diff --git a/types/validator_set.go b/types/validator_set.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ab12e1c8b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/types/validator_set.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package types
+
+import (
+	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
+
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire"
+)
+
+var cdc = wire.NewCodec()
+
+func init() {
+	crypto.RegisterAmino(cdc)
+}
+
+type Validator = abci.Validator
+
+type ValidatorSetKeeper interface {
+	Hash(Context) []byte
+	GetValidators(Context) []*Validator
+	Size(Context) int
+	IsValidator(Context, Address) bool
+	GetByAddress(Context, Address) (int, *Validator)
+	GetByIndex(Context, int) *Validator
+	TotalPower(Context) Rat
+}
diff --git a/x/stake/keeper.go b/x/stake/keeper.go
index 605f675db0..df0de8ec86 100644
--- a/x/stake/keeper.go
+++ b/x/stake/keeper.go
@@ -493,3 +493,49 @@ func (k Keeper) setPool(ctx sdk.Context, p Pool) {
 	store.Set(PoolKey, b)
 	k.pool = Pool{} //clear the cache
 }
+
+//__________________________________________________________________________
+
+// Implements sdk.ValidatorSetKeeper
+
+func (k Keeper) Hash() []byte {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (k Keeper) Size(ctx sdk.Context) int {
+	return len(k.GetValidators(ctx))
+}
+
+func (k Keeper) IsValidator(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.Address) bool {
+	for _, v := range k.GetValidators(ctx) {
+		if bytes.Equal(v.Address, addr) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func (k Keeper) GetByAddress(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.Address) (int, *sdk.Validator) {
+	for i, v := range k.GetValidators(ctx) {
+		if bytes.Equal(v.Address, addr) {
+			val := v.abciValidator(k.cdc)
+			return i, &val
+		}
+	}
+	return -1, nil
+}
+
+func (k Keeper) GetByIndex(ctx sdk.Context, index int) *sdk.Validator {
+	valset := k.GetValidators(ctx)
+
+	if index < 0 || index >= len(valset) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	val := valset[index].abciValidator(k.cdc)
+	return &val
+}
+
+func (k Keeper) TotalPower() sdk.Rat {
+	return sdk.ZeroRat
+}
diff --git a/x/stake/types.go b/x/stake/types.go
index 741783fa1d..ffe2ca4fb4 100644
--- a/x/stake/types.go
+++ b/x/stake/types.go
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ package stake
 
 import (
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire"
-	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
+
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire"
 )
 
 // GenesisState - all staking state that must be provided at genesis
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ type Validator struct {
 }
 
 // abci validator from stake validator type
-func (v Validator) abciValidator(cdc *wire.Codec) abci.Validator {
-	return abci.Validator{
+func (v Validator) abciValidator(cdc *wire.Codec) sdk.Validator {
+	return sdk.Validator{
 		PubKey: v.PubKey.Bytes(),
 		Power:  v.Power.Evaluate(),
 	}
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ func (v Validator) abciValidator(cdc *wire.Codec) abci.Validator {
 
 // abci validator from stake validator type
 // with zero power used for validator updates
-func (v Validator) abciValidatorZero(cdc *wire.Codec) abci.Validator {
-	return abci.Validator{
+func (v Validator) abciValidatorZero(cdc *wire.Codec) sdk.Validator {
+	return sdk.Validator{
 		PubKey: v.PubKey.Bytes(),
 		Power:  0,
 	}