diff --git a/privval/signer_client_test.go b/privval/signer_client_test.go
index 4aeed2b54..389428fd9 100644
--- a/privval/signer_client_test.go
+++ b/privval/signer_client_test.go
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ type BrokenSignerDialerEndpoint struct {
 	*SignerDialerEndpoint
 }
 
+// nolint
 func (ss *BrokenSignerDialerEndpoint) writeMessage(msg RemoteSignerMsg) (err error) {
 	_, err = cdc.MarshalBinaryLengthPrefixedWriter(ss.conn, PubKeyResponse{})
 	return
diff --git a/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go b/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go
index 15d4c2eed..c5900e009 100644
--- a/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go
+++ b/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/common"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
@@ -32,11 +31,8 @@ func SignerServiceEndpointConnRetries(retries int) SignerServiceEndpointOption {
 }
 
 // TODO(jleni): Create a common type for a signerEndpoint (common for both listener/dialer)
-// getConnection
-// AcceptNewConnection
 // read
 // write
-// close
 
 // SignerDialerEndpoint dials using its dialer and responds to any
 // signature requests using its privVal.
@@ -95,17 +91,34 @@ func (ss *SignerDialerEndpoint) OnStart() error {
 
 // OnStop implements cmn.Service.
 func (ss *SignerDialerEndpoint) OnStop() {
-	// Trigger a stop and wait
+	ss.Logger.Debug("SignerDialerEndpoint: OnStop calling Close")
+	_ = ss.Close()
+}
+
+// IsConnected indicates if there is an active connection
+func (ss *SignerDialerEndpoint) IsConnected() bool {
+	ss.mtx.Lock()
+	defer ss.mtx.Unlock()
+	return ss.isConnected()
+}
+
+// Close closes the underlying net.Conn.
+func (ss *SignerDialerEndpoint) Close() error {
+	ss.mtx.Lock()
+	defer ss.mtx.Unlock()
+
 	close(ss.stopCh)
 	<-ss.stoppedCh
 
+	ss.Logger.Debug("SignerDialerEndpoint: Close")
 	if ss.conn != nil {
 		if err := ss.conn.Close(); err != nil {
 			ss.Logger.Error("OnStop", "err", cmn.ErrorWrap(err, "closing listener failed"))
-			ss.Logger.Debug("Reset conn")
 			ss.conn = nil
 		}
 	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (ss *SignerDialerEndpoint) serviceLoop() {
@@ -209,7 +222,7 @@ func (ss *SignerDialerEndpoint) handleRequest() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	res, err := handleMessage(req, ss.chainID, ss.privVal)
+	res, err := HandleValidatorRequest(req, ss.chainID, ss.privVal)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		// only log the error; we'll reply with an error in res
@@ -223,35 +236,7 @@ func (ss *SignerDialerEndpoint) handleRequest() {
 	}
 }
 
-func handleMessage(req RemoteSignerMsg, chainID string, privVal types.PrivValidator) (RemoteSignerMsg, error) {
-	var res RemoteSignerMsg
-	var err error
-
-	switch r := req.(type) {
-	case *PubKeyRequest:
-		var p crypto.PubKey
-		p = privVal.GetPubKey()
-		res = &PubKeyResponse{p, nil}
-
-	case *SignVoteRequest:
-		err = privVal.SignVote(chainID, r.Vote)
-		if err != nil {
-			res = &SignedVoteResponse{nil, &RemoteSignerError{0, err.Error()}}
-		} else {
-			res = &SignedVoteResponse{r.Vote, nil}
-		}
-
-	case *SignProposalRequest:
-		err = privVal.SignProposal(chainID, r.Proposal)
-		if err != nil {
-			res = &SignedProposalResponse{nil, &RemoteSignerError{0, err.Error()}}
-		} else {
-			res = &SignedProposalResponse{r.Proposal, nil}
-		}
-
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf("unknown msg: %v", r)
-	}
-
-	return res, err
+// IsConnected indicates if there is an active connection
+func (ve *SignerDialerEndpoint) isConnected() bool {
+	return ve.IsRunning() && ve.conn != nil
 }
diff --git a/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go b/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go
index b2cf4bb89..09f552bb4 100644
--- a/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go
+++ b/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func NewSignerListenerEndpoint(logger log.Logger, listener net.Listener) *Signer
 func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) OnStart() error {
 	ve.Logger.Debug("SignerListenerEndpoint: OnStart")
 
-	err := ve.AcceptNewConnection()
+	err := ve.acceptNewConnection()
 	if err != nil {
 		ve.Logger.Error("OnStart", "err", err)
 		return err
@@ -67,8 +67,11 @@ func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) IsConnected() bool {
 
 // WaitForConnection waits maxWait for a connection or returns a timeout error
 func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) WaitForConnection(maxWait time.Duration) error {
-	// TODO(jleni): complete this
-	return nil
+	ve.mtx.Lock()
+	defer ve.mtx.Unlock()
+
+	// TODO(jleni): Pass maxwait through
+	return ve.ensureConnection()
 }
 
 // Close closes the underlying net.Conn.
@@ -96,18 +99,14 @@ func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) SendRequest(request RemoteSignerMsg) (RemoteSi
 	defer ve.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	ve.Logger.Debug("SignerListenerEndpoint: Send request", "connected", ve.isConnected())
-
-	if !ve.isConnected() {
-		ve.Logger.Info("SignerListenerEndpoint: Reconnecting")
-		err := ve.AcceptNewConnection()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, cmn.ErrorWrap(ErrListenerNoConnection, "could not reconnect")
-		}
+	err := ve.ensureConnection()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	ve.Logger.Debug("Send request. Write")
 
-	err := ve.writeMessage(request)
+	err = ve.writeMessage(request)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -125,8 +124,17 @@ func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) SendRequest(request RemoteSignerMsg) (RemoteSi
 
 // IsConnected indicates if there is an active connection
 func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) isConnected() bool {
-	//	return ve.IsRunning() && ve.conn != nil
-	return ve.conn != nil
+	return ve.IsRunning() && ve.conn != nil
+}
+
+func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) ensureConnection() error {
+	if !ve.isConnected() {
+		err := ve.acceptNewConnection()
+		if err != nil {
+			return cmn.ErrorWrap(ErrListenerNoConnection, "could not reconnect")
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // dropConnection closes the current connection but does not touch the listening socket
@@ -193,11 +201,7 @@ func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) writeMessage(msg RemoteSignerMsg) (err error)
 	return
 }
 
-// AcceptNewConnection waits to accept a new connection.
-func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) AcceptNewConnection() error {
-	ve.mtx.Lock()
-	defer ve.mtx.Unlock()
-
+func (ve *SignerListenerEndpoint) acceptNewConnection() error {
 	ve.Logger.Debug("SignerListenerEndpoint: AcceptNewConnection")
 
 	if !ve.IsRunning() || ve.listener == nil {
diff --git a/privval/signer_service.go b/privval/signer_service.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..016a7dde0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/privval/signer_service.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package privval
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
+)
+
+func HandleValidatorRequest(req RemoteSignerMsg, chainID string, privVal types.PrivValidator) (RemoteSignerMsg, error) {
+	var res RemoteSignerMsg
+	var err error
+
+	switch r := req.(type) {
+	case *PubKeyRequest:
+		var p crypto.PubKey
+		p = privVal.GetPubKey()
+		res = &PubKeyResponse{p, nil}
+
+	case *SignVoteRequest:
+		err = privVal.SignVote(chainID, r.Vote)
+		if err != nil {
+			res = &SignedVoteResponse{nil, &RemoteSignerError{0, err.Error()}}
+		} else {
+			res = &SignedVoteResponse{r.Vote, nil}
+		}
+
+	case *SignProposalRequest:
+		err = privVal.SignProposal(chainID, r.Proposal)
+		if err != nil {
+			res = &SignedProposalResponse{nil, &RemoteSignerError{0, err.Error()}}
+		} else {
+			res = &SignedProposalResponse{r.Proposal, nil}
+		}
+
+	default:
+		err = fmt.Errorf("unknown msg: %v", r)
+	}
+
+	return res, err
+}