diff --git a/x/staking/client/rest/grpc_query_test.go b/x/staking/client/rest/grpc_query_test.go
index ce9aeca03..0338092ae 100644
--- a/x/staking/client/rest/grpc_query_test.go
+++ b/x/staking/client/rest/grpc_query_test.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func (s *IntegrationTestSuite) TestQueryValidatorsGRPCHandler() {
 			map[string]string{
 				grpctypes.GRPCBlockHeightHeader: "1",
 			},
-			true,
+			false,
 		},
 		{
 			"test query validators gRPC route with valid status",
diff --git a/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query.go b/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query.go
index 2c06293fb..777c1e877 100644
--- a/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query.go
+++ b/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query.go
@@ -26,12 +26,11 @@ func (k Querier) Validators(c context.Context, req *types.QueryValidatorsRequest
 		return nil, status.Error(codes.InvalidArgument, "empty request")
 	}
 
-	if req.Status == "" {
-		return nil, status.Error(codes.InvalidArgument, "status cannot be empty")
-	}
-	if !(req.Status == sdk.Bonded.String() || req.Status == sdk.Unbonded.String() || req.Status == sdk.Unbonding.String()) {
+	// validate the provided status, return all the validators if the status is empty
+	if req.Status != "" && !(req.Status == sdk.Bonded.String() || req.Status == sdk.Unbonded.String() || req.Status == sdk.Unbonding.String()) {
 		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "invalid validator status %s", req.Status)
 	}
+
 	var validators types.Validators
 	ctx := sdk.UnwrapSDKContext(c)
 
@@ -51,6 +50,7 @@ func (k Querier) Validators(c context.Context, req *types.QueryValidatorsRequest
 		if accumulate {
 			validators = append(validators, val)
 		}
+
 		return true, nil
 	})
 
diff --git a/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query_test.go b/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query_test.go
index 474c8ea39..f2c4c9ab3 100644
--- a/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query_test.go
+++ b/x/staking/keeper/grpc_query_test.go
@@ -18,18 +18,25 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestGRPCQueryValidators() {
 		msg      string
 		malleate func()
 		expPass  bool
+		numVals  int
+		hasNext  bool
 	}{
 		{
 			"empty request",
 			func() {
 				req = &types.QueryValidatorsRequest{}
 			},
+			true,
+
+			len(vals),
 			false,
 		},
-		{"invalid request with empty status",
+		{"empty status returns all the validators",
 			func() {
 				req = &types.QueryValidatorsRequest{Status: ""}
 			},
+			true,
+			len(vals),
 			false,
 		},
 		{
@@ -38,6 +45,8 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestGRPCQueryValidators() {
 				req = &types.QueryValidatorsRequest{Status: "test"}
 			},
 			false,
+			0,
+			false,
 		},
 		{"valid request",
 			func() {
@@ -45,6 +54,8 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestGRPCQueryValidators() {
 					Pagination: &query.PageRequest{Limit: 1, CountTotal: true}}
 			},
 			true,
+			1,
+			true,
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
@@ -54,9 +65,14 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestGRPCQueryValidators() {
 			if tc.expPass {
 				suite.NoError(err)
 				suite.NotNil(valsResp)
-				suite.Equal(1, len(valsResp.Validators))
-				suite.NotNil(valsResp.Pagination.NextKey)
+				suite.Equal(tc.numVals, len(valsResp.Validators))
 				suite.Equal(uint64(len(vals)), valsResp.Pagination.Total)
+
+				if (tc.hasNext) {
+					suite.NotNil(valsResp.Pagination.NextKey)
+				} else {
+					suite.Nil(valsResp.Pagination.NextKey)
+				}
 			} else {
 				suite.Require().Error(err)
 			}