diff --git a/api/api_gateway.go b/api/api_gateway.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6a220e9ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/api_gateway.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-address"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
+	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
+)
+
+type GatewayAPI interface {
+	StateGetActor(ctx context.Context, actor address.Address, ts types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error)
+	ChainHead(ctx context.Context) (*types.TipSet, error)
+	ChainGetTipSet(ctx context.Context, tsk types.TipSetKey) (*types.TipSet, error)
+	MpoolPush(ctx context.Context, sm *types.SignedMessage) (cid.Cid, error)
+	StateAccountKey(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, tsk types.TipSetKey) (address.Address, error)
+}
diff --git a/api/apistruct/struct.go b/api/apistruct/struct.go
index 1a3ddda58..c71b6b560 100644
--- a/api/apistruct/struct.go
+++ b/api/apistruct/struct.go
@@ -361,6 +361,17 @@ type WorkerStruct struct {
 	}
 }
 
+type GatewayStruct struct {
+	Internal struct {
+		// TODO: does the gateway need perms?
+		StateGetActor   func(ctx context.Context, actor address.Address, ts types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error)
+		ChainHead       func(ctx context.Context) (*types.TipSet, error)
+		ChainGetTipSet  func(ctx context.Context, tsk types.TipSetKey) (*types.TipSet, error)
+		MpoolPush       func(ctx context.Context, sm *types.SignedMessage) (cid.Cid, error)
+		StateAccountKey func(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, tsk types.TipSetKey) (address.Address, error)
+	}
+}
+
 // CommonStruct
 
 func (c *CommonStruct) AuthVerify(ctx context.Context, token string) ([]auth.Permission, error) {
@@ -1372,7 +1383,28 @@ func (w *WorkerStruct) Closing(ctx context.Context) (<-chan struct{}, error) {
 	return w.Internal.Closing(ctx)
 }
 
+func (g GatewayStruct) StateGetActor(ctx context.Context, actor address.Address, ts types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error) {
+	return g.Internal.StateGetActor(ctx, actor, ts)
+}
+
+func (g GatewayStruct) ChainHead(ctx context.Context) (*types.TipSet, error) {
+	return g.Internal.ChainHead(ctx)
+}
+
+func (g GatewayStruct) ChainGetTipSet(ctx context.Context, tsk types.TipSetKey) (*types.TipSet, error) {
+	return g.Internal.ChainGetTipSet(ctx, tsk)
+}
+
+func (g GatewayStruct) MpoolPush(ctx context.Context, sm *types.SignedMessage) (cid.Cid, error) {
+	return g.Internal.MpoolPush(ctx, sm)
+}
+
+func (g GatewayStruct) StateAccountKey(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, tsk types.TipSetKey) (address.Address, error) {
+	return g.Internal.StateAccountKey(ctx, addr, tsk)
+}
+
 var _ api.Common = &CommonStruct{}
 var _ api.FullNode = &FullNodeStruct{}
 var _ api.StorageMiner = &StorageMinerStruct{}
 var _ api.WorkerAPI = &WorkerStruct{}
+var _ api.GatewayAPI = &GatewayStruct{}
diff --git a/api/client/client.go b/api/client/client.go
index cd915acf0..390ce93d7 100644
--- a/api/client/client.go
+++ b/api/client/client.go
@@ -82,3 +82,17 @@ func NewWorkerRPC(ctx context.Context, addr string, requestHeader http.Header) (
 
 	return &res, closer, err
 }
+
+// NewGatewayRPC creates a new http jsonrpc client for a gateway node.
+func NewGatewayRPC(ctx context.Context, addr string, requestHeader http.Header, opts ...jsonrpc.Option) (api.GatewayAPI, jsonrpc.ClientCloser, error) {
+	var res apistruct.GatewayStruct
+	closer, err := jsonrpc.NewMergeClient(ctx, addr, "Filecoin",
+		[]interface{}{
+			&res.Internal,
+		},
+		requestHeader,
+		opts...,
+	)
+
+	return &res, closer, err
+}
diff --git a/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go b/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go
index ba3dcd1d8..476de1927 100644
--- a/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go
+++ b/chain/stmgr/stmgr.go
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ import (
 
 var log = logging.Logger("statemgr")
 
+type StateManagerAPI interface {
+	LoadActorTsk(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, tsk types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error)
+	ResolveToKeyAddress(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, ts *types.TipSet) (address.Address, error)
+}
+
 type versionSpec struct {
 	networkVersion network.Version
 	atOrBelow      abi.ChainEpoch
@@ -1393,3 +1398,5 @@ func (sm *StateManager) GetMarketState(ctx context.Context, ts *types.TipSet) (m
 	}
 	return actState, nil
 }
+
+var _ StateManagerAPI = (*StateManager)(nil)
diff --git a/cli/cmd.go b/cli/cmd.go
index edcb69adc..e6475934b 100644
--- a/cli/cmd.go
+++ b/cli/cmd.go
@@ -289,6 +289,15 @@ func GetWorkerAPI(ctx *cli.Context) (api.WorkerAPI, jsonrpc.ClientCloser, error)
 	return client.NewWorkerRPC(ctx.Context, addr, headers)
 }
 
+func GetGatewayAPI(ctx *cli.Context) (api.GatewayAPI, jsonrpc.ClientCloser, error) {
+	addr, headers, err := GetRawAPI(ctx, repo.FullNode)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	return client.NewGatewayRPC(ctx.Context, addr, headers)
+}
+
 func DaemonContext(cctx *cli.Context) context.Context {
 	if mtCtx, ok := cctx.App.Metadata[metadataTraceContext]; ok {
 		return mtCtx.(context.Context)
diff --git a/cmd/lotus-gateway/api.go b/cmd/lotus-gateway/api.go
index 0a6365dbd..edf6525b1 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-gateway/api.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-gateway/api.go
@@ -49,17 +49,6 @@ func (a *GatewayAPI) checkTipset(ctx context.Context, ts types.TipSetKey) error
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (a *GatewayAPI) StateGetActor(ctx context.Context, actor address.Address, ts types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error) {
-	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "StateGetActor")
-	defer span.End()
-
-	if err := a.checkTipset(ctx, ts); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("bad tipset: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	return a.api.StateGetActor(ctx, actor, ts)
-}
-
 func (a *GatewayAPI) ChainHead(ctx context.Context) (*types.TipSet, error) {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "ChainHead")
 	defer span.End()
@@ -88,3 +77,25 @@ func (a *GatewayAPI) MpoolPush(ctx context.Context, sm *types.SignedMessage) (ci
 
 	return a.api.MpoolPushUntrusted(ctx, sm)
 }
+
+func (a *GatewayAPI) StateGetActor(ctx context.Context, actor address.Address, ts types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error) {
+	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "StateGetActor")
+	defer span.End()
+
+	if err := a.checkTipset(ctx, ts); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("bad tipset: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return a.api.StateGetActor(ctx, actor, ts)
+}
+
+func (a *GatewayAPI) StateAccountKey(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, tsk types.TipSetKey) (address.Address, error) {
+	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "StateAccountKey")
+	defer span.End()
+
+	if err := a.checkTipset(ctx, tsk); err != nil {
+		return address.Undef, fmt.Errorf("bad tipset: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return a.api.StateAccountKey(ctx, addr, tsk)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/lotus/daemon.go b/cmd/lotus/daemon.go
index a0f754a60..d57dddb79 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus/daemon.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus/daemon.go
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 	"runtime/pprof"
 	"strings"
 
+	"go.uber.org/fx"
+
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
 
 	paramfetch "github.com/filecoin-project/go-paramfetch"
@@ -114,6 +116,10 @@ var DaemonCmd = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "halt-after-import",
 			Usage: "halt the process after importing chain from file",
 		},
+		&cli.BoolFlag{
+			Name:  "lite",
+			Usage: "start lotus in lite mode",
+		},
 		&cli.StringFlag{
 			Name:  "pprof",
 			Usage: "specify name of file for writing cpu profile to",
@@ -240,6 +246,27 @@ var DaemonCmd = &cli.Command{
 
 		shutdownChan := make(chan struct{})
 
+		// If the daemon is started in "lite mode", replace the StateManager
+		// with a thin client to a gateway server
+		liteMode := node.Options()
+		if cctx.Bool("lite") {
+			gapi, closer, err := lcli.GetGatewayAPI(cctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			createRPCStateMgr := func(lc fx.Lifecycle) *modules.RPCStateManager {
+				lc.Append(fx.Hook{
+					OnStop: func(ctx context.Context) error {
+						closer()
+						return nil
+					},
+				})
+				return modules.NewRPCStateManager(gapi)
+			}
+			liteMode = node.Override(new(stmgr.StateManagerAPI), createRPCStateMgr)
+		}
+
 		var api api.FullNode
 
 		stop, err := node.New(ctx,
@@ -251,6 +278,7 @@ var DaemonCmd = &cli.Command{
 			node.Repo(r),
 
 			genesis,
+			liteMode,
 
 			node.ApplyIf(func(s *node.Settings) bool { return cctx.IsSet("api") },
 				node.Override(node.SetApiEndpointKey, func(lr repo.LockedRepo) error {
diff --git a/node/builder.go b/node/builder.go
index 0d48ec130..50a20d4bb 100644
--- a/node/builder.go
+++ b/node/builder.go
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ func Online() Option {
 			Override(new(*store.ChainStore), modules.ChainStore),
 			Override(new(stmgr.UpgradeSchedule), stmgr.DefaultUpgradeSchedule()),
 			Override(new(*stmgr.StateManager), stmgr.NewStateManagerWithUpgradeSchedule),
+			Override(new(stmgr.StateManagerAPI), From(new(*stmgr.StateManager))),
 			Override(new(*wallet.Wallet), wallet.NewWallet),
 			Override(new(*messagesigner.MessageSigner), messagesigner.NewMessageSigner),
 
diff --git a/node/impl/full/wallet.go b/node/impl/full/wallet.go
index b2ecdebbd..33f924846 100644
--- a/node/impl/full/wallet.go
+++ b/node/impl/full/wallet.go
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ import (
 type WalletAPI struct {
 	fx.In
 
-	StateManager *stmgr.StateManager
-	Wallet       *wallet.Wallet
+	stmgr.StateManagerAPI
+	Wallet *wallet.Wallet
 }
 
 func (a *WalletAPI) WalletNew(ctx context.Context, typ crypto.SigType) (address.Address, error) {
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func (a *WalletAPI) WalletList(ctx context.Context) ([]address.Address, error) {
 }
 
 func (a *WalletAPI) WalletBalance(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address) (types.BigInt, error) {
-	act, err := a.StateManager.LoadActorTsk(ctx, addr, types.EmptyTSK)
+	act, err := a.StateManagerAPI.LoadActorTsk(ctx, addr, types.EmptyTSK)
 	if xerrors.Is(err, types.ErrActorNotFound) {
 		return big.Zero(), nil
 	} else if err != nil {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (a *WalletAPI) WalletBalance(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address) (ty
 }
 
 func (a *WalletAPI) WalletSign(ctx context.Context, k address.Address, msg []byte) (*crypto.Signature, error) {
-	keyAddr, err := a.StateManager.ResolveToKeyAddress(ctx, k, nil)
+	keyAddr, err := a.StateManagerAPI.ResolveToKeyAddress(ctx, k, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("failed to resolve ID address: %w", keyAddr)
 	}
diff --git a/node/modules/statemanager.go b/node/modules/statemanager.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b673f7268
--- /dev/null
+++ b/node/modules/statemanager.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package modules
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/api"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-address"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/stmgr"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
+)
+
+type RPCStateManager struct {
+	gapi api.GatewayAPI
+}
+
+func NewRPCStateManager(api api.GatewayAPI) *RPCStateManager {
+	return &RPCStateManager{gapi: api}
+}
+
+func (s *RPCStateManager) LoadActorTsk(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, tsk types.TipSetKey) (*types.Actor, error) {
+	return s.gapi.StateGetActor(ctx, addr, tsk)
+}
+
+func (s *RPCStateManager) ResolveToKeyAddress(ctx context.Context, addr address.Address, ts *types.TipSet) (address.Address, error) {
+	return s.gapi.StateAccountKey(ctx, addr, ts.Key())
+}
+
+var _ stmgr.StateManagerAPI = (*RPCStateManager)(nil)