diff --git a/x/slashing/keeper.go b/x/slashing/keeper.go
index dc316b2b6..473a5f5f6 100644
--- a/x/slashing/keeper.go
+++ b/x/slashing/keeper.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/params"
+	stake "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/stake/types"
 	abci "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/types"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
 )
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ func (k Keeper) handleDoubleSign(ctx sdk.Context, addr crypto.Address, infractio
 	// Note that this *can* result in a "distributionHeight" of -1,
 	// i.e. at the end of the pre-genesis block (none) = at the beginning of the genesis block.
 	// That's fine since this is just used to filter unbonding delegations & redelegations.
-	distributionHeight := infractionHeight - ValidatorUpdateDelay
+	distributionHeight := infractionHeight - stake.ValidatorUpdateDelay
 
 	// Cap the amount slashed to the penalty for the worst infraction
 	// within the slashing period when this infraction was committed
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ func (k Keeper) handleValidatorSignature(ctx sdk.Context, addr crypto.Address, p
 			// Note that this *can* result in a "distributionHeight" of -1 or -2,
 			// i.e. at the end of the pre-genesis block (none) = at the beginning of the genesis block.
 			// That's fine since this is just used to filter unbonding delegations & redelegations.
-			distributionHeight := height - ValidatorUpdateDelay - 1
+			distributionHeight := height - stake.ValidatorUpdateDelay - 1
 			k.validatorSet.Slash(ctx, consAddr, distributionHeight, power, k.SlashFractionDowntime(ctx))
 			k.validatorSet.Jail(ctx, consAddr)
 			signInfo.JailedUntil = ctx.BlockHeader().Time.Add(k.DowntimeUnbondDuration(ctx))
diff --git a/x/slashing/keeper_test.go b/x/slashing/keeper_test.go
index 43c8e2a20..cf67af192 100644
--- a/x/slashing/keeper_test.go
+++ b/x/slashing/keeper_test.go
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ func TestHandleAbsentValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	info, found = keeper.getValidatorSigningInfo(ctx, sdk.ConsAddress(val.Address()))
 	require.True(t, found)
 	require.Equal(t, height, info.StartHeight)
+	// we've missed 2 blocks more than the maximum
 	require.Equal(t, keeper.SignedBlocksWindow(ctx)-keeper.MinSignedPerWindow(ctx)-2, info.SignedBlocksCounter)
 
 	// validator should not be immediately jailed again
diff --git a/x/slashing/keys.go b/x/slashing/keys.go
index 4303f4635..ec453cedc 100644
--- a/x/slashing/keys.go
+++ b/x/slashing/keys.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/binary"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	stake "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/stake/types"
 )
 
 // key prefix bytes
@@ -34,8 +35,8 @@ func GetValidatorSlashingPeriodPrefix(v sdk.ConsAddress) []byte {
 // stored by *Tendermint* address (not operator address) followed by start height
 func GetValidatorSlashingPeriodKey(v sdk.ConsAddress, startHeight int64) []byte {
 	b := make([]byte, 8)
-	// this needs to be height + 1 because the slashing period for genesis validators starts at height -1
-	binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(b, uint64(startHeight+1))
+	// this needs to be height + ValidatorUpdateDelay because the slashing period for genesis validators starts at height -ValidatorUpdateDelay
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(b, uint64(startHeight+stake.ValidatorUpdateDelay))
 	return append(GetValidatorSlashingPeriodPrefix(v), b...)
 }
 
diff --git a/x/slashing/params.go b/x/slashing/params.go
index 467af3c11..6e18e5f48 100644
--- a/x/slashing/params.go
+++ b/x/slashing/params.go
@@ -15,12 +15,6 @@ const (
 	DowntimeUnbondDurationKey   = "slashing/DowntimeUnbondDuration"
 	SlashFractionDoubleSignKey  = "slashing/SlashFractionDoubleSign"
 	SlashFractionDowntimeKey    = "slashing/SlashFractionDowntime"
-
-	// Delay, in blocks, between when validator updates are returned to Tendermint and when they are applied
-	// For example, if this is 0, the validator set at the end of a block will sign the next block, or
-	// if this is 1, the validator set at the end of a block will sign the block after the next.
-	// Constant as this should not change without a hard fork.
-	ValidatorUpdateDelay int64 = 1
 )
 
 // MaxEvidenceAge - Max age for evidence - 21 days (3 weeks)
diff --git a/x/slashing/slashing_period.go b/x/slashing/slashing_period.go
index 1d94aa559..0595d5eeb 100644
--- a/x/slashing/slashing_period.go
+++ b/x/slashing/slashing_period.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	stake "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/stake/types"
 )
 
 // Cap an infraction's slash amount by the slashing period in which it was committed
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ func (k Keeper) unmarshalSlashingPeriodKeyValue(key []byte, value []byte) Valida
 	var slashingPeriodValue ValidatorSlashingPeriodValue
 	k.cdc.MustUnmarshalBinary(value, &slashingPeriodValue)
 	address := sdk.ConsAddress(key[1 : 1+sdk.AddrLen])
-	startHeight := int64(binary.BigEndian.Uint64(key[1+sdk.AddrLen:1+sdk.AddrLen+8]) - 1)
+	startHeight := int64(binary.BigEndian.Uint64(key[1+sdk.AddrLen:1+sdk.AddrLen+8]) - uint64(stake.ValidatorUpdateDelay))
 	return ValidatorSlashingPeriod{
 		ValidatorAddr: address,
 		StartHeight:   startHeight,
diff --git a/x/stake/genesis.go b/x/stake/genesis.go
index 336e414fe..1d500bd82 100644
--- a/x/stake/genesis.go
+++ b/x/stake/genesis.go
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ import (
 // Returns final validator set after applying all declaration and delegations
 func InitGenesis(ctx sdk.Context, keeper Keeper, data types.GenesisState) (res []abci.ValidatorUpdate, err error) {
 
-	// We need to pretend to be "one block before genesis" so that e.g. slashing periods
-	// are correctly initialized for the validator set one-block offset - the first TM block
-	// is at height 0, so state updates applied from genesis.json are in block -1.
-	ctx = ctx.WithBlockHeight(-1)
+	// We need to pretend to be "n blocks before genesis", where "n" is the validator update delay,
+	// so that e.g. slashing periods are correctly initialized for the validator set
+	// e.g. with a one-block offset - the first TM block is at height 0, so state updates applied from genesis.json are in block -1.
+	ctx = ctx.WithBlockHeight(-types.ValidatorUpdateDelay)
 
 	keeper.SetPool(ctx, data.Pool)
 	keeper.SetParams(ctx, data.Params)
diff --git a/x/stake/types/params.go b/x/stake/types/params.go
index 4dcc3782a..c3685f7c3 100644
--- a/x/stake/types/params.go
+++ b/x/stake/types/params.go
@@ -9,9 +9,17 @@ import (
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
 
-// defaultUnbondingTime reflects three weeks in seconds as the default
-// unbonding time.
-const defaultUnbondingTime time.Duration = 60 * 60 * 24 * 3 * time.Second
+const (
+	// defaultUnbondingTime reflects three weeks in seconds as the default
+	// unbonding time.
+	defaultUnbondingTime time.Duration = 60 * 60 * 24 * 3 * time.Second
+
+	// Delay, in blocks, between when validator updates are returned to Tendermint and when they are applied
+	// For example, if this is 0, the validator set at the end of a block will sign the next block, or
+	// if this is 1, the validator set at the end of a block will sign the block after the next.
+	// Constant as this should not change without a hard fork.
+	ValidatorUpdateDelay int64 = 1
+)
 
 // Params defines the high level settings for staking
 type Params struct {