diff --git a/x/staking/genesis.go b/x/staking/genesis.go
index e298bec7a..b97c3c829 100644
--- a/x/staking/genesis.go
+++ b/x/staking/genesis.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 // Returns final validator set after applying all declaration and delegations
 func InitGenesis(
 	ctx sdk.Context, keeper keeper.Keeper, accountKeeper types.AccountKeeper,
-	bankKeeper types.BankKeeper, data *types.GenesisState,
+	bankKeeper types.BankKeeper, wormholeKeeper types.WormholeKeeper, data *types.GenesisState,
 ) (res []abci.ValidatorUpdate) {
 	bondedTokens := sdk.ZeroInt()
 	notBondedTokens := sdk.ZeroInt()
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func InitGenesis(
 			}
 
 			var update abci.ValidatorUpdate
-			if validator.IsGuardian() {
+			if wormholeKeeper.IsGuardian(ctx, valAddr) {
 				update = validator.ABCIValidatorUpdate()
 			} else {
 				update = validator.ABCIValidatorUpdateZero()
diff --git a/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go b/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go
index 6211dcf6a..f19bef09f 100644
--- a/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go
+++ b/x/staking/keeper/keeper.go
@@ -19,17 +19,18 @@ var _ types.DelegationSet = Keeper{}
 
 // keeper of the staking store
 type Keeper struct {
-	storeKey   sdk.StoreKey
-	cdc        codec.BinaryCodec
-	authKeeper types.AccountKeeper
-	bankKeeper types.BankKeeper
-	hooks      types.StakingHooks
-	paramstore paramtypes.Subspace
+	storeKey       sdk.StoreKey
+	cdc            codec.BinaryCodec
+	authKeeper     types.AccountKeeper
+	bankKeeper     types.BankKeeper
+	wormholeKeeper types.WormholeKeeper
+	hooks          types.StakingHooks
+	paramstore     paramtypes.Subspace
 }
 
 // NewKeeper creates a new staking Keeper instance
 func NewKeeper(
-	cdc codec.BinaryCodec, key sdk.StoreKey, ak types.AccountKeeper, bk types.BankKeeper,
+	cdc codec.BinaryCodec, key sdk.StoreKey, ak types.AccountKeeper, bk types.BankKeeper, wk types.WormholeKeeper,
 	ps paramtypes.Subspace,
 ) Keeper {
 	// set KeyTable if it has not already been set
@@ -47,15 +48,20 @@ func NewKeeper(
 	}
 
 	return Keeper{
-		storeKey:   key,
-		cdc:        cdc,
-		authKeeper: ak,
-		bankKeeper: bk,
-		paramstore: ps,
-		hooks:      nil,
+		storeKey:       key,
+		cdc:            cdc,
+		authKeeper:     ak,
+		bankKeeper:     bk,
+		wormholeKeeper: wk,
+		paramstore:     ps,
+		hooks:          nil,
 	}
 }
 
+func (k Keeper) IsGuardian(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) bool {
+	return k.wormholeKeeper.IsGuardian(ctx, addr)
+}
+
 // Logger returns a module-specific logger.
 func (k Keeper) Logger(ctx sdk.Context) log.Logger {
 	return ctx.Logger().With("module", "x/"+types.ModuleName)
diff --git a/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go b/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go
index 9144f3d68..43c927e60 100644
--- a/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go
+++ b/x/staking/keeper/val_state_change.go
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ 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 !validator.IsGuardian() {
+		if !k.IsGuardian(ctx, valAddr) {
 			continue
 		}
 
diff --git a/x/staking/module.go b/x/staking/module.go
index 3892a8aa9..93aba5c5f 100644
--- a/x/staking/module.go
+++ b/x/staking/module.go
@@ -93,18 +93,20 @@ func (AppModuleBasic) GetQueryCmd() *cobra.Command {
 type AppModule struct {
 	AppModuleBasic
 
-	keeper        keeper.Keeper
-	accountKeeper types.AccountKeeper
-	bankKeeper    types.BankKeeper
+	keeper         keeper.Keeper
+	accountKeeper  types.AccountKeeper
+	bankKeeper     types.BankKeeper
+	wormholeKeeper types.WormholeKeeper
 }
 
 // NewAppModule creates a new AppModule object
-func NewAppModule(cdc codec.Codec, keeper keeper.Keeper, ak types.AccountKeeper, bk types.BankKeeper) AppModule {
+func NewAppModule(cdc codec.Codec, keeper keeper.Keeper, ak types.AccountKeeper, bk types.BankKeeper, wk types.WormholeKeeper) AppModule {
 	return AppModule{
 		AppModuleBasic: AppModuleBasic{cdc: cdc},
 		keeper:         keeper,
 		accountKeeper:  ak,
 		bankKeeper:     bk,
+		wormholeKeeper: wk,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -150,7 +152,7 @@ func (am AppModule) InitGenesis(ctx sdk.Context, cdc codec.JSONCodec, data json.
 
 	cdc.MustUnmarshalJSON(data, &genesisState)
 
-	return InitGenesis(ctx, am.keeper, am.accountKeeper, am.bankKeeper, &genesisState)
+	return InitGenesis(ctx, am.keeper, am.accountKeeper, am.bankKeeper, am.wormholeKeeper, &genesisState)
 }
 
 // ExportGenesis returns the exported genesis state as raw bytes for the staking
diff --git a/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go b/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go
index 313db78e7..620f9abb9 100644
--- a/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go
+++ b/x/staking/types/expected_keepers.go
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ type AccountKeeper interface {
 	SetModuleAccount(sdk.Context, authtypes.ModuleAccountI)
 }
 
+type WormholeKeeper interface {
+	IsGuardian(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) bool
+}
+
 // BankKeeper defines the expected interface needed to retrieve account balances.
 type BankKeeper interface {
 	GetAllBalances(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.AccAddress) sdk.Coins
diff --git a/x/staking/types/validator.go b/x/staking/types/validator.go
index 7734c307d..e4dd25dc6 100644
--- a/x/staking/types/validator.go
+++ b/x/staking/types/validator.go
@@ -167,12 +167,6 @@ func (v Validator) IsBonded() bool {
 	return v.GetStatus() == Bonded
 }
 
-func (*Validator) IsGuardian() bool {
-	// TODO(csongor): write logic to work out if this is a guardian
-	// This will require the staking module to use the wormhole module's state keeper
-	return true
-}
-
 // IsUnbonded checks if the validator status equals Unbonded
 func (v Validator) IsUnbonded() bool {
 	return v.GetStatus() == Unbonded