diff --git a/consensus/mempool_test.go b/consensus/mempool_test.go
index c2d9a6a5b..8e8844015 100644
--- a/consensus/mempool_test.go
+++ b/consensus/mempool_test.go
@@ -155,23 +155,24 @@ func TestMempoolRmBadTx(t *testing.T) {
 	resEndRecheckTx := app.EndRecheckTx(abci.RequestEndRecheckTx{})
 	assert.Equal(t, code.CodeTypeOK, resEndRecheckTx.Code)
 
-	emptyMempoolCh := make(chan struct{})
+	checkTxErrorCh := make(chan error)
 	checkTxRespCh := make(chan struct{})
+	emptyMempoolCh := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		// Try to send the tx through the mempool.
 		// CheckTx should not err, but the app should return a bad abci code
 		// and the tx should get removed from the pool
-		err := assertMempool(cs.txNotifier).CheckTxAsync(txBytes, mempl.TxInfo{}, func(r *abci.Response) {
+		assertMempool(cs.txNotifier).CheckTxAsync(txBytes, mempl.TxInfo{}, func(err error) {
+			checkTxErrorCh <- err
+		}, func(r *abci.Response) {
 			if r.GetCheckTx().Code != code.CodeTypeBadNonce {
 				t.Errorf("expected checktx to return bad nonce, got %v", r)
 				return
 			}
 			checkTxRespCh <- struct{}{}
 		})
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("error after CheckTx: %v", err)
-			return
-		}
+
+		<-checkTxErrorCh
 
 		// check for the tx
 		for {
diff --git a/mempool/bench_test.go b/mempool/bench_test.go
index 0c2fdc7d3..eb2197e42 100644
--- a/mempool/bench_test.go
+++ b/mempool/bench_test.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func BenchmarkReapWithCheckTxAsync(b *testing.B) {
 	for i := 0; i < size; i++ {
 		tx := make([]byte, 8)
 		binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(tx, uint64(i))
-		mempool.CheckTxAsync(tx, TxInfo{}, nil)
+		mempool.CheckTxAsync(tx, TxInfo{}, nil, nil)
 	}
 	b.ResetTimer()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func BenchmarkCheckTxAsync(b *testing.B) {
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
 		tx := make([]byte, 8)
 		binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(tx, uint64(i))
-		mempool.CheckTxAsync(tx, TxInfo{}, nil)
+		mempool.CheckTxAsync(tx, TxInfo{}, nil, nil)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/mempool/clist_mempool.go b/mempool/clist_mempool.go
index 666fdceb8..85f5550f1 100644
--- a/mempool/clist_mempool.go
+++ b/mempool/clist_mempool.go
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ type CListMempool struct {
 	updateMtx sync.RWMutex
 	preCheck  PreCheckFunc
 
+	chReqCheckTx chan *requestCheckTxAsync
+
 	wal          *auto.AutoFile // a log of mempool txs
 	txs          *clist.CList   // concurrent linked-list of good txs
 	proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnMempool
@@ -64,6 +66,13 @@ type CListMempool struct {
 	metrics *Metrics
 }
 
+type requestCheckTxAsync struct {
+	tx        types.Tx
+	txInfo    TxInfo
+	prepareCb func(error)
+	checkTxCb func(*abci.Response)
+}
+
 var _ Mempool = &CListMempool{}
 
 // CListMempoolOption sets an optional parameter on the mempool.
@@ -81,6 +90,7 @@ func NewCListMempool(
 		proxyAppConn: proxyAppConn,
 		txs:          clist.New(),
 		height:       height,
+		chReqCheckTx: make(chan *requestCheckTxAsync, config.Size),
 		logger:       log.NewNopLogger(),
 		metrics:      NopMetrics(),
 	}
@@ -93,6 +103,7 @@ func NewCListMempool(
 	for _, option := range options {
 		option(mempool)
 	}
+	go mempool.checkTxAsyncReactor()
 	return mempool
 }
 
@@ -225,39 +236,49 @@ func (mem *CListMempool) CheckTxSync(tx types.Tx, txInfo TxInfo) (res *abci.Resp
 	return res, err
 }
 
-// It blocks if we're waiting on Update() or Reap().
 // cb: A callback from the CheckTx command.
 //     It gets called from another goroutine.
-// CONTRACT: Either cb will get called, or err returned.
 //
 // Safe for concurrent use by multiple goroutines.
-func (mem *CListMempool) CheckTxAsync(tx types.Tx, txInfo TxInfo, cb func(*abci.Response)) (err error) {
+func (mem *CListMempool) CheckTxAsync(tx types.Tx, txInfo TxInfo, prepareCb func(error), checkTxCb func(*abci.Response)) {
+	mem.chReqCheckTx <- &requestCheckTxAsync{tx: tx, txInfo: txInfo, prepareCb: prepareCb, checkTxCb: checkTxCb}
+}
+
+func (mem *CListMempool) checkTxAsyncReactor() {
+	for req := range mem.chReqCheckTx {
+		mem.checkTxAsync(req.tx, req.txInfo, req.prepareCb, req.checkTxCb)
+	}
+}
+
+// It blocks if we're waiting on Update() or Reap().
+func (mem *CListMempool) checkTxAsync(tx types.Tx, txInfo TxInfo, prepareCb func(error), checkTxCb func(*abci.Response)) {
 	mem.updateMtx.RLock()
-	// use defer to unlock mutex because application (*local client*) might panic
 	defer func() {
-		if err != nil {
-			mem.updateMtx.RUnlock()
-			return
-		}
-
 		if r := recover(); r != nil {
 			mem.updateMtx.RUnlock()
 			panic(r)
 		}
 	}()
 
-	if err = mem.prepareCheckTx(tx, txInfo); err != nil {
-		return err
+	err := mem.prepareCheckTx(tx, txInfo)
+	if prepareCb != nil {
+		prepareCb(err)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		mem.updateMtx.RUnlock()
+		return
 	}
 
 	// CONTRACT: `app.CheckTxAsync()` should check whether `GasWanted` is valid (0 <= GasWanted <= block.masGas)
 	reqRes := mem.proxyAppConn.CheckTxAsync(abci.RequestCheckTx{Tx: tx})
 	reqRes.SetCallback(func(res *abci.Response) {
-		mem.reqResCb(tx, txInfo.SenderID, txInfo.SenderP2PID, res, cb)
-		mem.updateMtx.RUnlock()
+		mem.reqResCb(tx, txInfo.SenderID, txInfo.SenderP2PID, res, func(response *abci.Response) {
+			if checkTxCb != nil {
+				checkTxCb(response)
+			}
+			mem.updateMtx.RUnlock()
+		})
 	})
-
-	return err
 }
 
 // CONTRACT: `caller` should held `mem.updateMtx.RLock()`
diff --git a/mempool/mempool.go b/mempool/mempool.go
index 93603b7a9..e13def2fd 100644
--- a/mempool/mempool.go
+++ b/mempool/mempool.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ type Mempool interface {
 	// CheckTx executes a new transaction against the application to determine
 	// its validity and whether it should be added to the mempool.
 	CheckTxSync(tx types.Tx, txInfo TxInfo) (*abci.Response, error)
-	CheckTxAsync(tx types.Tx, txInfo TxInfo, callback func(*abci.Response)) error
+	CheckTxAsync(tx types.Tx, txInfo TxInfo, prepareCb func(error), checkTxCb func(*abci.Response))
 
 	// ReapMaxBytesMaxGas reaps transactions from the mempool up to maxBytes
 	// bytes total with the condition that the total gasWanted must be less than
diff --git a/mempool/reactor.go b/mempool/reactor.go
index 79bd18fdc..76dfbf2a3 100644
--- a/mempool/reactor.go
+++ b/mempool/reactor.go
@@ -174,10 +174,11 @@ func (memR *Reactor) Receive(chID byte, src p2p.Peer, msgBytes []byte) {
 		if src != nil {
 			txInfo.SenderP2PID = src.ID()
 		}
-		err := memR.mempool.CheckTxAsync(msg.Tx, txInfo, nil)
-		if err != nil {
-			memR.Logger.Info("Could not check tx", "tx", txID(msg.Tx), "err", err)
-		}
+		memR.mempool.CheckTxAsync(msg.Tx, txInfo, func(err error) {
+			if err != nil {
+				memR.Logger.Info("Could not check tx", "tx", txID(msg.Tx), "err", err)
+			}
+		}, nil)
 		// broadcasting happens from go routines per peer
 	default:
 		memR.Logger.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Unknown message type %v", reflect.TypeOf(msg)))
diff --git a/mock/mempool.go b/mock/mempool.go
index ebedcc05a..9a2b39999 100644
--- a/mock/mempool.go
+++ b/mock/mempool.go
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ func (Mempool) Size() int { return 0 }
 func (Mempool) CheckTxSync(_ types.Tx, _ mempl.TxInfo) (*abci.Response, error) {
 	return nil, nil
 }
-func (Mempool) CheckTxAsync(_ types.Tx, _ mempl.TxInfo, _ func(*abci.Response)) error {
-	return nil
+func (Mempool) CheckTxAsync(_ types.Tx, _ mempl.TxInfo, _ func(error), _ func(*abci.Response)) {
 }
 func (Mempool) ReapMaxBytesMaxGas(_, _ int64) types.Txs { return types.Txs{} }
 func (Mempool) ReapMaxTxs(n int) types.Txs              { return types.Txs{} }
diff --git a/rpc/core/mempool.go b/rpc/core/mempool.go
index 517550d2c..893f08266 100644
--- a/rpc/core/mempool.go
+++ b/rpc/core/mempool.go
@@ -21,11 +21,15 @@ import (
 // CheckTx nor DeliverTx results.
 // More: https://docs.tendermint.com/master/rpc/#/Tx/broadcast_tx_async
 func BroadcastTxAsync(ctx *rpctypes.Context, tx types.Tx) (*ctypes.ResultBroadcastTx, error) {
-	err := env.Mempool.CheckTxAsync(tx, mempl.TxInfo{}, nil)
-
+	chErr := make(chan error)
+	env.Mempool.CheckTxAsync(tx, mempl.TxInfo{}, func(err error) {
+		chErr <- err
+	}, nil)
+	err := <-chErr
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	return &ctypes.ResultBroadcastTx{Hash: tx.Hash()}, nil
 }