diff --git a/consensus/replay_file.go b/consensus/replay_file.go
index d47e9052..2fcd9b47 100644
--- a/consensus/replay_file.go
+++ b/consensus/replay_file.go
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ func newConsensusStateForReplay(config cfg.BaseConfig, csConfig *cfg.ConsensusCo
 	// Create proxyAppConn connection (consensus, mempool, query)
 	clientCreator := proxy.DefaultClientCreator(config.ProxyApp, config.ABCI, config.DBDir())
 	proxyApp := proxy.NewAppConns(clientCreator,
-		NewHandshaker(stateDB, state, blockStore, gdoc.AppState))
+		NewHandshaker(stateDB, state, blockStore, gdoc.AppState()))
 	err = proxyApp.Start()
 	if err != nil {
 		cmn.Exit(cmn.Fmt("Error starting proxy app conns: %v", err))
diff --git a/consensus/wal_generator.go b/consensus/wal_generator.go
index 14f82d8a..de41d401 100644
--- a/consensus/wal_generator.go
+++ b/consensus/wal_generator.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func WALWithNBlocks(numBlocks int) (data []byte, err error) {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to make genesis state")
 	}
 	blockStore := bc.NewBlockStore(blockStoreDB)
-	handshaker := NewHandshaker(stateDB, state, blockStore, genDoc.AppState)
+	handshaker := NewHandshaker(stateDB, state, blockStore, genDoc.AppState())
 	proxyApp := proxy.NewAppConns(proxy.NewLocalClientCreator(app), handshaker)
 	proxyApp.SetLogger(logger.With("module", "proxy"))
 	if err := proxyApp.Start(); err != nil {
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index d978dcde..1f745bf0 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func NewNode(config *cfg.Config,
 	// and sync tendermint and the app by performing a handshake
 	// and replaying any necessary blocks
 	consensusLogger := logger.With("module", "consensus")
-	handshaker := cs.NewHandshaker(stateDB, state, blockStore, genDoc.AppState)
+	handshaker := cs.NewHandshaker(stateDB, state, blockStore, genDoc.AppState())
 	handshaker.SetLogger(consensusLogger)
 	proxyApp := proxy.NewAppConns(clientCreator, handshaker)
 	proxyApp.SetLogger(logger.With("module", "proxy"))
diff --git a/types/genesis.go b/types/genesis.go
index ef2d1679..c4b7c52e 100644
--- a/types/genesis.go
+++ b/types/genesis.go
@@ -28,7 +28,18 @@ type GenesisDoc struct {
 	ConsensusParams *ConsensusParams   `json:"consensus_params,omitempty"`
 	Validators      []GenesisValidator `json:"validators"`
 	AppHash         cmn.HexBytes       `json:"app_hash"`
-	AppState        json.RawMessage    `json:"app_state,omitempty"`
+	_AppState       json.RawMessage    `json:"app_state,omitempty"`
+	AppOptions      json.RawMessage    `json:"app_options,omitempty"` // DEPRECATED
+}
+
+// AppState returns raw application state.
+// TODO: replace with AppState field during next breaking release (0.17)
+func (genDoc *GenesisDoc) AppState() json.RawMessage {
+	if len(genDoc.AppOptions) > 0 {
+		return genDoc.AppOptions
+	} else {
+		return genDoc._AppState
+	}
 }
 
 // SaveAs is a utility method for saving GenensisDoc as a JSON file.