps int) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	go cs.receiveRoutine(ctx, testIterator{}, maxSteps)
+	iter := &LiveIterator{
+		peerMsgQueue:     cs.peerMsgQueue,
+		internalMsgQueue: cs.internalMsgQueue,
+		timeoutTicker:    cs.timeoutTicker,
+		txNotifier:       cs.txNotifier,
+	}
+	go cs.receiveRoutine(ctx, iter, maxSteps)
 }
 
 // loadWalFile loads WAL data from file. It overwrites cs.wal.
@@ -866,7 +879,6 @@ func (cs *State) receiveRoutine(ctx context.Context, iter Iterator, maxSteps int
 	}()
 
 	for iter.Next(ctx) {
-		// multi iterator
 		e := iter.Event()
 		if maxSteps > 0 {
 			if cs.nSteps >= maxSteps {
@@ -875,12 +887,6 @@ func (cs *State) receiveRoutine(ctx context.Context, iter Iterator, maxSteps int
 				return
 			}
 		}
-		select {
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			onExit(cs)
-			return
-		default:
-		}
 
 		switch msg := e.Message.(type) {
 		case txAvailable:
@@ -897,6 +903,12 @@ func (cs *State) receiveRoutine(ctx context.Context, iter Iterator, maxSteps int
 	if err := iter.Error(); err != nil {
 		cs.logger.Error("error iterating over consensus messages", "err", err)
 	}
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		onExit(cs)
+		return
+	default:
+	}
 }
 
 // state transitions on complete-proposal, 2/3-any, 2/3-one