diff --git a/consensus/replay.go b/consensus/replay.go
index e8151270..d3c5cd5d 100644
--- a/consensus/replay.go
+++ b/consensus/replay.go
@@ -113,12 +113,11 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) catchupReplay(csHeight int) error {
 		cs.Logger.Error("Replay: wal.group.Search returned EOF", "#ENDHEIGHT", csHeight-1)
 	} else if err != nil {
 		return err
-	} else {
-		defer gr.Close()
 	}
 	if !found {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Cannot replay height %d. WAL does not contain #ENDHEIGHT for %d.", csHeight, csHeight-1))
 	}
+	defer gr.Close()
 
 	cs.Logger.Info("Catchup by replaying consensus messages", "height", csHeight)
 
diff --git a/consensus/replay_test.go b/consensus/replay_test.go
index 9ab2efc1..33ca1d26 100644
--- a/consensus/replay_test.go
+++ b/consensus/replay_test.go
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ func TestWALCrashAfterWrite(t *testing.T) {
 		for i := 0; i < splitSize-1; i++ {
 			t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", thisCase.name, i), func(t *testing.T) {
 				cs, newBlockCh, _, walFile := setupReplayTest(t, thisCase, i+1, true)
+				cs.config.TimeoutPropose = 100
 				runReplayTest(t, cs, walFile, newBlockCh, thisCase, i+1)
 				// cleanup
 				os.Remove(walFile)
@@ -237,6 +238,7 @@ func TestWALCrashBeforeWritePropose(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", thisCase.name, lineNum), func(t *testing.T) {
 			// setup replay test where last message is a proposal
 			cs, newBlockCh, proposalMsg, walFile := setupReplayTest(t, thisCase, lineNum, false)
+			cs.config.TimeoutPropose = 100
 			msg := readTimedWALMessage(t, proposalMsg)
 			proposal := msg.Msg.(msgInfo).Msg.(*ProposalMessage)
 			// Set LastSig
diff --git a/consensus/wal.go b/consensus/wal.go
index 32cce73f..80f4b809 100644
--- a/consensus/wal.go
+++ b/consensus/wal.go
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ func (wal *WAL) SearchForEndHeight(height uint64) (gr *auto.GroupReader, found b
 		for {
 			msg, err = dec.Decode()
 			if err == io.EOF {
+				// check next file
 				break
 			}
 			if err != nil {
@@ -147,10 +148,6 @@ func (wal *WAL) SearchForEndHeight(height uint64) (gr *auto.GroupReader, found b
 				if m.Height == height { // found
 					wal.Logger.Debug("Found", "height", height, "index", index)
 					return gr, true, nil
-				} else if m.Height < height {
-					// we will never find it because we're starting from the end
-					gr.Close()
-					return nil, false, nil
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -214,8 +211,7 @@ func NewWALDecoder(rd io.Reader) *WALDecoder {
 	return &WALDecoder{rd}
 }
 
-// Decode reads the next custom-encoded value from its input and stores it in
-// the value pointed to by v.
+// Decode reads the next custom-encoded value from its reader and returns it.
 func (dec *WALDecoder) Decode() (*TimedWALMessage, error) {
 	b := make([]byte, 4)
 
diff --git a/consensus/wal_test.go b/consensus/wal_test.go
index f032265c..0235afab 100644
--- a/consensus/wal_test.go
+++ b/consensus/wal_test.go
@@ -2,10 +2,13 @@ package consensus
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"path"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/consensus/types"
+	tmtypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
+	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -35,3 +38,25 @@ func TestWALEncoderDecoder(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, msg.Msg, decoded.Msg)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSearchForEndHeight(t *testing.T) {
+	wal, err := NewWAL(path.Join(data_dir, "many_blocks.cswal"), false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	h := 3
+	gr, found, err := wal.SearchForEndHeight(uint64(h))
+	assert.NoError(t, err, cmn.Fmt("expected not to err on height %d", h))
+	assert.True(t, found, cmn.Fmt("expected to find end height for %d", h))
+	assert.NotNil(t, gr, "expected group not to be nil")
+	defer gr.Close()
+
+	dec := NewWALDecoder(gr)
+	msg, err := dec.Decode()
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "expected to decode a message")
+	rs, ok := msg.Msg.(tmtypes.EventDataRoundState)
+	assert.True(t, ok, "expected message of type EventDataRoundState")
+	assert.Equal(t, rs.Height, h+1, cmn.Fmt("wrong height"))
+
+}
diff --git a/scripts/cutWALUntil/main.go b/scripts/cutWALUntil/main.go
index 9dde7bf9..a7948a26 100644
--- a/scripts/cutWALUntil/main.go
+++ b/scripts/cutWALUntil/main.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 
 func main() {
 	if len(os.Args) < 4 {
-		fmt.Println("3 arguments required: <path-to-wal> height-to-stop <output-wal>")
+		fmt.Println("3 arguments required: <path-to-wal> <height-to-stop> <output-wal>")
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
diff --git a/scripts/wal2json/main.go b/scripts/wal2json/main.go
index 595660cf..2cf40c57 100644
--- a/scripts/wal2json/main.go
+++ b/scripts/wal2json/main.go
@@ -43,5 +43,8 @@ func main() {
 
 		os.Stdout.Write(json)
 		os.Stdout.Write([]byte("\n"))
+		if end, ok := msg.Msg.(cs.EndHeightMessage); ok {
+			os.Stdout.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("ENDHEIGHT %d\n", end.Height)))
+		}
 	}
 }