diff --git a/lib/model/wallet.js b/lib/model/wallet.js
index cfeb66a..73e8853 100644
--- a/lib/model/wallet.js
+++ b/lib/model/wallet.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ Wallet.create = function(opts) {
   x.m = opts.m;
   x.n = opts.n;
   x.status = 'pending';
+  x.scanning = false;
   x.publicKeyRing = [];
   x.addressIndex = 0;
   x.copayers = [];
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ Wallet.fromObj = function(obj) {
   x.m = obj.m;
   x.n = obj.n;
   x.status = obj.status;
+  x.scanning = obj.scanning;
   x.publicKeyRing = obj.publicKeyRing;
   x.copayers = _.map(obj.copayers, function(copayer) {
     return Copayer.fromObj(copayer);
@@ -135,6 +137,10 @@ Wallet.prototype.isComplete = function() {
   return this.status == 'complete';
 };
 
+Wallet.prototype.isScanning = function() {
+  return this.scanning;
+};
+
 Wallet.prototype.createAddress = function(isChange) {
   $.checkState(this.isComplete());
 
diff --git a/lib/server.js b/lib/server.js
index 4073123..4f95fc6 100644
--- a/lib/server.js
+++ b/lib/server.js
@@ -1180,8 +1180,7 @@ WalletService.prototype.scan = function(opts, cb) {
   Utils.runLocked(self.walletId, cb, function(cb) {
     self.getWallet({}, function(err, wallet) {
       if (err) return cb(err);
-      if (!wallet.isComplete())
-        return cb(new ClientError('Wallet is not complete'));
+      if (!wallet.isComplete()) return cb(new ClientError('Wallet is not complete'));
 
       var derivators = [];
       _.each([false, true], function(isChange) {
@@ -1201,8 +1200,42 @@ WalletService.prototype.scan = function(opts, cb) {
       }, cb);
     });
   });
+};
+
+/**
+ * Start a scan process.
+ *
+ * @param {Object} opts
+ * @param {Boolean} opts.includeCopayerBranches (defaults to false)
+ */
+WalletService.prototype.startScan = function(opts, cb) {
+  var self = this;
+
+  function scanFinished(err) {
+    var data = {};
+    if (err) {
+      data.result = 'error';
+      data.error = err;
+    } else {
+      data.result = 'success';
+    }
+    self._notify('ScanFinished', data);
+  };
+
+  Utils.runLocked(self.walletId, cb, function(cb) {
+    self.getWallet({}, function(err, wallet) {
+      if (err) return cb(err);
+      if (!wallet.isComplete()) return cb(new ClientError('Wallet is not complete'));
+
+      setTimeout(function() {
+        self.scan(opts, scanFinished);
+      }, 0);
 
+      return cb()
+    });
+  });
 };
 
+
 module.exports = WalletService;
 module.exports.ClientError = ClientError;
diff --git a/test/integration/server.js b/test/integration/server.js
index a5558b6..eb0136f 100644
--- a/test/integration/server.js
+++ b/test/integration/server.js
@@ -2518,11 +2518,18 @@ describe('Wallet service', function() {
   });
 
   describe('#scan', function() {
+    var server, wallet;
     var scanConfigOld = WalletService.scanConfig;
-    beforeEach(function() {
+    beforeEach(function(done) {
       this.timeout(5000);
       WalletService.scanConfig.SCAN_WINDOW = 2;
       WalletService.scanConfig.DERIVATION_DELAY = 0;
+
+      helpers.createAndJoinWallet(1, 2, function(s, w) {
+        server = s;
+        wallet = w;
+        done();
+      });
     });
     afterEach(function() {
       WalletService.scanConfig = scanConfigOld;
@@ -2530,76 +2537,70 @@ describe('Wallet service', function() {
 
     it('should scan main addresses', function(done) {
       helpers.stubAddressActivity(['3K2VWMXheGZ4qG35DyGjA2dLeKfaSr534A']);
-      helpers.createAndJoinWallet(1, 2, function(server, wallet) {
-        var expectedPaths = [
-          'm/2147483647/0/0',
-          'm/2147483647/0/1',
-          'm/2147483647/0/2',
-          'm/2147483647/0/3',
-          'm/2147483647/1/0',
-          'm/2147483647/1/1',
-        ];
-        server.scan({}, function(err) {
-          should.not.exist(err);
-          server.storage.fetchAddresses(wallet.id, function(err, addresses) {
-            should.exist(addresses);
-            addresses.length.should.equal(expectedPaths.length);
-            var paths = _.pluck(addresses, 'path');
-            _.difference(paths, expectedPaths).length.should.equal(0);
-            server.createAddress({}, function(err, address) {
-              should.not.exist(err);
-              address.path.should.equal('m/2147483647/0/4');
-              done();
-            });
-          })
-        });
+      var expectedPaths = [
+        'm/2147483647/0/0',
+        'm/2147483647/0/1',
+        'm/2147483647/0/2',
+        'm/2147483647/0/3',
+        'm/2147483647/1/0',
+        'm/2147483647/1/1',
+      ];
+      server.scan({}, function(err) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        server.storage.fetchAddresses(wallet.id, function(err, addresses) {
+          should.exist(addresses);
+          addresses.length.should.equal(expectedPaths.length);
+          var paths = _.pluck(addresses, 'path');
+          _.difference(paths, expectedPaths).length.should.equal(0);
+          server.createAddress({}, function(err, address) {
+            should.not.exist(err);
+            address.path.should.equal('m/2147483647/0/4');
+            done();
+          });
+        })
       });
     });
     it('should scan main addresses & copayer addresses', function(done) {
       helpers.stubAddressActivity(['3K2VWMXheGZ4qG35DyGjA2dLeKfaSr534A']);
-      helpers.createAndJoinWallet(1, 2, function(server, wallet) {
-        var expectedPaths = [
-          'm/2147483647/0/0',
-          'm/2147483647/0/1',
-          'm/2147483647/0/2',
-          'm/2147483647/0/3',
-          'm/2147483647/1/0',
-          'm/2147483647/1/1',
-          'm/0/0/0',
-          'm/0/0/1',
-          'm/0/1/0',
-          'm/0/1/1',
-          'm/1/0/0',
-          'm/1/0/1',
-          'm/1/1/0',
-          'm/1/1/1',
-        ];
-        server.scan({
-          includeCopayerBranches: true
-        }, function(err) {
-          should.not.exist(err);
-          server.storage.fetchAddresses(wallet.id, function(err, addresses) {
-            should.exist(addresses);
-            addresses.length.should.equal(expectedPaths.length);
-            var paths = _.pluck(addresses, 'path');
-            _.difference(paths, expectedPaths).length.should.equal(0);
-            done();
-          })
-        });
+      var expectedPaths = [
+        'm/2147483647/0/0',
+        'm/2147483647/0/1',
+        'm/2147483647/0/2',
+        'm/2147483647/0/3',
+        'm/2147483647/1/0',
+        'm/2147483647/1/1',
+        'm/0/0/0',
+        'm/0/0/1',
+        'm/0/1/0',
+        'm/0/1/1',
+        'm/1/0/0',
+        'm/1/0/1',
+        'm/1/1/0',
+        'm/1/1/1',
+      ];
+      server.scan({
+        includeCopayerBranches: true
+      }, function(err) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        server.storage.fetchAddresses(wallet.id, function(err, addresses) {
+          should.exist(addresses);
+          addresses.length.should.equal(expectedPaths.length);
+          var paths = _.pluck(addresses, 'path');
+          _.difference(paths, expectedPaths).length.should.equal(0);
+          done();
+        })
       });
     });
     it('should restore wallet balance', function(done) {
       async.waterfall([
 
         function(next) {
-          helpers.createAndJoinWallet(1, 2, function(server, wallet) {
-            helpers.stubUtxos(server, wallet, [1, 2, 3], function(utxos) {
-              should.exist(utxos);
-              helpers.stubAddressActivity(_.pluck(utxos, 'address'));
-              server.getBalance({}, function(err, balance) {
-                balance.totalAmount.should.equal(helpers.toSatoshi(6));
-                next(null, server, wallet);
-              });
+          helpers.stubUtxos(server, wallet, [1, 2, 3], function(utxos) {
+            should.exist(utxos);
+            helpers.stubAddressActivity(_.pluck(utxos, 'address'));
+            server.getBalance({}, function(err, balance) {
+              balance.totalAmount.should.equal(helpers.toSatoshi(6));
+              next(null, server, wallet);
             });
           });
         },
@@ -2834,6 +2835,56 @@ describe('Wallet service', function() {
       });
     });
   });
+
+  describe('#startScan', function() {
+    var server, wallet;
+    var scanConfigOld = WalletService.scanConfig;
+    beforeEach(function(done) {
+      this.timeout(5000);
+      WalletService.scanConfig.SCAN_WINDOW = 2;
+      WalletService.scanConfig.DERIVATION_DELAY = 0;
+
+      helpers.createAndJoinWallet(1, 2, function(s, w) {
+        server = s;
+        wallet = w;
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+    afterEach(function() {
+      WalletService.scanConfig = scanConfigOld;
+      WalletService.onNotification(function() {});
+    });
+
+    it('should start an asynchronous scan', function(done) {
+      helpers.stubAddressActivity(['3K2VWMXheGZ4qG35DyGjA2dLeKfaSr534A']);
+      var expectedPaths = [
+        'm/2147483647/0/0',
+        'm/2147483647/0/1',
+        'm/2147483647/0/2',
+        'm/2147483647/0/3',
+        'm/2147483647/1/0',
+        'm/2147483647/1/1',
+      ];
+      WalletService.onNotification(function(n) {
+        if (n.type == 'ScanFinished') {
+          server.storage.fetchAddresses(wallet.id, function(err, addresses) {
+            should.exist(addresses);
+            addresses.length.should.equal(expectedPaths.length);
+            var paths = _.pluck(addresses, 'path');
+            _.difference(paths, expectedPaths).length.should.equal(0);
+            server.createAddress({}, function(err, address) {
+              should.not.exist(err);
+              address.path.should.equal('m/2147483647/0/4');
+              done();
+            });
+          })
+        }
+      });
+      server.startScan({}, function(err) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });