diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/cmd.go b/cmd/basecoin/cmd.go
index e8873de6ca..6cb56d30e8 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/cmd.go
@@ -197,4 +197,18 @@ var (
 			nodeFlag,
 		},
 	}
+
+	verifyCmd = cli.Command{
+		Name:  "verify",
+		Usage: "Verify the IAVL proof",
+		Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
+			return cmdVerify(c)
+		},
+		Flags: []cli.Flag{
+			proofFlag,
+			keyFlag,
+			valueFlag,
+			rootFlag,
+		},
+	}
 )
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/flags.go b/cmd/basecoin/flags.go
index 5b36d854e6..dd454c53eb 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/flags.go
@@ -194,3 +194,30 @@ var (
 		Value: 0,
 	}
 )
+
+// proof flags
+var (
+	proofFlag = cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "proof",
+		Usage: "hex-encoded IAVL proof",
+		Value: "",
+	}
+
+	keyFlag = cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "key",
+		Usage: "key to the IAVL tree",
+		Value: "",
+	}
+
+	valueFlag = cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "value",
+		Usage: "value in the IAVL tree",
+		Value: "",
+	}
+
+	rootFlag = cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "root",
+		Usage: "root hash of the IAVL tree",
+		Value: "",
+	}
+)
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/main.go b/cmd/basecoin/main.go
index 7bc44b99ac..31dcb83525 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/main.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/main.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ func main() {
 		appTxCmd,
 		ibcCmd,
 		queryCmd,
+		verifyCmd,
 		blockCmd,
 		accountCmd,
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/query.go b/cmd/basecoin/query.go
index c42507e44d..2aba1b8f58 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/query.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/query.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-merkle"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire"
 	tmtypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
@@ -115,3 +116,46 @@ type BlockJSON struct {
 	Header *tmtypes.Header `json:"header"`
 	Commit *tmtypes.Commit `json:"commit"`
 }
+
+func cmdVerify(c *cli.Context) error {
+	keyString, valueString := c.String("key"), c.String("value")
+
+	var err error
+	key := []byte(keyString)
+	if isHex(keyString) {
+		key, err = hex.DecodeString(stripHex(keyString))
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Key (%v) is invalid hex: %v", keyString, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	value := []byte(valueString)
+	if isHex(valueString) {
+		value, err = hex.DecodeString(stripHex(valueString))
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Value (%v) is invalid hex: %v", valueString, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	root, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("root")))
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Root (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("root"), err))
+	}
+
+	proofBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(stripHex(c.String("proof")))
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Proof (%v) is invalid hex: %v", c.String("proof"), err))
+	}
+
+	proof, err := merkle.ReadProof(proofBytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Error unmarshalling proof: %v", err))
+	}
+
+	if proof.Verify(key, value, root) {
+		fmt.Println("OK")
+	} else {
+		return errors.New("Proof does not verify")
+	}
+	return nil
+}