diff --git a/lite2/client.go b/lite2/client.go
index 4248d5eb8..c1dc88b1a 100644
--- a/lite2/client.go
+++ b/lite2/client.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package lite
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
+	"math/rand"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ const (
 
 	defaultUpdatePeriod                       = 5 * time.Second
 	defaultRemoveNoLongerTrustedHeadersPeriod = 24 * time.Hour
+	maxRetryAttempts                          = 10
 )
 
 // Option sets a parameter for the light client.
@@ -128,9 +130,10 @@ type Client struct {
 	verificationMode mode
 	trustLevel       tmmath.Fraction
 
+	// Mutex for locking during changes of the lite clients providers
+	providerMutex sync.Mutex
 	// Primary provider of new headers.
 	primary provider.Provider
-
 	// See Witnesses option
 	witnesses []provider.Provider
 
@@ -275,7 +278,7 @@ func (c *Client) checkTrustedHeaderUsingOptions(options TrustOptions) error {
 	var primaryHash []byte
 	switch {
 	case options.Height > c.trustedHeader.Height:
-		h, err := c.primary.SignedHeader(c.trustedHeader.Height)
+		h, err := c.signedHeaderFromPrimary(c.trustedHeader.Height)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -327,7 +330,7 @@ func (c *Client) checkTrustedHeaderUsingOptions(options TrustOptions) error {
 // Fetch trustedHeader and trustedNextVals from primary provider.
 func (c *Client) initializeWithTrustOptions(options TrustOptions) error {
 	// 1) Fetch and verify the header.
-	h, err := c.primary.SignedHeader(options.Height)
+	h, err := c.signedHeaderFromPrimary(options.Height)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -342,7 +345,7 @@ func (c *Client) initializeWithTrustOptions(options TrustOptions) error {
 	}
 
 	// 2) Fetch and verify the vals.
-	vals, err := c.primary.ValidatorSet(options.Height)
+	vals, err := c.validatorSetFromPrimary(options.Height)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -360,7 +363,7 @@ func (c *Client) initializeWithTrustOptions(options TrustOptions) error {
 
 	// 3) Fetch and verify the next vals (verification happens in
 	// updateTrustedHeaderAndVals).
-	nextVals, err := c.primary.ValidatorSet(options.Height + 1)
+	nextVals, err := c.validatorSetFromPrimary(options.Height + 1)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -549,13 +552,31 @@ func (c *Client) VerifyHeader(newHeader *types.SignedHeader, newVals *types.Vali
 	}
 
 	// Update trusted header and vals.
-	nextVals, err := c.primary.ValidatorSet(newHeader.Height + 1)
+	nextVals, err := c.validatorSetFromPrimary(newHeader.Height + 1)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return c.updateTrustedHeaderAndVals(newHeader, nextVals)
 }
 
+// Primary returns the primary provider.
+//
+// NOTE: provider may be not safe for concurrent access.
+func (c *Client) Primary() provider.Provider {
+	c.providerMutex.Lock()
+	defer c.providerMutex.Unlock()
+	return c.primary
+}
+
+// Witnesses returns the witness providers.
+//
+// NOTE: providers may be not safe for concurrent access.
+func (c *Client) Witnesses() []provider.Provider {
+	c.providerMutex.Lock()
+	defer c.providerMutex.Unlock()
+	return c.witnesses
+}
+
 // Cleanup removes all the data (headers and validator sets) stored. Note: the
 // client must be stopped at this point.
 func (c *Client) Cleanup() error {
@@ -608,7 +629,7 @@ func (c *Client) sequence(newHeader *types.SignedHeader, newVals *types.Validato
 		err           error
 	)
 	for height := c.trustedHeader.Height + 1; height < newHeader.Height; height++ {
-		interimHeader, err = c.primary.SignedHeader(height)
+		interimHeader, err = c.signedHeaderFromPrimary(height)
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to obtain the header #%d", height)
 		}
@@ -628,7 +649,7 @@ func (c *Client) sequence(newHeader *types.SignedHeader, newVals *types.Validato
 		if height == newHeader.Height-1 {
 			nextVals = newVals
 		} else {
-			nextVals, err = c.primary.ValidatorSet(height + 1)
+			nextVals, err = c.validatorSetFromPrimary(height + 1)
 			if err != nil {
 				return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to obtain the vals #%d", height+1)
 			}
@@ -682,7 +703,7 @@ func (c *Client) bisection(
 
 	// right branch
 	{
-		nextVals, err := c.primary.ValidatorSet(pivot + 1)
+		nextVals, err := c.validatorSetFromPrimary(pivot + 1)
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to obtain the vals #%d", pivot+1)
 		}
@@ -725,11 +746,11 @@ func (c *Client) updateTrustedHeaderAndVals(h *types.SignedHeader, nextVals *typ
 
 // fetch header and validators for the given height from primary provider.
 func (c *Client) fetchHeaderAndValsAtHeight(height int64) (*types.SignedHeader, *types.ValidatorSet, error) {
-	h, err := c.primary.SignedHeader(height)
+	h, err := c.signedHeaderFromPrimary(height)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to obtain the header #%d", height)
 	}
-	vals, err := c.primary.ValidatorSet(height)
+	vals, err := c.validatorSetFromPrimary(height)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to obtain the vals #%d", height)
 	}
@@ -738,12 +759,15 @@ func (c *Client) fetchHeaderAndValsAtHeight(height int64) (*types.SignedHeader,
 
 // compare header with one from a random witness.
 func (c *Client) compareNewHeaderWithRandomWitness(h *types.SignedHeader) error {
+	c.providerMutex.Lock()
+	// 0. Check witnesses exist
 	if len(c.witnesses) == 0 {
 		return errors.New("could not find any witnesses")
 	}
 
 	// 1. Pick a witness.
 	witness := c.witnesses[tmrand.Intn(len(c.witnesses))]
+	c.providerMutex.Unlock()
 
 	// 2. Fetch the header.
 	altH, err := witness.SignedHeader(h.Height)
@@ -871,3 +895,66 @@ func (c *Client) Update(now time.Time) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// replaceProvider takes the first alternative provider and promotes it as the primary provider
+func (c *Client) replacePrimaryProvider() error {
+	c.providerMutex.Lock()
+	defer c.providerMutex.Unlock()
+	if len(c.witnesses) == 0 {
+		return errors.Errorf("no witnesses left")
+	}
+	c.primary = c.witnesses[0]
+	c.witnesses = c.witnesses[1:]
+	c.logger.Info("New primary", "p", c.primary)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// signedHeaderFromPrimary retrieves the SignedHeader from the primary provider at the specified height.
+// Handles dropout by the primary provider by swapping with an alternative provider
+func (c *Client) signedHeaderFromPrimary(height int64) (*types.SignedHeader, error) {
+	for attempt := 1; attempt <= maxRetryAttempts; attempt++ {
+		c.providerMutex.Lock()
+		h, err := c.primary.SignedHeader(height)
+		c.providerMutex.Unlock()
+		if err == nil || err == provider.ErrSignedHeaderNotFound {
+			return h, err
+		}
+		time.Sleep(backoffTimeout(attempt))
+	}
+
+	c.logger.Info("Primary is unavailable. Replacing with the first witness")
+	err := c.replacePrimaryProvider()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return c.signedHeaderFromPrimary(height)
+}
+
+// validatorSetFromPrimary retrieves the ValidatorSet from the primary provider at the specified height.
+// Handles dropout by the primary provider after 5 attempts by replacing it with an alternative provider
+func (c *Client) validatorSetFromPrimary(height int64) (*types.ValidatorSet, error) {
+	for attempt := 1; attempt <= maxRetryAttempts; attempt++ {
+		c.providerMutex.Lock()
+		h, err := c.primary.ValidatorSet(height)
+		c.providerMutex.Unlock()
+		if err == nil || err == provider.ErrValidatorSetNotFound {
+			return h, err
+		}
+		time.Sleep(backoffTimeout(attempt))
+	}
+
+	c.logger.Info("Primary is unavailable. Replacing with the first witness")
+	err := c.replacePrimaryProvider()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return c.validatorSetFromPrimary(height)
+}
+
+// exponential backoff (with jitter)
+//		0.5s -> 2s -> 4.5s -> 8s -> 12.5 with 1s variation
+func backoffTimeout(attempt int) time.Duration {
+	return time.Duration(500*attempt*attempt)*time.Millisecond + time.Duration(rand.Intn(1000))*time.Millisecond
+}
diff --git a/lite2/client_test.go b/lite2/client_test.go
index 9ddab1ead..d7145feb7 100644
--- a/lite2/client_test.go
+++ b/lite2/client_test.go
@@ -867,3 +867,59 @@ func TestClient_Concurrency(t *testing.T) {
 
 	wg.Wait()
 }
+
+func TestProvider_Replacement(t *testing.T) {
+	const (
+		chainID = "TestProvider_Replacement"
+	)
+
+	var (
+		keys = genPrivKeys(4)
+		// 20, 30, 40, 50 - the first 3 don't have 2/3, the last 3 do!
+		vals     = keys.ToValidators(20, 10)
+		bTime, _ = time.Parse(time.RFC3339, "2006-01-02T15:04:05Z")
+		header   = keys.GenSignedHeader(chainID, 1, bTime, nil, vals, vals,
+			[]byte("app_hash"), []byte("cons_hash"), []byte("results_hash"), 0, len(keys))
+		primary = mockp.NewDeadMock(chainID)
+		witness = mockp.New(
+			chainID,
+			map[int64]*types.SignedHeader{
+				// trusted header
+				1: header,
+				// interim header (3/3 signed)
+				2: keys.GenSignedHeader(chainID, 2, bTime.Add(30*time.Minute), nil, vals, vals,
+					[]byte("app_hash"), []byte("cons_hash"), []byte("results_hash"), 0, len(keys)),
+				// last header (3/3 signed)
+				3: keys.GenSignedHeader(chainID, 3, bTime.Add(1*time.Hour), nil, vals, vals,
+					[]byte("app_hash"), []byte("cons_hash"), []byte("results_hash"), 0, len(keys)),
+			},
+			map[int64]*types.ValidatorSet{
+				1: vals,
+				2: vals,
+				3: vals,
+				4: vals,
+			},
+		)
+	)
+
+	c, err := NewClient(
+		chainID,
+		TrustOptions{
+			Period: 4 * time.Hour,
+			Height: 1,
+			Hash:   header.Hash(),
+		},
+		primary,
+		[]provider.Provider{witness},
+		dbs.New(dbm.NewMemDB(), chainID),
+		UpdatePeriod(0),
+		Logger(log.TestingLogger()),
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = c.Start()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer c.Stop()
+	assert.NotEqual(t, c.Primary(), primary)
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, len(c.Witnesses()))
+
+}
diff --git a/lite2/provider/mock/mock.go b/lite2/provider/mock/mock.go
index f895420e5..f41358345 100644
--- a/lite2/provider/mock/mock.go
+++ b/lite2/provider/mock/mock.go
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 package mock
 
 import (
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/lite2/provider"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
-// mock provider allows to directly set headers & vals, which can be handy when
-// testing.
 type mock struct {
 	chainID string
 	headers map[int64]*types.SignedHeader
 	vals    map[int64]*types.ValidatorSet
 }
 
-// New creates a mock provider.
+// New creates a mock provider with the given set of headers and validator
+// sets.
 func New(chainID string, headers map[int64]*types.SignedHeader, vals map[int64]*types.ValidatorSet) provider.Provider {
 	return &mock{
 		chainID: chainID,
@@ -45,3 +46,24 @@ func (p *mock) ValidatorSet(height int64) (*types.ValidatorSet, error) {
 	}
 	return nil, provider.ErrValidatorSetNotFound
 }
+
+type deadMock struct {
+	chainID string
+}
+
+// NewDeadMock creates a mock provider that always errors.
+func NewDeadMock(chainID string) provider.Provider {
+	return &deadMock{chainID: chainID}
+}
+
+func (p *deadMock) ChainID() string {
+	return p.chainID
+}
+
+func (p *deadMock) SignedHeader(height int64) (*types.SignedHeader, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("no response from provider")
+}
+
+func (p *deadMock) ValidatorSet(height int64) (*types.ValidatorSet, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("no response from provider")
+}