diff --git a/scripts/wallet-sanity.sh b/scripts/wallet-sanity.sh
index bfa20f392..676abe540 100755
--- a/scripts/wallet-sanity.sh
+++ b/scripts/wallet-sanity.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,25 @@ pay_and_confirm() {
   $solana_wallet "${entrypoint[@]}" confirm "$signature"
 }
 
+leader_readiness=false
+timeout=60
+while [ $timeout -gt 0 ]
+do
+  expected_output="Leader ready"
+  exec 42>&1
+  output=$($solana_wallet "${entrypoint[@]}" leader-ready | tee >(cat - >&42))
+  if [[ "$output" =~ $expected_output ]]; then
+    leader_readiness=true
+    break
+  fi
+  sleep 2
+  (( timeout=timeout-2 ))
+done
+if [ "$leader_readiness" = false ]; then
+  echo "Timed out waiting for leader"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 $solana_keygen
 $solana_wallet "${entrypoint[@]}" address
 check_balance_output "No account found" "Your balance is: 0"
diff --git a/src/bin/wallet.rs b/src/bin/wallet.rs
index 5c28f47b4..a330f30d4 100644
--- a/src/bin/wallet.rs
+++ b/src/bin/wallet.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<error::Error>> {
                         .help("/path/to/program.o"),
                 )
                 // TODO: Add "loader" argument; current default is bpf_loader
+        ).subcommand(
+            SubCommand::with_name("leader-ready")
+                .about("Determine leader readiness")
         ).subcommand(
             SubCommand::with_name("pay")
                 .about("Send a payment")
diff --git a/src/wallet.rs b/src/wallet.rs
index 88ddbbb61..d22225c2a 100644
--- a/src/wallet.rs
+++ b/src/wallet.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ pub enum WalletCommand {
     Cancel(Pubkey),
     Confirm(Signature),
     Deploy(String),
+    GetLeaderReadiness,
     // Pay(tokens, to, timestamp, timestamp_pubkey, witness(es), cancelable)
     Pay(
         i64,
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ pub fn parse_command(
                 .unwrap()
                 .to_string(),
         )),
+        ("leader-ready", Some(_matches)) => Ok(WalletCommand::GetLeaderReadiness),
         ("pay", Some(pay_matches)) => {
             let tokens = pay_matches.value_of("tokens").unwrap().parse()?;
             let to = if pay_matches.is_present("to") {
@@ -452,6 +454,20 @@ pub fn process_command(config: &WalletConfig) -> Result<String, Box<error::Error
                 "programId": format!("{}", program.pubkey()),
             }).to_string())
         }
+        WalletCommand::GetLeaderReadiness => {
+            // TODO: This logic is currently only correct for initial network boot;
+            // needs updating for leader rotation
+            let transaction_count = RpcRequest::GetTransactionCount
+                .make_rpc_request(&config.rpc_addr, 1, None)?
+                .as_u64();
+            match transaction_count {
+                Some(0) => Ok("Leader not ready".to_string()),
+                Some(_) => Ok("Leader ready".to_string()),
+                None => Err(WalletError::RpcRequestError(
+                    "Received result of an unexpected type".to_string(),
+                ))?,
+            }
+        }
         // If client has positive balance, pay tokens to another address
         WalletCommand::Pay(tokens, to, timestamp, timestamp_pubkey, ref witnesses, cancelable) => {
             let last_id = get_last_id(&config)?;