diff --git a/x/staking/genesis.go b/x/staking/genesis.go
index b97c3c829..50011cba1 100644
--- a/x/staking/genesis.go
+++ b/x/staking/genesis.go
@@ -139,7 +139,11 @@ func InitGenesis(
 			}
 
 			var update abci.ValidatorUpdate
-			if wormholeKeeper.IsGuardian(ctx, valAddr) {
+			isGuardian, err := wormholeKeeper.IsConsensusGuardian(ctx, valAddr)
+			if err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+			if isGuardian {
 				update = validator.ABCIValidatorUpdate()
 			} else {
 				update = validator.ABCIValidatorUpdateZero()
diff --git a/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go b/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go
index f19bef09f..af038855a 100644
--- a/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go
+++ b/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ func NewKeeper(
 	}
 }
 
-func (k Keeper) IsGuardian(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) bool {
-	return k.wormholeKeeper.IsGuardian(ctx, addr)
+func (k Keeper) IsConsensusGuardian(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) (bool, error) {
+	return k.wormholeKeeper.IsConsensusGuardian(ctx, addr)
 }
 
 // Logger returns a module-specific logger.
diff --git a/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go b/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go
index 43c927e60..c453b9ce1 100644
--- a/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go
+++ b/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ func (k Keeper) ApplyAndReturnValidatorSetUpdates(ctx sdk.Context) (updates []ab
 	amtFromBondedToNotBonded, amtFromNotBondedToBonded := sdk.ZeroInt(), sdk.ZeroInt()
 
 	// TODO(csongor): add new guardians that were not here before (from gov)
+	// TODO(csongor): total voting power should be size of the guardian set.
+	// I'll just rewrite this whole function
 
 	// Retrieve the last validator set.
 	// The persistent set is updated later in this function.
@@ -139,7 +141,12 @@ func (k Keeper) ApplyAndReturnValidatorSetUpdates(ctx sdk.Context) (updates []ab
 
 		// if we get to a validator that's not a guardian (after a guardian set
 		// update), we kick it out
-		if !k.IsGuardian(ctx, valAddr) {
+		isGuardian := false
+		isGuardian, err = k.IsConsensusGuardian(ctx, valAddr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if !isGuardian {
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -198,7 +205,7 @@ func (k Keeper) ApplyAndReturnValidatorSetUpdates(ctx sdk.Context) (updates []ab
 			return
 		}
 		amtFromBondedToNotBonded = amtFromBondedToNotBonded.Add(validator.GetTokens())
-		k.DeleteLastValidatorPower(ctx, validator.GetOperator()) // remove from gov validators
+		k.DeleteLastValidatorPower(ctx, validator.GetOperator())       // remove from gov validators
 		updates = append(updates, validator.ABCIValidatorUpdateZero()) // remove from tendermint validators
 	}
 
diff --git a/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go b/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go
index 620f9abb9..865d5685a 100644
--- a/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go
+++ b/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ type AccountKeeper interface {
 }
 
 type WormholeKeeper interface {
-	IsGuardian(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) bool
+	IsConsensusGuardian(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) (bool, error)
 }
 
 // BankKeeper defines the expected interface needed to retrieve account balances.