diff --git a/doc/REST-interface.md b/doc/REST-interface.md
index 0af650b4e..23154ee90 100644
--- a/doc/REST-interface.md
+++ b/doc/REST-interface.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ Supported API
 Given a transaction hash,
 Returns a transaction, in binary, hex-encoded binary or JSON formats.
 
+For full TX query capability, one must enable the transaction index via "txindex=1" command line / configuration option.
+
 `GET /rest/block/BLOCK-HASH.{bin|hex|json}`
 `GET /rest/block/notxdetails/BLOCK-HASH.{bin|hex|json}`
 
@@ -20,7 +22,17 @@ The HTTP request and response are both handled entirely in-memory, thus making m
 
 With the /notxdetails/ option JSON response will only contain the transaction hash instead of the complete transaction details. The option only affects the JSON response.
 
-For full TX query capability, one must enable the transaction index via "txindex=1" command line / configuration option.
+`GET /rest/chaininfo.json`
+
+Returns various state info regarding block chain processing.
+Only supports JSON as output format.
+* chain : (string) current network name as defined in BIP70 (main, test, regtest)
+* blocks : (numeric) the current number of blocks processed in the server
+* headers : (numeric) the current number of headers we have validated
+* bestblockhash : (string) the hash of the currently best block
+* difficulty : (numeric) the current difficulty
+* verificationprogress : (numeric) estimate of verification progress [0..1]
+* chainwork : (string) total amount of work in active chain, in hexadecimal
 
 Risks
 -------------
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/rest.py b/qa/rpc-tests/rest.py
index 704d88973..a9d41cf36 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/rest.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/rest.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class RESTTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         # check hex format response
         hex_string = http_get_call(url.hostname, url.port, '/rest/tx/'+tx_hash+self.FORMAT_SEPARATOR+"hex", True)
-        assert_equal(response.status, 200)
+        assert_equal(hex_string.status, 200)
         assert_greater_than(int(response.getheader('content-length')), 10)
 
         # check block tx details
@@ -106,5 +106,12 @@ class RESTTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         for tx in txs:
             assert_equal(tx in json_obj['tx'], True)
 
+        #test rest bestblock
+        bb_hash = self.nodes[0].getbestblockhash()
+        
+        json_string = http_get_call(url.hostname, url.port, '/rest/chaininfo.json')
+        json_obj = json.loads(json_string)
+        assert_equal(json_obj['bestblockhash'], bb_hash)
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     RESTTest ().main ()
diff --git a/src/rest.cpp b/src/rest.cpp
index 1ee1d5291..adc2d5628 100644
--- a/src/rest.cpp
+++ b/src/rest.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ static bool rest_headers(AcceptedConnection* conn,
                          bool fRun)
 {
     vector<string> params;
-    enum RetFormat rf = ParseDataFormat(params, strReq);
+    const RetFormat rf = ParseDataFormat(params, strReq);
     vector<string> path;
     boost::split(path, params[0], boost::is_any_of("/"));
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ static bool rest_block(AcceptedConnection* conn,
                        bool showTxDetails)
 {
     vector<string> params;
-    enum RetFormat rf = ParseDataFormat(params, strReq);
+    const RetFormat rf = ParseDataFormat(params, strReq);
 
     string hashStr = params[0];
     uint256 hash;
@@ -226,13 +226,39 @@ static bool rest_block_notxdetails(AcceptedConnection* conn,
     return rest_block(conn, strReq, mapHeaders, fRun, false);
 }
 
+static bool rest_chaininfo(AcceptedConnection* conn,
+                                   const std::string& strReq,
+                                   const std::map<std::string, std::string>& mapHeaders,
+                                   bool fRun)
+{
+    vector<string> params;
+    const RetFormat rf = ParseDataFormat(params, strReq);
+    
+    switch (rf) {
+    case RF_JSON: {
+        Array rpcParams;
+        Value chainInfoObject = getblockchaininfo(rpcParams, false);
+        
+        string strJSON = write_string(chainInfoObject, false) + "\n";
+        conn->stream() << HTTPReply(HTTP_OK, strJSON, fRun) << std::flush;
+        return true;
+    }
+    default: {
+        throw RESTERR(HTTP_NOT_FOUND, "output format not found (available: json)");
+    }
+    }
+    
+    // not reached
+    return true; // continue to process further HTTP reqs on this cxn
+}
+
 static bool rest_tx(AcceptedConnection* conn,
                     const std::string& strReq,
                     const std::map<std::string, std::string>& mapHeaders,
                     bool fRun)
 {
     vector<string> params;
-    enum RetFormat rf = ParseDataFormat(params, strReq);
+    const RetFormat rf = ParseDataFormat(params, strReq);
 
     string hashStr = params[0];
     uint256 hash;
@@ -287,6 +313,7 @@ static const struct {
       {"/rest/tx/", rest_tx},
       {"/rest/block/notxdetails/", rest_block_notxdetails},
       {"/rest/block/", rest_block_extended},
+      {"/rest/chaininfo", rest_chaininfo},
       {"/rest/headers/", rest_headers},
 };