diff --git a/api/api_full.go b/api/api_full.go
index c64de9f1b..9282167d3 100644
--- a/api/api_full.go
+++ b/api/api_full.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ type FullNode interface {
 	// miner
 
 	MinerGetBaseInfo(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (*MiningBaseInfo, error)
-	MinerCreateBlock(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey, *types.Ticket, *types.ElectionProof, []types.BeaconEntry, []*types.SignedMessage, abi.ChainEpoch, uint64) (*types.BlockMsg, error)
+	MinerCreateBlock(context.Context, *BlockTemplate) (*types.BlockMsg, error)
 
 	// // UX ?
 
@@ -387,3 +387,14 @@ type MiningBaseInfo struct {
 	Worker       address.Address
 	SectorSize   abi.SectorSize
 }
+
+type BlockTemplate struct {
+	Miner        address.Address
+	Parents      types.TipSetKey
+	Ticket       *types.Ticket
+	Eproof       *types.ElectionProof
+	BeaconValues []types.BeaconEntry
+	Messages     []*types.SignedMessage
+	Epoch        abi.ChainEpoch
+	Timestamp    uint64
+}
diff --git a/api/apistruct/struct.go b/api/apistruct/struct.go
index 0d4198e2f..3bbe9d40d 100644
--- a/api/apistruct/struct.go
+++ b/api/apistruct/struct.go
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ type FullNodeStruct struct {
 		MpoolGetNonce    func(context.Context, address.Address) (uint64, error)                 `perm:"read"`
 		MpoolSub         func(context.Context) (<-chan api.MpoolUpdate, error)                  `perm:"read"`
 
-		MinerGetBaseInfo func(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (*api.MiningBaseInfo, error)                                                                                                       `perm:"read"`
-		MinerCreateBlock func(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey, *types.Ticket, *types.ElectionProof, []types.BeaconEntry, []*types.SignedMessage, abi.ChainEpoch, uint64) (*types.BlockMsg, error) `perm:"write"`
+		MinerGetBaseInfo func(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (*api.MiningBaseInfo, error) `perm:"read"`
+		MinerCreateBlock func(context.Context, *api.BlockTemplate) (*types.BlockMsg, error)                   `perm:"write"`
 
 		WalletNew            func(context.Context, crypto.SigType) (address.Address, error)                       `perm:"write"`
 		WalletHas            func(context.Context, address.Address) (bool, error)                                 `perm:"write"`
@@ -330,8 +330,8 @@ func (c *FullNodeStruct) MinerGetBaseInfo(ctx context.Context, maddr address.Add
 	return c.Internal.MinerGetBaseInfo(ctx, maddr, tsk)
 }
 
-func (c *FullNodeStruct) MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, base types.TipSetKey, ticket *types.Ticket, eproof *types.ElectionProof, bvals []types.BeaconEntry, msgs []*types.SignedMessage, height abi.ChainEpoch, ts uint64) (*types.BlockMsg, error) {
-	return c.Internal.MinerCreateBlock(ctx, addr, base, ticket, eproof, bvals, msgs, height, ts)
+func (c *FullNodeStruct) MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, bt *api.BlockTemplate) (*types.BlockMsg, error) {
+	return c.Internal.MinerCreateBlock(ctx, bt)
 }
 
 func (c *FullNodeStruct) ChainHead(ctx context.Context) (*types.TipSet, error) {
diff --git a/chain/gen/gen.go b/chain/gen/gen.go
index 9436c1e3c..2622c915b 100644
--- a/chain/gen/gen.go
+++ b/chain/gen/gen.go
@@ -288,9 +288,6 @@ func (cg *ChainGen) nextBlockProof(ctx context.Context, pts *types.TipSet, m add
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, nil, xerrors.Errorf("get beacon entries for block: %w", err)
 	}
-	if len(entries) == 0 {
-		panic("no drand")
-	}
 
 	rbase := *prev
 	if len(entries) > 0 {
@@ -359,9 +356,6 @@ func (cg *ChainGen) NextTipSetFromMiners(base *types.TipSet, miners []address.Ad
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, xerrors.Errorf("next block proof: %w", err)
 			}
-			if len(bvals) == 0 {
-				panic("no drand")
-			}
 
 			if et != nil {
 				// TODO: winning post proof
@@ -399,7 +393,16 @@ func (cg *ChainGen) makeBlock(parents *types.TipSet, m address.Address, vrfticke
 		ts = parents.MinTimestamp() + uint64((height-parents.Height())*build.BlockDelay)
 	}
 
-	fblk, err := MinerCreateBlock(context.TODO(), cg.sm, cg.w, m, parents, vrfticket, eticket, bvals, msgs, height, ts)
+	fblk, err := MinerCreateBlock(context.TODO(), cg.sm, cg.w, &api.BlockTemplate{
+		Miner:        m,
+		Parents:      parents.Key(),
+		Ticket:       vrfticket,
+		Eproof:       eticket,
+		BeaconValues: bvals,
+		Messages:     msgs,
+		Epoch:        height,
+		Timestamp:    ts,
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/chain/gen/mining.go b/chain/gen/mining.go
index 33b21ee76..36a3953d1 100644
--- a/chain/gen/mining.go
+++ b/chain/gen/mining.go
@@ -5,14 +5,13 @@ import (
 
 	bls "github.com/filecoin-project/filecoin-ffi"
 	amt "github.com/filecoin-project/go-amt-ipld/v2"
-	"github.com/filecoin-project/specs-actors/actors/abi"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/specs-actors/actors/crypto"
 	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	cbor "github.com/ipfs/go-ipld-cbor"
 	cbg "github.com/whyrusleeping/cbor-gen"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 
-	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-address"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/api"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/state"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/stmgr"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
@@ -20,30 +19,32 @@ import (
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/wallet"
 )
 
-func MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, sm *stmgr.StateManager, w *wallet.Wallet, miner address.Address,
-	parents *types.TipSet, vrfticket *types.Ticket, eproof *types.ElectionProof,
-	bvals []types.BeaconEntry, msgs []*types.SignedMessage, height abi.ChainEpoch,
-	timestamp uint64) (*types.FullBlock, error) {
+func MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, sm *stmgr.StateManager, w *wallet.Wallet, bt *api.BlockTemplate) (*types.FullBlock, error) {
 
-	st, recpts, err := sm.TipSetState(ctx, parents)
+	pts, err := sm.ChainStore().LoadTipSet(bt.Parents)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("failed to load parent tipset: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	st, recpts, err := sm.TipSetState(ctx, pts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("failed to load tipset state: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	worker, err := stmgr.GetMinerWorkerRaw(ctx, sm, st, miner)
+	worker, err := stmgr.GetMinerWorkerRaw(ctx, sm, st, bt.Miner)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("failed to get miner worker: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	next := &types.BlockHeader{
-		Miner:         miner,
-		Parents:       parents.Cids(),
-		Ticket:        vrfticket,
-		ElectionProof: eproof,
+		Miner:         bt.Miner,
+		Parents:       bt.Parents.Cids(),
+		Ticket:        bt.Ticket,
+		ElectionProof: bt.Eproof,
 
-		BeaconEntries: bvals,
-		Height:        height,
-		Timestamp:     timestamp,
+		BeaconEntries: bt.BeaconValues,
+		Height:        bt.Epoch,
+		Timestamp:     bt.Timestamp,
 		//EPostProof:            *proof,
 		ParentStateRoot:       st,
 		ParentMessageReceipts: recpts,
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ func MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, sm *stmgr.StateManager, w *wallet.Wal
 
 	var blsMsgCids, secpkMsgCids []cid.Cid
 	var blsSigs []crypto.Signature
-	for _, msg := range msgs {
+	for _, msg := range bt.Messages {
 		if msg.Signature.Type == crypto.SigTypeBLS {
 			blsSigs = append(blsSigs, msg.Signature)
 			blsMessages = append(blsMessages, &msg.Message)
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ func MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, sm *stmgr.StateManager, w *wallet.Wal
 	}
 
 	next.BLSAggregate = aggSig
-	pweight, err := sm.ChainStore().Weight(ctx, parents)
+	pweight, err := sm.ChainStore().Weight(ctx, pts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/chain/sync.go b/chain/sync.go
index cff29a050..f177566cc 100644
--- a/chain/sync.go
+++ b/chain/sync.go
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ func (syncer *Syncer) ValidateBlock(ctx context.Context, b *types.FullBlock) err
 			return xerrors.Errorf("miner created a block but was not a winner")
 		}
 
-		// TODO: validate winning post proof
+		log.Warn("TODO: validate winning post proof") // TODO: validate winning post proof
 
 		return nil
 	})
@@ -634,7 +634,6 @@ func (syncer *Syncer) ValidateBlock(ctx context.Context, b *types.FullBlock) err
 		if err := beacon.ValidateBlockValues(syncer.beacon, h, *prevBeacon); err != nil {
 			return xerrors.Errorf("failed to validate blocks random beacon values: %w", err)
 		}
-		// TODO: check if first value links to value from previous block/previous block containing a value
 		return nil
 	})
 
diff --git a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go
index 7d7cda389..e2e6ecf82 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go
@@ -70,12 +70,7 @@ create table if not exists blocks
 	miner text not null,
 	timestamp bigint not null,
 	vrfproof bytea,
-	tickets bigint not null,
 	eprof bytea,
-	prand bytea,
-	ep0partial bytea,
-	ep0sector numeric not null,
-	ep0challangei numeric not null
 );
 
 create unique index if not exists block_cid_uindex
diff --git a/miner/miner.go b/miner/miner.go
index dc2b8d5dd..6bb24ab96 100644
--- a/miner/miner.go
+++ b/miner/miner.go
@@ -424,7 +424,16 @@ func (m *Miner) createBlock(base *MiningBase, addr address.Address, ticket *type
 	nheight := base.ts.Height() + base.nullRounds + 1
 
 	// why even return this? that api call could just submit it for us
-	return m.api.MinerCreateBlock(context.TODO(), addr, base.ts.Key(), ticket, eproof, bvals, msgs, nheight, uts)
+	return m.api.MinerCreateBlock(context.TODO(), &api.BlockTemplate{
+		Miner:        addr,
+		Parents:      base.ts.Key(),
+		Ticket:       ticket,
+		Eproof:       eproof,
+		BeaconValues: bvals,
+		Messages:     msgs,
+		Epoch:        nheight,
+		Timestamp:    uts,
+	})
 }
 
 type ActorLookup func(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error)
diff --git a/node/impl/full/state.go b/node/impl/full/state.go
index 4a5427d2c..41f6fb104 100644
--- a/node/impl/full/state.go
+++ b/node/impl/full/state.go
@@ -269,12 +269,8 @@ func (a *StateAPI) MinerGetBaseInfo(ctx context.Context, maddr address.Address,
 	return stmgr.MinerGetBaseInfo(ctx, a.StateManager, tsk, maddr)
 }
 
-func (a *StateAPI) MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, parentsTSK types.TipSetKey, ticket *types.Ticket, proof *types.ElectionProof, bvals []types.BeaconEntry, msgs []*types.SignedMessage, height abi.ChainEpoch, ts uint64) (*types.BlockMsg, error) {
-	parents, err := a.Chain.GetTipSetFromKey(parentsTSK)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("loading tipset %s: %w", parentsTSK, err)
-	}
-	fblk, err := gen.MinerCreateBlock(ctx, a.StateManager, a.Wallet, addr, parents, ticket, proof, bvals, msgs, height, ts)
+func (a *StateAPI) MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, bt *api.BlockTemplate) (*types.BlockMsg, error) {
+	fblk, err := gen.MinerCreateBlock(ctx, a.StateManager, a.Wallet, bt)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}