diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7479cf5ca409..0af39459aec0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ Ref: https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v0.37.10] - 2020-04-13
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* (client/context) [\#5964](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/5964) Fix incorrect instantiation of tmlite verifier when --trust-node is off.
+
 ## [v0.37.9] - 2020-04-09
 
 ### Improvements
diff --git a/client/context/context.go b/client/context/context.go
index 18f50240d4b6..1e8e2d6416d2 100644
--- a/client/context/context.go
+++ b/client/context/context.go
@@ -74,8 +74,9 @@ func NewCLIContextWithFrom(from string) CLIContext {
 		}
 	}
 
+	trustNode := viper.GetBool(flags.FlagTrustNode)
 	// We need to use a single verifier for all contexts
-	if verifier == nil || verifierHome != viper.GetString(flags.FlagHome) {
+	if !trustNode && (verifier == nil || verifierHome != viper.GetString(flags.FlagHome)) {
 		verifier = createVerifier()
 		verifierHome = viper.GetString(flags.FlagHome)
 	}
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ func NewCLIContextWithFrom(from string) CLIContext {
 		From:          viper.GetString(flags.FlagFrom),
 		OutputFormat:  viper.GetString(cli.OutputFlag),
 		Height:        viper.GetInt64(flags.FlagHeight),
-		TrustNode:     viper.GetBool(flags.FlagTrustNode),
+		TrustNode:     trustNode,
 		UseLedger:     viper.GetBool(flags.FlagUseLedger),
 		BroadcastMode: viper.GetString(flags.FlagBroadcastMode),
 		Verifier:      verifier,
@@ -105,16 +106,6 @@ func NewCLIContextWithFrom(from string) CLIContext {
 func NewCLIContext() CLIContext { return NewCLIContextWithFrom(viper.GetString(flags.FlagFrom)) }
 
 func createVerifier() tmlite.Verifier {
-	trustNodeDefined := viper.IsSet(flags.FlagTrustNode)
-	if !trustNodeDefined {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	trustNode := viper.GetBool(flags.FlagTrustNode)
-	if trustNode {
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	chainID := viper.GetString(flags.FlagChainID)
 	home := viper.GetString(flags.FlagHome)
 	nodeURI := viper.GetString(flags.FlagNode)
diff --git a/types/rest/rest_test.go b/types/rest/rest_test.go
index 29d24af27dac..eb6c69fa73ed 100644
--- a/types/rest/rest_test.go
+++ b/types/rest/rest_test.go
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto/secp256k1"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/context"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
@@ -162,6 +164,7 @@ func TestProcessPostResponse(t *testing.T) {
 		Sequence      uint64           `json:"sequence"`
 	}
 
+	viper.Set(flags.FlagTrustNode, true)
 	// setup
 	ctx := context.NewCLIContext()
 	height := int64(194423)
diff --git a/x/distribution/client/common/common_test.go b/x/distribution/client/common/common_test.go
index d10ff87c88dc..cd3706983494 100644
--- a/x/distribution/client/common/common_test.go
+++ b/x/distribution/client/common/common_test.go
@@ -3,15 +3,17 @@ package common
 import (
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/context"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 )
 
 func TestQueryDelegationRewardsAddrValidation(t *testing.T) {
-	cdc := codec.New()
-	ctx := context.NewCLIContext().WithCodec(cdc)
+	viper.Set(flags.FlagTrustNode, true)
+	ctx := context.NewCLIContext().WithCodec(codec.New())
 	type args struct {
 		delAddr string
 		valAddr string