diff --git a/x/slashing/hooks.go b/x/slashing/hooks.go
index 701a6b2cd..a2e6c506a 100644
--- a/x/slashing/hooks.go
+++ b/x/slashing/hooks.go
@@ -1,11 +1,25 @@
 package slashing
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
 
-// Create a new slashing period when a validator is bonded
 func (k Keeper) onValidatorBonded(ctx sdk.Context, address sdk.ConsAddress) {
+	// Create a new signing info if necessary
+	_, found := k.getValidatorSigningInfo(ctx, address)
+	if !found {
+		signingInfo := ValidatorSigningInfo{
+			StartHeight:         ctx.BlockHeight(),
+			IndexOffset:         0,
+			JailedUntil:         time.Unix(0, 0),
+			SignedBlocksCounter: 0,
+		}
+		k.setValidatorSigningInfo(ctx, address, signingInfo)
+	}
+
+	// Create a new slashing period when a validator is bonded
 	slashingPeriod := ValidatorSlashingPeriod{
 		ValidatorAddr: address,
 		StartHeight:   ctx.BlockHeight(),
diff --git a/x/slashing/keeper.go b/x/slashing/keeper.go
index 94dd9f0d0..9cd7076cb 100644
--- a/x/slashing/keeper.go
+++ b/x/slashing/keeper.go
@@ -101,8 +101,7 @@ func (k Keeper) handleValidatorSignature(ctx sdk.Context, addr crypto.Address, p
 	// Will use the 0-value default signing info if not present, except for start height
 	signInfo, found := k.getValidatorSigningInfo(ctx, consAddr)
 	if !found {
-		// If this validator has never been seen before, construct a new SigningInfo with the correct start height
-		signInfo = NewValidatorSigningInfo(height, 0, time.Unix(0, 0), 0)
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("Expected signing info for validator %s but not found", consAddr))
 	}
 	index := signInfo.IndexOffset % k.SignedBlocksWindow(ctx)
 	signInfo.IndexOffset++
diff --git a/x/slashing/keeper_test.go b/x/slashing/keeper_test.go
index cf67af192..23a3ae2de 100644
--- a/x/slashing/keeper_test.go
+++ b/x/slashing/keeper_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ func TestHandleDoubleSign(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, ck, sk, _, keeper := createTestInput(t)
 	// validator added pre-genesis
 	ctx = ctx.WithBlockHeight(-1)
-	sk = sk.WithHooks(keeper.Hooks())
 	amtInt := int64(100)
 	operatorAddr, val, amt := addrs[0], pks[0], sdk.NewInt(amtInt)
 	got := stake.NewHandler(sk)(ctx, newTestMsgCreateValidator(operatorAddr, val, amt))
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@ func TestSlashingPeriodCap(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// initial setup
 	ctx, ck, sk, _, keeper := createTestInput(t)
-	sk = sk.WithHooks(keeper.Hooks())
 	amtInt := int64(100)
 	operatorAddr, amt := addrs[0], sdk.NewInt(amtInt)
 	valConsPubKey, valConsAddr := pks[0], pks[0].Address()
@@ -135,7 +133,6 @@ func TestHandleAbsentValidator(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// initial setup
 	ctx, ck, sk, _, keeper := createTestInput(t)
-	sk = sk.WithHooks(keeper.Hooks())
 	amtInt := int64(100)
 	addr, val, amt := addrs[0], pks[0], sdk.NewInt(amtInt)
 	sh := stake.NewHandler(sk)
@@ -146,14 +143,12 @@ func TestHandleAbsentValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	keeper.AddValidators(ctx, validatorUpdates)
 	require.Equal(t, ck.GetCoins(ctx, sdk.AccAddress(addr)), sdk.Coins{{sk.GetParams(ctx).BondDenom, initCoins.Sub(amt)}})
 	require.True(t, sdk.NewDecFromInt(amt).Equal(sk.Validator(ctx, addr).GetPower()))
+	// will exist since the validator has been bonded
 	info, found := keeper.getValidatorSigningInfo(ctx, sdk.ConsAddress(val.Address()))
-	require.False(t, found)
+	require.True(t, found)
 	require.Equal(t, int64(0), info.StartHeight)
 	require.Equal(t, int64(0), info.IndexOffset)
 	require.Equal(t, int64(0), info.SignedBlocksCounter)
-	// default time.Time value
-	var blankTime time.Time
-	require.Equal(t, blankTime, info.JailedUntil)
 	height := int64(0)
 
 	// 1000 first blocks OK
@@ -292,6 +287,11 @@ func TestHandleNewValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, ck, sk, _, keeper := createTestInput(t)
 	addr, val, amt := addrs[0], pks[0], int64(100)
 	sh := stake.NewHandler(sk)
+
+	// 1000 first blocks not a validator
+	ctx = ctx.WithBlockHeight(keeper.SignedBlocksWindow(ctx) + 1)
+
+	// Validator created
 	got := sh(ctx, newTestMsgCreateValidator(addr, val, sdk.NewInt(amt)))
 	require.True(t, got.IsOK())
 	validatorUpdates := stake.EndBlocker(ctx, sk)
@@ -299,9 +299,6 @@ func TestHandleNewValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, ck.GetCoins(ctx, sdk.AccAddress(addr)), sdk.Coins{{sk.GetParams(ctx).BondDenom, initCoins.SubRaw(amt)}})
 	require.Equal(t, sdk.NewDec(amt), sk.Validator(ctx, addr).GetPower())
 
-	// 1000 first blocks not a validator
-	ctx = ctx.WithBlockHeight(keeper.SignedBlocksWindow(ctx) + 1)
-
 	// Now a validator, for two blocks
 	keeper.handleValidatorSignature(ctx, val.Address(), 100, true)
 	ctx = ctx.WithBlockHeight(keeper.SignedBlocksWindow(ctx) + 2)
diff --git a/x/slashing/test_common.go b/x/slashing/test_common.go
index 7c97a8537..25140c824 100644
--- a/x/slashing/test_common.go
+++ b/x/slashing/test_common.go
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ func createTestInput(t *testing.T) (sdk.Context, bank.Keeper, stake.Keeper, para
 	}
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 	keeper := NewKeeper(cdc, keySlashing, sk, params.Getter(), DefaultCodespace)
+	sk = sk.WithHooks(keeper.Hooks())
 	return ctx, ck, sk, params.Setter(), keeper
 }