diff --git a/api/api_full.go b/api/api_full.go
index 3c28b5982..dcda26c3b 100644
--- a/api/api_full.go
+++ b/api/api_full.go
@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@ type FullNode interface {
 	StateMinerSectorSize(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (abi.SectorSize, error)
 	StateMinerFaults(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) ([]abi.SectorNumber, error)
 	StatePledgeCollateral(context.Context, types.TipSetKey) (types.BigInt, error)
-	StateWaitMsg(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*MsgWait, error)
+	StateWaitMsg(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*MsgLookup, error)
+	StateSearchMsg(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*MsgLookup, error)
 	StateListMiners(context.Context, types.TipSetKey) ([]address.Address, error)
 	StateListActors(context.Context, types.TipSetKey) ([]address.Address, error)
 	StateMarketBalance(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (MarketBalance, error)
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ type DealInfo struct {
 	Duration      uint64
 }
 
-type MsgWait struct {
+type MsgLookup struct {
 	Receipt types.MessageReceipt
 	TipSet  *types.TipSet
 }
diff --git a/api/apistruct/struct.go b/api/apistruct/struct.go
index 9eb73c637..840e94489 100644
--- a/api/apistruct/struct.go
+++ b/api/apistruct/struct.go
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ type FullNodeStruct struct {
 		StateGetActor           func(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error)                                `perm:"read"`
 		StateReadState          func(context.Context, *types.Actor, types.TipSetKey) (*api.ActorState, error)                                `perm:"read"`
 		StatePledgeCollateral   func(context.Context, types.TipSetKey) (types.BigInt, error)                                                 `perm:"read"`
-		StateWaitMsg            func(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*api.MsgWait, error)                                                         `perm:"read"`
+		StateWaitMsg            func(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error)                                                       `perm:"read"`
+		StateSearchMsg          func(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error)                                                       `perm:"read"`
 		StateListMiners         func(context.Context, types.TipSetKey) ([]address.Address, error)                                            `perm:"read"`
 		StateListActors         func(context.Context, types.TipSetKey) ([]address.Address, error)                                            `perm:"read"`
 		StateMarketBalance      func(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (api.MarketBalance, error)                           `perm:"read"`
@@ -490,9 +491,14 @@ func (c *FullNodeStruct) StatePledgeCollateral(ctx context.Context, tsk types.Ti
 	return c.Internal.StatePledgeCollateral(ctx, tsk)
 }
 
-func (c *FullNodeStruct) StateWaitMsg(ctx context.Context, msgc cid.Cid) (*api.MsgWait, error) {
+func (c *FullNodeStruct) StateWaitMsg(ctx context.Context, msgc cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error) {
 	return c.Internal.StateWaitMsg(ctx, msgc)
 }
+
+func (c *FullNodeStruct) StateSearchMsg(ctx context.Context, msgc cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error) {
+	return c.Internal.StateSearchMsg(ctx, msgc)
+}
+
 func (c *FullNodeStruct) StateListMiners(ctx context.Context, tsk types.TipSetKey) ([]address.Address, error) {
 	return c.Internal.StateListMiners(ctx, tsk)
 }
diff --git a/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go b/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go
index 6894b8fd3..6dc1be8e0 100644
--- a/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go
+++ b/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go
@@ -583,6 +583,37 @@ func (sm *StateManager) WaitForMessage(ctx context.Context, mcid cid.Cid) (*type
 	}
 }
 
+func (sm *StateManager) SearchForMessage(ctx context.Context, mcid cid.Cid) (*types.TipSet, *types.MessageReceipt, error) {
+	msg, err := sm.cs.GetCMessage(mcid)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load message: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	head := sm.cs.GetHeaviestTipSet()
+
+	r, err := sm.tipsetExecutedMessage(head, mcid, msg.VMMessage())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	if r != nil {
+		return head, r, nil
+	}
+
+	fts, r, err := sm.searchBackForMsg(ctx, head, msg)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("failed to look back through chain for message %s", mcid)
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	if fts == nil {
+		return nil, nil, nil
+	}
+
+	return fts, r, nil
+}
+
 func (sm *StateManager) searchBackForMsg(ctx context.Context, from *types.TipSet, m store.ChainMsg) (*types.TipSet, *types.MessageReceipt, error) {
 
 	cur := from
diff --git a/cli/state.go b/cli/state.go
index 47a6b87d6..344d3687d 100644
--- a/cli/state.go
+++ b/cli/state.go
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ var stateCmd = &cli.Command{
 		stateCallCmd,
 		stateGetDealSetCmd,
 		stateWaitMsgCmd,
+		stateSearchMsgCmd,
 		stateMinerInfo,
 	},
 }
@@ -855,6 +856,45 @@ var stateWaitMsgCmd = &cli.Command{
 	},
 }
 
+var stateSearchMsgCmd = &cli.Command{
+	Name:      "search-msg",
+	Usage:     "Search to see whether a message has appeared on chain",
+	ArgsUsage: "[messageCid]",
+	Action: func(cctx *cli.Context) error {
+		if !cctx.Args().Present() {
+			return fmt.Errorf("must specify message cid to search for")
+		}
+
+		api, closer, err := GetFullNodeAPI(cctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		defer closer()
+
+		ctx := ReqContext(cctx)
+
+		msg, err := cid.Decode(cctx.Args().First())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		mw, err := api.StateSearchMsg(ctx, msg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if mw != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("message was executed in tipset: %s", mw.TipSet.Cids())
+			fmt.Printf("\nExit Code: %d", mw.Receipt.ExitCode)
+			fmt.Printf("\nGas Used: %d", mw.Receipt.GasUsed)
+			fmt.Printf("\nReturn: %x", mw.Receipt.Return)
+		} else {
+			fmt.Print("message was not found on chain")
+		}
+		return nil
+	},
+}
+
 var stateCallCmd = &cli.Command{
 	Name:      "call",
 	Usage:     "Invoke a method on an actor locally",
diff --git a/node/impl/full/state.go b/node/impl/full/state.go
index 49131a02c..3426d3e6a 100644
--- a/node/impl/full/state.go
+++ b/node/impl/full/state.go
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func (a *StateAPI) MinerCreateBlock(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, p
 	return &out, nil
 }
 
-func (a *StateAPI) StateWaitMsg(ctx context.Context, msg cid.Cid) (*api.MsgWait, error) {
+func (a *StateAPI) StateWaitMsg(ctx context.Context, msg cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error) {
 	// TODO: consider using event system for this, expose confidence
 
 	ts, recpt, err := a.StateManager.WaitForMessage(ctx, msg)
@@ -289,12 +289,28 @@ func (a *StateAPI) StateWaitMsg(ctx context.Context, msg cid.Cid) (*api.MsgWait,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return &api.MsgWait{
+	return &api.MsgLookup{
 		Receipt: *recpt,
 		TipSet:  ts,
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func (a *StateAPI) StateSearchMsg(ctx context.Context, msg cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error) {
+	ts, recpt, err := a.StateManager.SearchForMessage(ctx, msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if ts != nil {
+		return &api.MsgLookup{
+			Receipt: *recpt,
+			TipSet:  ts,
+		}, nil
+	} else {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+}
+
 func (a *StateAPI) StateGetReceipt(ctx context.Context, msg cid.Cid, tsk types.TipSetKey) (*types.MessageReceipt, error) {
 	ts, err := a.Chain.GetTipSetFromKey(tsk)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/storage/miner.go b/storage/miner.go
index 1b535d786..0111933d7 100644
--- a/storage/miner.go
+++ b/storage/miner.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ type storageMinerApi interface {
 	StateMinerSectors(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) ([]*api.ChainSectorInfo, error)
 	StateMinerProvingSet(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) ([]*api.ChainSectorInfo, error)
 	StateMinerSectorSize(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (abi.SectorSize, error)
-	StateWaitMsg(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*api.MsgWait, error) // TODO: removeme eventually
+	StateWaitMsg(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error) // TODO: removeme eventually
 	StateGetActor(ctx context.Context, actor address.Address, ts types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error)
 	StateGetReceipt(context.Context, cid.Cid, types.TipSetKey) (*types.MessageReceipt, error)
 	StateMarketStorageDeal(context.Context, abi.DealID, types.TipSetKey) (*api.MarketDeal, error)
diff --git a/storage/sealing/sealing.go b/storage/sealing/sealing.go
index b74d34db1..402ff8a11 100644
--- a/storage/sealing/sealing.go
+++ b/storage/sealing/sealing.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ type sealingApi interface { // TODO: trim down
 	StateMinerSectors(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) ([]*api.ChainSectorInfo, error)
 	StateMinerProvingSet(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) ([]*api.ChainSectorInfo, error)
 	StateMinerSectorSize(context.Context, address.Address, types.TipSetKey) (abi.SectorSize, error)
-	StateWaitMsg(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*api.MsgWait, error) // TODO: removeme eventually
+	StateWaitMsg(context.Context, cid.Cid) (*api.MsgLookup, error) // TODO: removeme eventually
 	StateGetActor(ctx context.Context, actor address.Address, ts types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error)
 	StateGetReceipt(context.Context, cid.Cid, types.TipSetKey) (*types.MessageReceipt, error)
 	StateMarketStorageDeal(context.Context, abi.DealID, types.TipSetKey) (*api.MarketDeal, error)