diff --git a/client/src/rpc_client.rs b/client/src/rpc_client.rs
index 0ad8a04d3..cff5ed38e 100644
--- a/client/src/rpc_client.rs
+++ b/client/src/rpc_client.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,33 @@ impl RpcClient {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn confirm_transaction(&self, signature: &str) -> Result<bool, ClientError> {
+        self.confirm_transaction_with_commitment(signature, CommitmentConfig::default())
+    }
+
+    pub fn confirm_transaction_with_commitment(
+        &self,
+        signature: &str,
+        commitment_config: CommitmentConfig,
+    ) -> Result<bool, ClientError> {
+        let params = json!(signature);
+        let response = self.client.send(
+            &RpcRequest::ConfirmTransaction,
+            Some(params),
+            0,
+            Some(commitment_config),
+        )?;
+        if response.as_bool().is_none() {
+            Err(io::Error::new(
+                io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                "Received result of an unexpected type",
+            )
+            .into())
+        } else {
+            Ok(response.as_bool().unwrap())
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn send_transaction(&self, transaction: &Transaction) -> Result<String, ClientError> {
         let serialized = serialize(transaction).unwrap();
         let params = json!(serialized);
@@ -437,8 +464,27 @@ impl RpcClient {
         pubkey: &Pubkey,
         commitment_config: CommitmentConfig,
     ) -> io::Result<u64> {
-        self.get_account_with_commitment(pubkey, commitment_config)
-            .map(|account| account.lamports)
+        let params = json!(pubkey.to_string());
+        let balance_json = self
+            .client
+            .send(
+                &RpcRequest::GetBalance,
+                Some(params),
+                0,
+                Some(commitment_config),
+            )
+            .map_err(|err| {
+                io::Error::new(
+                    io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                    format!("GetBalance request failure: {:?}", err),
+                )
+            })?;
+        serde_json::from_value(balance_json).map_err(|err| {
+            io::Error::new(
+                io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                format!("GetBalance parse failure: {:?}", err),
+            )
+        })
     }
 
     pub fn get_program_accounts(&self, pubkey: &Pubkey) -> io::Result<Vec<(Pubkey, Account)>> {
diff --git a/core/tests/client.rs b/core/tests/client.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e548faa74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/client.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+use solana_client::rpc_client::RpcClient;
+use solana_core::validator::new_validator_for_tests;
+use solana_sdk::pubkey::Pubkey;
+use solana_sdk::signature::KeypairUtil;
+use solana_sdk::system_transaction;
+use std::fs::remove_dir_all;
+use std::thread::sleep;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+
+#[test]
+fn test_rpc_client() {
+    solana_logger::setup();
+
+    let (server, leader_data, alice, ledger_path) = new_validator_for_tests();
+    let bob_pubkey = Pubkey::new_rand();
+
+    let client = RpcClient::new_socket(leader_data.rpc);
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        client.get_version().unwrap(),
+        format!("{{\"solana-core\":\"{}\"}}", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"))
+    );
+
+    assert_eq!(client.get_balance(&bob_pubkey).unwrap(), 0);
+
+    assert_eq!(client.get_balance(&alice.pubkey()).unwrap(), 10000);
+
+    let (blockhash, _fee_calculator) = client.get_recent_blockhash().unwrap();
+
+    let tx = system_transaction::transfer(&alice, &bob_pubkey, 20, blockhash);
+    let signature = client.send_transaction(&tx).unwrap();
+
+    let mut confirmed_tx = false;
+
+    let now = Instant::now();
+    while now.elapsed().as_secs() <= 20 {
+        let response = client.confirm_transaction(signature.as_str());
+
+        match response {
+            Ok(true) => {
+                confirmed_tx = true;
+                break;
+            }
+            _ => (),
+        }
+
+        sleep(Duration::from_millis(500));
+    }
+
+    assert!(confirmed_tx);
+
+    assert_eq!(client.get_balance(&bob_pubkey).unwrap(), 20);
+    assert_eq!(client.get_balance(&alice.pubkey()).unwrap(), 9980);
+
+    server.close().unwrap();
+    remove_dir_all(ledger_path).unwrap();
+}