diff --git a/substrate/tendermint/client/src/validators.rs b/substrate/tendermint/client/src/validators.rs
index 409733c7..08454638 100644
--- a/substrate/tendermint/client/src/validators.rs
+++ b/substrate/tendermint/client/src/validators.rs
@@ -123,17 +123,14 @@ impl<T: TendermintClient> Signer for TendermintSigner<T> {
   type ValidatorId = u16;
   type Signature = Signature;
 
-  async fn validator_id(&self) -> u16 {
+  async fn validator_id(&self) -> Option<u16> {
     let key = self.get_public_key().await;
     for (i, k) in (*self.1 .0).read().unwrap().lookup.iter().enumerate() {
       if k == &key {
-        return u16::try_from(i).unwrap();
+        return Some(u16::try_from(i).unwrap());
       }
     }
-    // TODO: Enable switching between being a validator and not being one, likely be returning
-    // Option<u16> here. Non-validators should be able to simply not broadcast when they think
-    // they have messages.
-    panic!("not a validator");
+    None
   }
 
   async fn sign(&self, msg: &[u8]) -> Signature {
diff --git a/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/ext.rs b/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/ext.rs
index 1eb4827b..b9ffe5cc 100644
--- a/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/ext.rs
+++ b/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/ext.rs
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ pub trait Signer: Send + Sync {
   /// Signature type.
   type Signature: Signature;
 
-  /// Returns the validator's current ID.
-  async fn validator_id(&self) -> Self::ValidatorId;
+  /// Returns the validator's current ID. Returns None if they aren't a current validator.
+  async fn validator_id(&self) -> Option<Self::ValidatorId>;
   /// Sign a signature with the current validator's private key.
   async fn sign(&self, msg: &[u8]) -> Self::Signature;
 }
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl<S: Signer> Signer for Arc<S> {
   type ValidatorId = S::ValidatorId;
   type Signature = S::Signature;
 
-  async fn validator_id(&self) -> Self::ValidatorId {
+  async fn validator_id(&self) -> Option<Self::ValidatorId> {
     self.as_ref().validator_id().await
   }
 
diff --git a/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/lib.rs b/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/lib.rs
index 9e457a5e..506321f3 100644
--- a/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/lib.rs
+++ b/substrate/tendermint/machine/src/lib.rs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ pub struct TendermintMachine<N: Network> {
   validators: N::SignatureScheme,
   weights: Arc<N::Weights>,
 
-  validator_id: N::ValidatorId,
+  validator_id: Option<N::ValidatorId>,
 
   number: BlockNumber,
   canonical_start_time: u64,
@@ -179,20 +179,21 @@ impl<N: Network + 'static> TendermintMachine<N> {
     &mut self,
     data: Data<N::Block, <N::SignatureScheme as SignatureScheme>::Signature>,
   ) {
-    let step = data.step();
-    // 27, 33, 41, 46, 60, 64
-    self.step = step;
-    self.queue.push_back(Message {
-      sender: self.validator_id,
-      number: self.number,
-      round: self.round,
-      data,
-    });
+    if let Some(validator_id) = &self.validator_id {
+      // 27, 33, 41, 46, 60, 64
+      self.step = data.step();
+      self.queue.push_back(Message {
+        sender: *validator_id,
+        number: self.number,
+        round: self.round,
+        data,
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   // 14-21
   fn round_propose(&mut self) -> bool {
-    if self.weights.proposer(self.number, self.round) == self.validator_id {
+    if Some(self.weights.proposer(self.number, self.round)) == self.validator_id {
       let (round, block) = self
         .valid
         .clone()
diff --git a/substrate/tendermint/machine/tests/ext.rs b/substrate/tendermint/machine/tests/ext.rs
index 79a04496..3e3e52ce 100644
--- a/substrate/tendermint/machine/tests/ext.rs
+++ b/substrate/tendermint/machine/tests/ext.rs
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ impl Signer for TestSigner {
   type ValidatorId = TestValidatorId;
   type Signature = [u8; 32];
 
-  async fn validator_id(&self) -> TestValidatorId {
-    self.0
+  async fn validator_id(&self) -> Option<TestValidatorId> {
+    Some(self.0)
   }
 
   async fn sign(&self, msg: &[u8]) -> [u8; 32] {