diff --git a/beacon_node/rpc/src/beacon_chain.rs b/beacon_node/rpc/src/beacon_chain.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9b2681876
--- /dev/null
+++ b/beacon_node/rpc/src/beacon_chain.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+use beacon_chain::BeaconChain as RawBeaconChain;
+use beacon_chain::{
+    db::ClientDB,
+    fork_choice::ForkChoice,
+    parking_lot::RwLockReadGuard,
+    slot_clock::SlotClock,
+    types::{BeaconState, ChainSpec},
+    CheckPoint,
+};
+
+/// The RPC's API to the beacon chain.
+pub trait BeaconChain: Send + Sync {
+    fn get_spec(&self) -> &ChainSpec;
+
+    fn get_state(&self) -> RwLockReadGuard<BeaconState>;
+}
+
+impl<T, U, F> BeaconChain for RawBeaconChain<T, U, F>
+where
+    T: ClientDB + Sized,
+    U: SlotClock,
+    F: ForkChoice,
+{
+    fn get_spec(&self) -> &ChainSpec {
+        &self.spec
+    }
+
+    fn get_state(&self) -> RwLockReadGuard<BeaconState> {
+        self.state.read()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/beacon_node/rpc/src/beacon_node.rs b/beacon_node/rpc/src/beacon_node.rs
index 8dd7721fd..5a542cb90 100644
--- a/beacon_node/rpc/src/beacon_node.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/rpc/src/beacon_node.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use beacon_chain::{db::ClientDB, fork_choice::ForkChoice, slot_clock::SlotClock, BeaconChain};
+use crate::beacon_chain::BeaconChain;
 use futures::Future;
 use grpcio::{RpcContext, UnarySink};
 use protos::services::{Empty, Fork, NodeInfo};
@@ -7,22 +7,12 @@ use slog::{debug, trace, warn};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct BeaconNodeServiceInstance<T, U, F>
-where
-    T: ClientDB + Clone,
-    U: SlotClock + Clone,
-    F: ForkChoice + Clone,
-{
-    pub chain: Arc<BeaconChain<T, U, F>>,
+pub struct BeaconNodeServiceInstance {
+    pub chain: Arc<BeaconChain>,
     pub log: slog::Logger,
 }
 
-impl<T, U, F> BeaconNodeService for BeaconNodeServiceInstance<T, U, F>
-where
-    T: ClientDB + Clone,
-    U: SlotClock + Clone,
-    F: ForkChoice + Clone,
-{
+impl BeaconNodeService for BeaconNodeServiceInstance {
     /// Provides basic node information.
     fn info(&mut self, ctx: RpcContext, _req: Empty, sink: UnarySink<NodeInfo>) {
         trace!(self.log, "Node info requested via RPC");
@@ -30,7 +20,7 @@ where
         let mut node_info = NodeInfo::new();
         node_info.set_version(version::version());
         // get the chain state fork
-        let state_fork = self.chain.state.read().fork.clone();
+        let state_fork = self.chain.get_state().fork.clone();
         // build the rpc fork struct
         let mut fork = Fork::new();
         fork.set_previous_version(state_fork.previous_version.to_vec());
@@ -38,7 +28,7 @@ where
         fork.set_epoch(state_fork.epoch.into());
         node_info.set_fork(fork);
 
-        node_info.set_chain_id(self.chain.spec.chain_id as u32);
+        node_info.set_chain_id(self.chain.get_spec().chain_id as u32);
 
         // send the node_info the requester
         let error_log = self.log.clone();
diff --git a/beacon_node/rpc/src/lib.rs b/beacon_node/rpc/src/lib.rs
index 2f2abcc1f..4565abf7a 100644
--- a/beacon_node/rpc/src/lib.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/rpc/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 mod beacon_block;
+pub mod beacon_chain;
 mod beacon_node;
 pub mod config;
 mod validator;
 
 use self::beacon_block::BeaconBlockServiceInstance;
+use self::beacon_chain::BeaconChain;
 use self::beacon_node::BeaconNodeServiceInstance;
 use self::validator::ValidatorServiceInstance;
-use beacon_chain::{db::ClientDB, fork_choice::ForkChoice, slot_clock::SlotClock, BeaconChain};
 pub use config::Config as RPCConfig;
 use grpcio::{Environment, Server, ServerBuilder};
 use protos::services_grpc::{
@@ -16,16 +17,11 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use slog::{info, o};
 
-pub fn start_server<T, U, F>(
+pub fn start_server(
     config: &RPCConfig,
-    beacon_chain: Arc<BeaconChain<T, U, F>>,
+    beacon_chain: Arc<BeaconChain>,
     log: &slog::Logger,
-) -> Server
-where
-    T: ClientDB + Clone + 'static,
-    U: SlotClock + Clone + 'static,
-    F: ForkChoice + Clone + 'static,
-{
+) -> Server {
     let log = log.new(o!("Service"=>"RPC"));
     let env = Arc::new(Environment::new(1));