diff --git a/cmd/state_validator.go b/cmd/state_validator.go
index 5c734c7..ded52df 100644
--- a/cmd/state_validator.go
+++ b/cmd/state_validator.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func stateValidator() {
 		logWithCommand.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	service := validator.NewService(cfg.DB, height, trail, sleepInterval, chainCfg)
+	service := validator.NewService(cfg.DB, height, trail, sleepInterval, chainCfg, nil)
 
 	wg := new(sync.WaitGroup)
 	wg.Add(1)
diff --git a/pkg/validator/validator.go b/pkg/validator/validator.go
index 6c9d159..b31d88f 100644
--- a/pkg/validator/validator.go
+++ b/pkg/validator/validator.go
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@ type service struct {
 	logger          *log.Logger
 	chainCfg        *params.ChainConfig
 	quitChan        chan bool
+	progressChan    chan uint64
 }
 
-func NewService(db *sqlx.DB, blockNum, trailNum uint64, sleepInterval uint, chainCfg *params.ChainConfig) *service {
+func NewService(db *sqlx.DB, blockNum, trailNum uint64, sleepInterval uint, chainCfg *params.ChainConfig, progressChan chan uint64) *service {
 	return &service{
 		db:            db,
 		blockNum:      blockNum,
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ func NewService(db *sqlx.DB, blockNum, trailNum uint64, sleepInterval uint, chai
 		logger:        log.New(),
 		chainCfg:      chainCfg,
 		quitChan:      make(chan bool),
+		progressChan:  progressChan,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -96,7 +98,6 @@ func (s *service) Start(ctx context.Context, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 		select {
 		case <-s.quitChan:
 			s.logger.Infof("last validated block %v", idxBlockNum-1)
-			s.logger.Info("stopping ipld-eth-db-validator process")
 			return
 		default:
 			idxBlockNum, err = s.Validate(ctx, api, idxBlockNum)
@@ -111,6 +112,10 @@ func (s *service) Start(ctx context.Context, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 
 // Stop is used to gracefully stop the service
 func (s *service) Stop() {
+	s.logger.Info("stopping ipld-eth-db-validator process")
+	if s.progressChan != nil {
+		close(s.progressChan)
+	}
 	close(s.quitChan)
 }
 
@@ -129,6 +134,10 @@ func (s *service) Validate(ctx context.Context, api *ipldEth.PublicEthAPI, idxBl
 		}
 
 		s.logger.Infof("state root verified for block %d", idxBlockNum)
+		if s.progressChan != nil {
+			s.progressChan <- idxBlockNum
+		}
+
 		idxBlockNum++
 	} else {
 		// Sleep / wait for head to move ahead
diff --git a/test/integration_test.go b/test/integration_test.go
index ed76a77..ec0c1ba 100644
--- a/test/integration_test.go
+++ b/test/integration_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package integration_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
@@ -25,6 +26,24 @@ var _ = Describe("Integration test", func() {
 	var contractErr error
 	sleepInterval := 5 * time.Second
 
+	db := shared.SetupDB()
+	validationProgressChan := make(chan uint64)
+	service := validator.NewService(db, 1, trail, validatorSleepInterval, validator.IntegrationTestChainConfig, validationProgressChan)
+
+	wg := new(sync.WaitGroup)
+
+	It("test init", func() {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go service.Start(ctx, wg)
+	})
+
+	defer It("test teardown", func() {
+		service.Stop()
+		wg.Wait()
+
+		Expect(validationProgressChan).To(BeClosed())
+	})
+
 	Describe("Validate state", func() {
 		BeforeEach(func() {
 			// Deploy a dummy contract as the first contract might get deployed at block number 0
@@ -35,20 +54,11 @@ var _ = Describe("Integration test", func() {
 			time.Sleep(sleepInterval)
 		})
 
-		It("Validate state root", func() {
+		It("performs state root validation", func() {
 			Expect(contractErr).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
-			db := shared.SetupDB()
-			srvc := validator.NewService(db, uint64(contract.BlockNumber), trail, validatorSleepInterval, validator.IntegrationTestChainConfig)
-			stopCh := make(chan int, 1)
-			go func() {
-				srvc.Start(ctx, nil)
-				stopCh <- 1
-			}()
-			go func() {
-				<-stopCh
-				srvc.Stop()
-			}()
+			Expect(validationProgressChan).ToNot(BeClosed())
+			Eventually(validationProgressChan).Should(Receive(Equal(uint64(contract.BlockNumber))))
 		})
 	})
 })