diff --git a/libethereum/Client.cpp b/libethereum/Client.cpp
index 00c90351c..61c897ec9 100644
--- a/libethereum/Client.cpp
+++ b/libethereum/Client.cpp
@@ -1128,10 +1128,9 @@ Transactions Client::pending() const {
 }
 
 SyncStatus Client::syncStatus() const {
-    // TODO implement this when syncing will be needed
-    SyncStatus s;
-    s.startBlockNumber = s.currentBlockNumber = s.highestBlockNumber = 0;
-    return s;
+    if ( !m_skaleHost )
+        BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION( std::runtime_error( "SkaleHost was not initialized" ) );
+    return m_skaleHost->syncStatus();
 }
 
 TransactionSkeleton Client::populateTransactionWithDefaults( TransactionSkeleton const& _t ) const {
diff --git a/libethereum/SkaleHost.cpp b/libethereum/SkaleHost.cpp
index 0cbb4241f..0350fef51 100644
--- a/libethereum/SkaleHost.cpp
+++ b/libethereum/SkaleHost.cpp
@@ -942,6 +942,21 @@ u256 SkaleHost::getBlockRandom() const {
     return m_consensus->getRandomForBlockId( m_client.number() );
 }
 
+dev::eth::SyncStatus SkaleHost::syncStatus() const {
+    if ( !m_consensus )
+        BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION( std::runtime_error( "Consensus was not initialized" ) );
+    auto syncInfo = m_consensus->getSyncInfo();
+    dev::eth::SyncStatus syncStatus;
+    // SKALE: catchup downloads blocks with transactions, then the node executes them
+    // we don't download state changes separately
+    syncStatus.state = syncInfo.isSyncing ? dev::eth::SyncState::Blocks : dev::eth::SyncState::Idle;
+    syncStatus.startBlockNumber = syncInfo.startingBlock;
+    syncStatus.currentBlockNumber = syncInfo.currentBlock;
+    syncStatus.highestBlockNumber = syncInfo.highestBlock;
+    syncStatus.majorSyncing = syncInfo.isSyncing;
+    return syncStatus;
+}
+
 std::map< std::string, uint64_t > SkaleHost::getConsensusDbUsage() const {
     return m_consensus->getConsensusDbUsage();
 }
diff --git a/libethereum/SkaleHost.h b/libethereum/SkaleHost.h
index 82a4c6357..a92fc5462 100644
--- a/libethereum/SkaleHost.h
+++ b/libethereum/SkaleHost.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 
 namespace dev {
 namespace eth {
+struct SyncStatus;
 class Client;
 class TransactionQueue;
 class BlockHeader;
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ class SkaleHost {
 
     dev::u256 getGasPrice() const;
     dev::u256 getBlockRandom() const;
+    dev::eth::SyncStatus syncStatus() const;
     std::map< std::string, uint64_t > getConsensusDbUsage() const;
     std::array< std::string, 4 > getIMABLSPublicKey() const;
 
diff --git a/libweb3jsonrpc/Eth.cpp b/libweb3jsonrpc/Eth.cpp
index 135b08584..9686c5301 100644
--- a/libweb3jsonrpc/Eth.cpp
+++ b/libweb3jsonrpc/Eth.cpp
@@ -892,15 +892,24 @@ Json::Value Eth::eth_getWork() {
 }
 
 Json::Value Eth::eth_syncing() {
-    dev::eth::SyncStatus sync = client()->syncStatus();
-    if ( sync.state == SyncState::Idle || !sync.majorSyncing )
-        return Json::Value( false );
-
-    Json::Value info( Json::objectValue );
-    info["startingBlock"] = sync.startBlockNumber;
-    info["highestBlock"] = sync.highestBlockNumber;
-    info["currentBlock"] = sync.currentBlockNumber;
-    return info;
+    try {
+        auto client = this->client();
+        if ( !client )
+            BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION( std::runtime_error( "Client was not initialized" ) );
+
+        // ask consensus whether the node is in catchup mode
+        dev::eth::SyncStatus sync = client->syncStatus();
+        if ( !sync.majorSyncing )
+            return Json::Value( false );
+
+        Json::Value info( Json::objectValue );
+        info["startingBlock"] = sync.startBlockNumber;
+        info["highestBlock"] = sync.highestBlockNumber;
+        info["currentBlock"] = sync.currentBlockNumber;
+        return info;
+    } catch ( const Exception& e ) {
+        BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION( jsonrpc::JsonRpcException( e.what() ) );
+    }
 }
 
 string Eth::eth_chainId() {