diff --git a/chain/types/bigint.go b/chain/types/bigint.go
index 5aeb22e33..a1c4e8982 100644
--- a/chain/types/bigint.go
+++ b/chain/types/bigint.go
@@ -77,18 +77,18 @@ func BigCmp(a, b BigInt) int {
 	return a.Int.Cmp(b.Int)
 }
 
-func (bi *BigInt) Nil() bool {
+func (bi BigInt) Nil() bool {
 	return bi.Int == nil
 }
 
 // LessThan returns true if bi < o
-func (bi *BigInt) LessThan(o BigInt) bool {
-	return BigCmp(*bi, o) < 0
+func (bi BigInt) LessThan(o BigInt) bool {
+	return BigCmp(bi, o) < 0
 }
 
 // LessThan returns true if bi > o
-func (bi *BigInt) GreaterThan(o BigInt) bool {
-	return BigCmp(*bi, o) > 0
+func (bi BigInt) GreaterThan(o BigInt) bool {
+	return BigCmp(bi, o) > 0
 }
 
 func (bi *BigInt) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
diff --git a/chain/types/message.go b/chain/types/message.go
index 579329eca..a66671e68 100644
--- a/chain/types/message.go
+++ b/chain/types/message.go
@@ -66,3 +66,10 @@ func (m *Message) Cid() cid.Cid {
 
 	return b.Cid()
 }
+
+func (m *Message) RequiredFunds() BigInt {
+	return BigAdd(
+		m.Value,
+		BigMul(m.GasPrice, m.GasLimit),
+	)
+}
diff --git a/miner/miner.go b/miner/miner.go
index bd659d496..df47f3f14 100644
--- a/miner/miner.go
+++ b/miner/miner.go
@@ -299,7 +299,10 @@ func (m *Miner) createBlock(base *MiningBase, ticket *types.Ticket, proof types.
 		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get pending messages")
 	}
 
-	msgs := m.selectMessages(pending)
+	msgs, err := selectMessages(context.TODO(), m.api.StateGetActor, base, pending)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("message filtering failed: %w", err)
+	}
 
 	uts := time.Now().Unix() // TODO: put smallest valid timestamp
 
@@ -307,7 +310,43 @@ func (m *Miner) createBlock(base *MiningBase, ticket *types.Ticket, proof types.
 	return m.api.MinerCreateBlock(context.TODO(), m.addresses[0], base.ts, append(base.tickets, ticket), proof, msgs, uint64(uts))
 }
 
-func (m *Miner) selectMessages(msgs []*types.SignedMessage) []*types.SignedMessage {
-	// TODO: filter and select 'best' message if too many to fit in one block
-	return msgs
+type actorLookup func(context.Context, address.Address, *types.TipSet) (*types.Actor, error)
+
+func selectMessages(ctx context.Context, al actorLookup, base *MiningBase, msgs []*types.SignedMessage) ([]*types.SignedMessage, error) {
+	out := make([]*types.SignedMessage, 0, len(msgs))
+	inclNonces := make(map[address.Address]uint64)
+	inclBalances := make(map[address.Address]types.BigInt)
+	for _, msg := range msgs {
+		from := msg.Message.From
+		act, err := al(ctx, from, base.ts)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("failed to check message sender balance: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		if _, ok := inclNonces[from]; !ok {
+			inclNonces[from] = act.Nonce
+			inclBalances[from] = act.Balance
+		}
+
+		if inclBalances[from].LessThan(msg.Message.RequiredFunds()) {
+			log.Warnf("message in mempool does not have enough funds: %s", msg.Cid())
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if msg.Message.Nonce > inclNonces[from] {
+			log.Warnf("message in mempool has too high of a nonce (%d > %d) %s", msg.Message.Nonce, inclNonces[from], msg.Cid())
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if msg.Message.Nonce < inclNonces[from] {
+			log.Warnf("message in mempool has already used nonce (%d < %d) %s", msg.Message.Nonce, inclNonces[from], msg.Cid())
+			continue
+		}
+
+		inclNonces[from] = msg.Message.Nonce + 1
+		inclBalances[from] = types.BigSub(inclBalances[from], msg.Message.RequiredFunds())
+
+		out = append(out, msg)
+	}
+	return out, nil
 }
diff --git a/miner/miner_test.go b/miner/miner_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dc79bf129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/miner/miner_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+package miner
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/chain/address"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/chain/types"
+)
+
+func mustIDAddr(i uint64) address.Address {
+	a, err := address.NewIDAddress(i)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+
+	return a
+}
+
+func TestMessageFiltering(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.TODO()
+	a1 := mustIDAddr(1)
+	a2 := mustIDAddr(2)
+
+	actors := map[address.Address]*types.Actor{
+		a1: &types.Actor{
+			Nonce:   3,
+			Balance: types.NewInt(1200),
+		},
+		a2: &types.Actor{
+			Nonce:   1,
+			Balance: types.NewInt(1000),
+		},
+	}
+
+	af := func(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, ts *types.TipSet) (*types.Actor, error) {
+		return actors[addr], nil
+	}
+
+	msgs := []types.Message{
+		types.Message{
+			From:     a1,
+			Nonce:    3,
+			Value:    types.NewInt(500),
+			GasLimit: types.NewInt(50),
+			GasPrice: types.NewInt(1),
+		},
+		types.Message{
+			From:     a1,
+			Nonce:    4,
+			Value:    types.NewInt(500),
+			GasLimit: types.NewInt(50),
+			GasPrice: types.NewInt(1),
+		},
+		types.Message{
+			From:     a2,
+			Nonce:    1,
+			Value:    types.NewInt(800),
+			GasLimit: types.NewInt(100),
+			GasPrice: types.NewInt(1),
+		},
+		types.Message{
+			From:     a2,
+			Nonce:    0,
+			Value:    types.NewInt(800),
+			GasLimit: types.NewInt(100),
+			GasPrice: types.NewInt(1),
+		},
+		types.Message{
+			From:     a2,
+			Nonce:    2,
+			Value:    types.NewInt(150),
+			GasLimit: types.NewInt(100),
+			GasPrice: types.NewInt(1),
+		},
+	}
+
+	outmsgs, err := selectMessages(ctx, af, &MiningBase{}, wrapMsgs(msgs))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if len(outmsgs) != 3 {
+		t.Fatal("filtering didnt work as expected")
+	}
+
+	m1 := outmsgs[2].Message
+	if m1.From != msgs[2].From || m1.Nonce != msgs[2].Nonce {
+		t.Fatal("filtering bad")
+	}
+}
+
+func wrapMsgs(msgs []types.Message) []*types.SignedMessage {
+	var out []*types.SignedMessage
+	for _, m := range msgs {
+		out = append(out, &types.SignedMessage{Message: m})
+	}
+	return out
+}