diff --git a/src/bin/index_server.rs b/src/bin/index_server.rs
index 29df2a8..a7022b8 100644
--- a/src/bin/index_server.rs
+++ b/src/bin/index_server.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ extern crate simplelog;
 extern crate log;
 
 use argparse::{ArgumentParser, StoreFalse, StoreTrue};
-use indexrs::{daemon, index, notification, query, rpc, store};
+use indexrs::{daemon, index, query, rpc, store, types};
 use std::fs::OpenOptions;
+use std::thread;
+use std::time::Duration;
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 struct Config {
@@ -64,16 +66,12 @@ impl Config {
             true => "localhost:18332",
         }
     }
-
-    pub fn zmq_endpoint(&self) -> &'static str {
-        "tcp://localhost:28332"
-    }
 }
 
 fn run_server(config: &Config) {
     let index = index::Index::new();
-    let waiter = notification::Waiter::new(config.zmq_endpoint());
     let daemon = daemon::Daemon::new(config.daemon_addr());
+    let mut tip = types::Sha256dHash::default();
     {
         let store = store::Store::open(
             config.db_path(),
@@ -83,7 +81,7 @@ fn run_server(config: &Config) {
             },
         );
         if config.enable_indexing {
-            index.update(&store, &daemon);
+            tip = index.update(&store, &daemon);
             store.compact_if_needed();
         }
     }
@@ -92,24 +90,27 @@ fn run_server(config: &Config) {
     let query = query::Query::new(&store, &daemon, &index);
 
     crossbeam::scope(|scope| {
+        let poll_delay = Duration::from_secs(1);
         let chan = rpc::Channel::new();
         let tx = chan.sender();
         scope.spawn(|| rpc::serve(config.rpc_addr(), &query, chan));
         loop {
-            use notification::Topic;
-            match waiter.wait() {
-                Topic::HashBlock(blockhash) => {
-                    if config.enable_indexing {
-                        index.update(&store, &daemon);
-                    }
-                    if let Err(e) = tx.try_send(rpc::Message::Block(blockhash)) {
-                        debug!("failed to update RPC server {}: {:?}", blockhash, e)
-                    }
-                }
-                Topic::HashTx(txhash) => {
-                    debug!("got tx {}", txhash);
-                }
-            } // match
+            let latest = daemon
+                .getbestblockhash()
+                .expect("failed to get latest blockhash");
+            if latest == tip {
+                thread::sleep(poll_delay);
+                continue;
+            }
+            tip = if config.enable_indexing {
+                index.update(&store, &daemon)
+            } else {
+                latest
+            };
+
+            if let Err(e) = tx.try_send(rpc::Message::Block(tip)) {
+                debug!("failed to update RPC server {}: {:?}", tip, e)
+            }
         }
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/index.rs b/src/index.rs
index 42ca104..8a13f82 100644
--- a/src/index.rs
+++ b/src/index.rs
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ impl Index {
         missing_headers
     }
 
-    pub fn update(&self, store: &Store, daemon: &Daemon) {
+    pub fn update(&self, store: &Store, daemon: &Daemon) -> Sha256dHash {
         let mut indexed_headers: Arc<HeaderList> = self.headers_list();
         if indexed_headers.headers().is_empty() {
             if let Some(last_blockhash) = read_last_indexed_blockhash(&store) {
@@ -411,6 +411,12 @@ impl Index {
             // TODO: add timing
             store.persist(&rows);
         }
-        *self.headers.write().unwrap() = Arc::new(current_headers);
+        let tip: Sha256dHash = *(current_headers
+            .headers()
+            .last()
+            .expect("no blocks indexed")
+            .hash());
+        *(self.headers.write().unwrap()) = Arc::new(current_headers);
+        tip
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 6d72dfc..115515d 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -26,10 +26,8 @@ extern crate serde_json;
 
 pub mod daemon;
 pub mod index;
-pub mod notification;
 pub mod query;
 pub mod rpc;
 pub mod store;
+pub mod types;
 pub mod util;
-
-mod types;
diff --git a/src/notification.rs b/src/notification.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index cd7d26f..0000000
--- a/src/notification.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-use bitcoin::network::serialize::deserialize;
-use bitcoin::util::hash::Sha256dHash;
-use std::str;
-use zmq;
-
-pub struct Waiter {
-    sock: zmq::Socket,
-}
-
-pub enum Topic {
-    HashBlock(Sha256dHash),
-    HashTx(Sha256dHash),
-}
-
-impl Waiter {
-    pub fn new(endpoint: &str) -> Waiter {
-        let ctx = zmq::Context::new();
-        let sock = ctx.socket(zmq::SocketType::SUB).unwrap();
-        sock.set_subscribe(b"hashblock")
-            .expect("failed to subscribe on blocks");
-        sock.set_subscribe(b"hashtx")
-            .expect("failed to subscribe on transactions");
-        sock.connect(endpoint)
-            .expect(&format!("failed to connect to {}", endpoint));
-        Waiter { sock }
-    }
-
-    pub fn wait(&self) -> Topic {
-        loop {
-            let mut parts = self.sock.recv_multipart(0).unwrap().into_iter();
-            let topic = parts.next().expect("missing topic");
-            let mut blockhash = parts.next().expect("missing blockhash");
-            blockhash.reverse(); // block hash needs to be LSB-first
-            let hash: Sha256dHash = deserialize(&blockhash).unwrap();
-
-            match str::from_utf8(&topic).expect("non-string topic") {
-                "hashblock" => return Topic::HashBlock(hash),
-                "hashtx" => return Topic::HashTx(hash),
-                _ => warn!("unknown topic {:?}", topic),
-            };
-        }
-    }
-}