diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp
index df3f3b15c9..7ba2dcd22f 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,22 @@ Ledger::ref LedgerMaster::getCurrentSnapshot()
 	return mCurrentSnapshot;
 }
 
+int LedgerMaster::getValidatedLedgerAge()
+{
+	if (!mValidLedger)
+	{
+		cLog(lsINFO) << "No validated ledger";
+		return 999999;
+	}
+
+	int64 ret = theApp->getOPs().getCloseTimeNC();
+	ret -= static_cast<int64>(mValidLedger->getCloseTimeNC());
+	ret = std::max(0LL, ret);
+
+	cLog(lsINFO) << "Validated ledger age is " << ret;
+	return static_cast<int>(ret);
+}
+
 void LedgerMaster::addHeldTransaction(Transaction::ref transaction)
 { // returns true if transaction was added
 	boost::recursive_mutex::scoped_lock ml(mLock);
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.h b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.h
index 33b6344934..37c3a9630c 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.h
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ public:
 
 	// The published ledger is the last fully validated ledger
 	Ledger::ref getValidatedLedger()	{ return mPubLedger; }
+	int getValidatedLedgerAge();
 
 	TER doTransaction(SerializedTransaction::ref txn, TransactionEngineParams params, bool& didApply);
 
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.cpp
index 0e206bd724..a5adad261e 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ std::string NetworkOPs::strOperatingMode()
 	static const char*	paStatusToken[] = {
 		"disconnected",
 		"connected",
+		"syncing",
 		"tracking",
 		"full"
 	};
@@ -654,12 +655,6 @@ void NetworkOPs::tryStartConsensus()
 			setMode(omFULL);
 	}
 
-	if (mMode == omFULL)
-	{
-		// WRITEME
-		// check if the ledger is bad enough to go to omTRACKING
-	}
-
 	if ((!mConsensus) && (mMode != omDISCONNECTED))
 		beginConsensus(networkClosed, mLedgerMaster->getCurrentLedger());
 }
@@ -1038,6 +1033,12 @@ void NetworkOPs::setMode(OperatingMode om)
 {
 	if (mMode == om) return;
 
+	if (om == omCONNECTED)
+	{
+		if (theApp->getLedgerMaster().getValidatedLedgerAge() < 60)
+			om = omSYNCING;
+	}
+
 	if ((om >= omCONNECTED) && (mMode == omDISCONNECTED))
 		mConnectTime = boost::posix_time::second_clock::universal_time();
 
@@ -1398,7 +1399,7 @@ void NetworkOPs::pubLedger(Ledger::ref accepted)
 
 			jvObj["txn_count"]		= Json::UInt(alpAccepted->getTxnCount());
 
-			if ((mMode == omFULL) || (mMode == omTRACKING))
+			if (mMode >= omSYNCING)
 				jvObj["validated_ledgers"]	= theApp->getLedgerMaster().getCompleteLedgers();
 
 			NetworkOPs::subMapType::const_iterator it = mSubLedger.begin();
@@ -1731,7 +1732,7 @@ bool NetworkOPs::subLedger(InfoSub::ref isrListener, Json::Value& jvResult)
 		jvResult["reserve_inc"]		= Json::UInt(lpClosed->getReserveInc());
 	}
 
-	if (((mMode == omFULL) || (mMode == omTRACKING)) && !isNeedNetworkLedger())
+	if ((mMode >= omSYNCING) && !isNeedNetworkLedger())
 		jvResult["validated_ledgers"]	= theApp->getLedgerMaster().getCompleteLedgers();
 
 	boost::recursive_mutex::scoped_lock	sl(mMonitorLock);
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.h b/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.h
index 45499c08e7..76a6cd9393 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/NetworkOPs.h
@@ -98,8 +98,9 @@ public:
 	{ // how we process transactions or account balance requests
 		omDISCONNECTED	= 0,	// not ready to process requests
 		omCONNECTED		= 1,	// convinced we are talking to the network
-		omTRACKING		= 2,	// convinced we agree with the network
-		omFULL			= 3		// we have the ledger and can even validate
+		omSYNCING		= 2,	// fallen slightly behind
+		omTRACKING		= 3,	// convinced we agree with the network
+		omFULL			= 4		// we have the ledger and can even validate
 	};
 
 	typedef boost::unordered_map<uint64, InfoSub::wptr>				subMapType;
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/RPCHandler.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/RPCHandler.cpp
index 525aeb6a2f..a350ae65c7 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/RPCHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/RPCHandler.cpp
@@ -3545,9 +3545,7 @@ Json::Value RPCHandler::doCommand(const Json::Value& jvRequest, int iRole, int &
 
 	ScopedLock MasterLockHolder(theApp->getMasterLock());
 
-	if (commandsA[i].iOptions & optNetwork
-		&& mNetOps->getOperatingMode() != NetworkOPs::omTRACKING
-		&& mNetOps->getOperatingMode() != NetworkOPs::omFULL)
+	if ((commandsA[i].iOptions & optNetwork) && (mNetOps->getOperatingMode() < NetworkOPs::omSYNCING))
 	{
 		cLog(lsINFO) << "Insufficient network mode for RPC: " << mNetOps->strOperatingMode();