diff --git a/benchmarks/index.js b/benchmarks/index.js
index 778f23c0..9f73898b 100644
--- a/benchmarks/index.js
+++ b/benchmarks/index.js
@@ -1,34 +1,42 @@
-'use strict'
+'use strict';
 
-var assert = require('assert');
 var benchmark = require('benchmark');
-var bitcoinconsensus = require('../');
 var bitcoin = require('bitcoin');
 var async = require('async');
-
-var maxTime = 10;
+var maxTime = 20;
 
 console.log('Benchmarking Bitcoind.js native interface versus Bitcoind JSON RPC interface');
 console.log('----------------------------------------------------------------------');
-// The primary methods needed are:
 
-// getInfo  === works
-// getRawTransactioni === getrawtransaction "txid" ( verbose )
+// To run the benchmarks a fully synced Bitcore Core directory is needed. The RPC comands
+// can be modified to match the settings in bitcoin.conf.
+
+// The primary methods that are needed:
+// getInfo === works
+// getRawTransaction === getrawtransaction "txid" ( verbose )
 // sendRawTransaction === sendrawtransaction "hexstring" ( allowhighfees )
 // getTransaction === either I need txindex turned on -or- the wallet turned on
 // Wallet functionality isn't needed, and libbitcoind.so could be compiled with the --disable-wallet flag.
-var fixtureData = {
 
+var blockHashes = [
+  '00000000fa7a4acea40e5d0591d64faf48fd862fa3561d111d967fc3a6a94177',
+  '000000000017e9e0afc4bc55339f60ffffb9cbe883f7348a9fbc198a486d5488',
+  '000000000019ddb889b534c5d85fca2c91a73feef6fd775cd228dea45353bae1',
+  '0000000000977ac3d9f5261efc88a3c2d25af92a91350750d00ad67744fa8d03'
+];
+
+var fixtureData = {
   transactions: [
     '5523b432c1bd6c101bee704ad6c560fd09aefc483f8a4998df6741feaa74e6eb',
     'ff48393e7731507c789cfa9cbfae045b10e023ce34ace699a63cdad88c8b43f8',
     '5d35c5eebf704877badd0a131b0a86588041997d40dbee8ccff21ca5b7e5e333',
     '88842f2cf9d8659c3434f6bc0c515e22d87f33e864e504d2d7117163a572a3aa',
   ]
-}
+};
 
 var bitcoind = require('../')({
-  directory: '~/.libbitcoind-example'
+  directory: '~/.bitcoin',
+  testnet: true
 });
 
 bitcoind.on('error', function(err) {
@@ -37,42 +45,64 @@ bitcoind.on('error', function(err) {
 
 bitcoind.on('open', function(status) {
   bitcoind.log('status="%s"', status);
+});
+
+bitcoind.on('ready', function() {
+
+  bitcoind.log('status="%s"', 'chaintip ready.');
+
   var client = new bitcoin.Client({
     host: 'localhost',
     port: 18332,
-    user: 'bitpaytest',
+    user: 'bitcoin',
     pass: 'local321'
   });
 
   async.series([
     function(next) {
 
-      function bitcoindJsonRpc() {
+      var c = 0;
+      var hashesLength = blockHashes.length;
 
-         client.getInfo();
-//        var item = Math.floor((Math.random() * fixtures.length));
-//        var data = fixtureData.transactions[item];
-//
-//        client.getTransaction(data, function(err, tx) {
-//          assert.equal(err, null);
-//        });
+      function bitcoindGetBlockNative(deffered) {
+        if (c >= hashesLength) {
+          c = 0;
+        }
+        var hash = blockHashes[c];
+        bitcoind.getBlock(hash, function(err, block) {
+          if (err) {
+            throw err;
+          }
+          deffered.resolve();
+        });
+        c++;
       }
 
-      function bitcoindNative() {
-
-        bitcoind.getInfo();
-//        var item = Math.floor((Math.random() * fixtures.length));
-//        var data = fixtureData.transaction[item];
-//
-//        bitcoind.getTransaction(data, function(err, tx) {
-//          assert.equal(err, null);
-//        });
+      function bitcoindGetBlockJsonRpc(deffered) {
+        if (c >= hashesLength) {
+          c = 0;
+        }
+        var hash = blockHashes[c];
+        client.getBlock(hash, false, function(err, block) {
+          if (err) {
+            throw err;
+          }
+          deffered.resolve();
+        });
+        c++;
       }
 
       var suite = new benchmark.Suite();
 
-      suite.add('bitcoind json rpc', bitcoindJsonRpc, { maxTime: maxTime });
-      suite.add('bitcoind native', bitcoindNative, { maxTime: maxTime });
+      suite.add('bitcoind getblock (native)', bitcoindGetBlockNative, {
+        defer: true,
+        maxTime: maxTime
+      });
+
+      suite.add('bitcoind getblock (json rpc)', bitcoindGetBlockJsonRpc, {
+        defer: true,
+        maxTime: maxTime
+      });
 
       suite
         .on('cycle', function(event) {
diff --git a/lib/bitcoind.js b/lib/bitcoind.js
index 3515e834..9557412e 100644
--- a/lib/bitcoind.js
+++ b/lib/bitcoind.js
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ Bitcoin.prototype.getBlock = function(blockhash, callback) {
   if (bitcoin.stopping) return [];
   return bitcoindjs.getBlock(blockhash, function(err, block) {
     if (err) return callback(err);
-    return callback(null, bitcoin.block(block));
+    return callback(null, block);
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/src/bitcoindjs.cc b/src/bitcoindjs.cc
index 10ceccd2..a513b343 100644
--- a/src/bitcoindjs.cc
+++ b/src/bitcoindjs.cc
@@ -347,7 +347,14 @@ async_blocks_ready(uv_work_t *req) {
   data->result = std::string("");
 
   while(!chainActive.Tip()) {
-    usleep(1E4);
+    usleep(1E6);
+  }
+
+  CBlockIndex* tip = chainActive.Tip();
+  uint256 tipHash = tip->GetBlockHash();
+
+  while(mapBlockIndex.count(tipHash) == 0) {
+    usleep(1E6);
   }
 
 }
@@ -876,8 +883,11 @@ async_get_block_after(uv_work_t *req) {
     const CBlock& cblock = data->cblock;
     CBlockIndex* cblock_index = data->cblock_index;
 
-    Local<Object> jsblock = NanNew<Object>();
-    cblock_to_jsblock(cblock, cblock_index, jsblock, false);
+    CDataStream ssBlock(SER_NETWORK, PROTOCOL_VERSION);
+    ssBlock << cblock;
+    std::string strHex = HexStr(ssBlock.begin(), ssBlock.end());
+
+    Local<String> jsblock = NanNew<String>(strHex);
 
     const unsigned argc = 2;
     Local<Value> argv[argc] = {