diff --git a/blockchain/pool.go b/blockchain/pool.go
index a95589987..48a258c79 100644
--- a/blockchain/pool.go
+++ b/blockchain/pool.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ var peerTimeoutSeconds = time.Duration(15) // not const so we can override with
 	Every so often we ask peers what height they're on so we can keep going.
 
 	Requests are continuously made for blocks of higher heights until
-	the limits. If most of the requests have no available peers, and we
+	we reach the limits. If most of the requests have no available peers, and we
 	are not at peer limits, we can probably switch to consensus reactor
 */
 
@@ -129,8 +129,6 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) IsCaughtUp() bool {
 	pool.mtx.Lock()
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
-	height := pool.height
-
 	// Need at least 1 peer to be considered caught up.
 	if len(pool.peers) == 0 {
 		pool.Logger.Debug("Blockpool has no peers")
@@ -142,8 +140,11 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) IsCaughtUp() bool {
 		maxPeerHeight = MaxInt(maxPeerHeight, peer.height)
 	}
 
-	isCaughtUp := (height > 0 || time.Since(pool.startTime) > 5*time.Second) && (maxPeerHeight == 0 || height >= maxPeerHeight)
-	pool.Logger.Info(Fmt("IsCaughtUp: %v", isCaughtUp), "height", height, "maxPeerHeight", maxPeerHeight)
+	// some conditions to determine if we're caught up
+	receivedBlockOrTimedOut := (pool.height > 0 || time.Since(pool.startTime) > 5*time.Second)
+	ourChainIsLongestAmongPeers := maxPeerHeight == 0 || pool.height >= maxPeerHeight
+	isCaughtUp := receivedBlockOrTimedOut && ourChainIsLongestAmongPeers
+	pool.Logger.Info(Fmt("IsCaughtUp: %v", isCaughtUp), "height", pool.height, "maxPeerHeight", maxPeerHeight)
 	return isCaughtUp
 }