diff --git a/lightningd/bitcoind.c b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
index f09859e01..579a7d092 100644
--- a/lightningd/bitcoind.c
+++ b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
@@ -814,12 +814,57 @@ static void fatal_bitcoind_failure(struct bitcoind *bitcoind, const char *error_
 	exit(1);
 }
 
+/* This function is used to check "chain" field from
+ * bitcoin-cli "getblockchaininfo" API */
+static char* check_blockchain_from_bitcoincli(const tal_t *ctx,
+				struct bitcoind *bitcoind,
+				char* output, const char **cmd)
+{
+	size_t output_bytes;
+	const jsmntok_t *tokens, *valuetok;
+	bool valid;
+
+	if (!output)
+		return tal_fmt(ctx, "Reading from %s failed: %s",
+			       bcli_args_direct(tmpctx, cmd), strerror(errno));
+
+	output_bytes = tal_count(output);
+
+	tokens = json_parse_input(cmd, output, output_bytes,
+			          &valid);
+
+	if (!tokens)
+		return tal_fmt(ctx, "%s: %s response",
+			       bcli_args_direct(tmpctx, cmd),
+			       valid ? "partial" : "invalid");
+
+	if (tokens[0].type != JSMN_OBJECT)
+		return tal_fmt(ctx, "%s: gave non-object (%.*s)?",
+			       bcli_args_direct(tmpctx, cmd),
+			       (int)output_bytes, output);
+
+	valuetok = json_get_member(output, tokens, "chain");
+	if (!valuetok)
+		return tal_fmt(ctx, "%s: had no chain member (%.*s)?",
+			       bcli_args_direct(tmpctx, cmd),
+			       (int)output_bytes, output);
+
+	if(!json_tok_streq(output, valuetok,
+			   bitcoind->chainparams->bip70_name))
+		return tal_fmt(ctx, "Error blockchain for bitcoin-cli?"
+			       " Should be: %s",
+			       bitcoind->chainparams->bip70_name);
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 void wait_for_bitcoind(struct bitcoind *bitcoind)
 {
 	int from, status, ret;
 	pid_t child;
-	const char **cmd = cmdarr(bitcoind, bitcoind, "echo", NULL);
+	const char **cmd = cmdarr(bitcoind, bitcoind, "getblockchaininfo", NULL);
 	bool printed = false;
+	char *errstr;
 
 	for (;;) {
 		child = pipecmdarr(NULL, &from, &from, cast_const2(char **,cmd));
@@ -831,9 +876,10 @@ void wait_for_bitcoind(struct bitcoind *bitcoind)
 		}
 
 		char *output = grab_fd(cmd, from);
-		if (!output)
-			fatal("Reading from %s failed: %s",
-			      cmd[0], strerror(errno));
+
+		errstr = check_blockchain_from_bitcoincli(tmpctx, bitcoind, output, cmd);
+		if(errstr)
+			fatal("%s", errstr);
 
 		while ((ret = waitpid(child, &status, 0)) < 0 && errno == EINTR);
 		if (ret != child)