diff --git a/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/blockchain/bitcoind/ZmqWatcher.scala b/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/blockchain/bitcoind/ZmqWatcher.scala
index 0b0faaf31..e42d2e640 100644
--- a/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/blockchain/bitcoind/ZmqWatcher.scala
+++ b/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/blockchain/bitcoind/ZmqWatcher.scala
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ import fr.acinq.eclair.blockchain.Monitoring.Metrics
 import fr.acinq.eclair.blockchain._
 import fr.acinq.eclair.blockchain.bitcoind.rpc.BitcoinCoreClient
 import fr.acinq.eclair.blockchain.watchdogs.BlockchainWatchdog
-import fr.acinq.eclair.tor.Socks5ProxyParams
 import fr.acinq.eclair.wire.protocol.ChannelAnnouncement
 import fr.acinq.eclair.{KamonExt, NodeParams, ShortChannelId}
 
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
 import scala.concurrent.{ExecutionContext, Future}
+import scala.util.{Failure, Success}
 
 /**
  * Created by PM on 21/02/2016.
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ object ZmqWatcher {
 
   private case object TickNewBlock extends Command
   private case object TickBlockTimeout extends Command
+  private case class GetBlockCountFailed(t: Throwable) extends Command
+  private case class CheckBlockCount(count: Long) extends Command
+  private case class PublishBlockCount(count: Long) extends Command
   private case class ProcessNewBlock(blockHash: ByteVector32) extends Command
   private case class ProcessNewTransaction(tx: Transaction) extends Command
 
@@ -247,20 +250,28 @@ private class ZmqWatcher(nodeParams: NodeParams, blockCount: AtomicLong, client:
       case TickBlockTimeout =>
         // we haven't received a block in a while, we check whether we're behind and restart the timer.
         timers.startSingleTimer(TickBlockTimeout, blockTimeout)
-        val currentBlockCount = blockCount.get()
-        client.getBlockCount.map { count =>
-          if (count > currentBlockCount) {
-            context.log.warn("new block wasn't received via ZMQ, you should verify your bitcoind node")
-            context.self ! TickNewBlock
-          }
+        context.pipeToSelf(client.getBlockCount) {
+          case Failure(t) => GetBlockCountFailed(t)
+          case Success(count) => CheckBlockCount(count)
+        }
+        Behaviors.same
+
+      case GetBlockCountFailed(t) =>
+        log.error("could not get block count from bitcoind", t)
+        Behaviors.same
+
+      case CheckBlockCount(count) =>
+        val current = blockCount.get()
+        if (count > current) {
+          log.warn("block {} wasn't received via ZMQ, you should verify that your bitcoind node is running", count)
+          context.self ! TickNewBlock
         }
         Behaviors.same
 
       case TickNewBlock =>
-        client.getBlockCount.map { count =>
-          log.debug("setting blockCount={}", count)
-          blockCount.set(count)
-          context.system.eventStream ! EventStream.Publish(CurrentBlockCount(count))
+        context.pipeToSelf(client.getBlockCount) {
+          case Failure(t) => GetBlockCountFailed(t)
+          case Success(count) => PublishBlockCount(count)
         }
         // TODO: beware of the herd effect
         KamonExt.timeFuture(Metrics.NewBlockCheckConfirmedDuration.withoutTags()) {
@@ -268,6 +279,12 @@ private class ZmqWatcher(nodeParams: NodeParams, blockCount: AtomicLong, client:
         }
         Behaviors.same
 
+      case PublishBlockCount(count) =>
+        log.debug("setting blockCount={}", count)
+        blockCount.set(count)
+        context.system.eventStream ! EventStream.Publish(CurrentBlockCount(count))
+        Behaviors.same
+
       case TriggerEvent(replyTo, watch, event) =>
         if (watches.contains(watch)) {
           log.info("triggering {}", watch)