diff --git a/blockchain/v0/reactor.go b/blockchain/v0/reactor.go
index 1445b24ae..063776cb1 100644
--- a/blockchain/v0/reactor.go
+++ b/blockchain/v0/reactor.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package v0
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
@@ -89,6 +90,11 @@ type Reactor struct {
 
 	requestsCh <-chan BlockRequest
 	errorsCh   <-chan peerError
+
+	// poolWG is used to synchronize the graceful shutdown of the poolRoutine and
+	// requestRoutine spawned goroutines when stopping the reactor and before
+	// stopping the p2p Channel(s).
+	poolWG sync.WaitGroup
 }
 
 // NewReactor returns new reactor instance.
@@ -163,6 +169,9 @@ func (r *Reactor) OnStop() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// wait for the poolRoutine and requestRoutine goroutines to gracefully exit
+	r.poolWG.Wait()
+
 	// Close closeCh to signal to all spawned goroutines to gracefully exit. All
 	// p2p Channels should execute Close().
 	close(r.closeCh)
@@ -362,17 +371,67 @@ func (r *Reactor) SwitchToFastSync(state sm.State) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (r *Reactor) broadcastStatusRequest() {
+	envelope := p2p.Envelope{
+		Broadcast: true,
+		Message:   &bcproto.StatusRequest{},
+	}
+
+	r.poolWG.Add(1)
+	defer r.poolWG.Done()
+
+	select {
+	case <-r.Quit():
+		return
+
+	case <-r.pool.Quit():
+		return
+
+	case r.blockchainCh.Out() <- envelope:
+	}
+}
+
+func (r *Reactor) requestRoutine() {
+	statusUpdateTicker := time.NewTicker(statusUpdateIntervalSeconds * time.Second)
+	defer statusUpdateTicker.Stop()
+
+	r.poolWG.Add(1)
+	defer r.poolWG.Done()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-r.Quit():
+			return
+
+		case <-r.pool.Quit():
+			return
+
+		case request := <-r.requestsCh:
+			r.blockchainCh.Out() <- p2p.Envelope{
+				To:      request.PeerID,
+				Message: &bcproto.BlockRequest{Height: request.Height},
+			}
+
+		case pErr := <-r.errorsCh:
+			r.blockchainCh.Error() <- p2p.PeerError{
+				PeerID:   pErr.peerID,
+				Err:      pErr.err,
+				Severity: p2p.PeerErrorSeverityLow,
+			}
+
+		case <-statusUpdateTicker.C:
+			go r.broadcastStatusRequest()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // poolRoutine handles messages from the poolReactor telling the reactor what to
 // do.
 //
 // NOTE: Don't sleep in the FOR_LOOP or otherwise slow it down!
-//
-// TODO: Ensure this works nicely with stopping reactor and that no race
-// conditions or deadlocks exist.
 func (r *Reactor) poolRoutine(stateSynced bool) {
 	var (
 		trySyncTicker           = time.NewTicker(trySyncIntervalMS * time.Millisecond)
-		statusUpdateTicker      = time.NewTicker(statusUpdateIntervalSeconds * time.Second)
 		switchToConsensusTicker = time.NewTicker(switchToConsensusIntervalSeconds * time.Second)
 
 		blocksSynced = uint64(0)
@@ -387,42 +446,12 @@ func (r *Reactor) poolRoutine(stateSynced bool) {
 	)
 
 	defer trySyncTicker.Stop()
-	defer statusUpdateTicker.Stop()
 	defer switchToConsensusTicker.Stop()
 
-	go func() {
-		for {
-			select {
+	go r.requestRoutine()
 
-			case <-r.Quit():
-				return
-
-			case <-r.pool.Quit():
-				return
-
-			case request := <-r.requestsCh:
-				r.blockchainCh.Out() <- p2p.Envelope{
-					To:      request.PeerID,
-					Message: &bcproto.BlockRequest{Height: request.Height},
-				}
-
-			case pErr := <-r.errorsCh:
-				r.blockchainCh.Error() <- p2p.PeerError{
-					PeerID:   pErr.peerID,
-					Err:      pErr.err,
-					Severity: p2p.PeerErrorSeverityLow,
-				}
-
-			case <-statusUpdateTicker.C:
-				go func() {
-					r.blockchainCh.Out() <- p2p.Envelope{
-						Broadcast: true,
-						Message:   &bcproto.StatusRequest{},
-					}
-				}()
-			}
-		}
-	}()
+	r.poolWG.Add(1)
+	defer r.poolWG.Done()
 
 FOR_LOOP:
 	for {
diff --git a/blockchain/v0/reactor_test.go b/blockchain/v0/reactor_test.go
index 150b6a01a..5ea40eaca 100644
--- a/blockchain/v0/reactor_test.go
+++ b/blockchain/v0/reactor_test.go
@@ -386,11 +386,13 @@ func TestReactor_BadBlockStopsPeer(t *testing.T) {
 		"expected new node to be fully synced",
 	)
 
-	require.Eventually(
+	require.Eventuallyf(
 		t,
 		func() bool { return len(newSuite.reactor.pool.peers) == len(testSuites)-3 },
-		time.Second,
+		10*time.Second,
 		10*time.Millisecond,
-		"invalid number of peers",
+		"invalid number of peers; expected: %d, got: %d",
+		len(testSuites)-3,
+		len(newSuite.reactor.pool.peers),
 	)
 }