diff --git a/miner/miner.go b/miner/miner.go
index 8cbd70b424..35c036ba75 100644
--- a/miner/miner.go
+++ b/miner/miner.go
@@ -85,15 +85,22 @@ func New(eth Backend, config *Config, chainConfig *params.ChainConfig, mux *even
 // and halt your mining operation for as long as the DOS continues.
 func (miner *Miner) update() {
 	events := miner.mux.Subscribe(downloader.StartEvent{}, downloader.DoneEvent{}, downloader.FailedEvent{})
-	defer events.Unsubscribe()
+	defer func() {
+		if !events.Closed() {
+			events.Unsubscribe()
+		}
+	}()
 
 	shouldStart := false
 	canStart := true
+	dlEventCh := events.Chan()
 	for {
 		select {
-		case ev := <-events.Chan():
+		case ev := <-dlEventCh:
 			if ev == nil {
-				return
+				// Unsubscription done, stop listening
+				dlEventCh = nil
+				continue
 			}
 			switch ev.Data.(type) {
 			case downloader.StartEvent:
@@ -105,12 +112,20 @@ func (miner *Miner) update() {
 					shouldStart = true
 					log.Info("Mining aborted due to sync")
 				}
-			case downloader.DoneEvent, downloader.FailedEvent:
+			case downloader.FailedEvent:
+				canStart = true
+				if shouldStart {
+					miner.SetEtherbase(miner.coinbase)
+					miner.worker.start()
+				}
+			case downloader.DoneEvent:
 				canStart = true
 				if shouldStart {
 					miner.SetEtherbase(miner.coinbase)
 					miner.worker.start()
 				}
+				// Stop reacting to downloader events
+				events.Unsubscribe()
 			}
 		case addr := <-miner.startCh:
 			if canStart {
diff --git a/miner/miner_test.go b/miner/miner_test.go
index 2ed03a2397..20bf2534c2 100644
--- a/miner/miner_test.go
+++ b/miner/miner_test.go
@@ -89,12 +89,75 @@ func TestMiner(t *testing.T) {
 	// Stop the downloader and wait for the update loop to run
 	mux.Post(downloader.DoneEvent{})
 	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
-	// Start the downloader and wait for the update loop to run
+
+	// Subsequent downloader events after a successful DoneEvent should not cause the
+	// miner to start or stop. This prevents a security vulnerability
+	// that would allow entities to present fake high blocks that would
+	// stop mining operations by causing a downloader sync
+	// until it was discovered they were invalid, whereon mining would resume.
+	mux.Post(downloader.StartEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+
+	mux.Post(downloader.FailedEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+}
+
+// TestMinerDownloaderFirstFails tests that mining is only
+// permitted to run indefinitely once the downloader sees a DoneEvent (success).
+// An initial FailedEvent should allow mining to stop on a subsequent
+// downloader StartEvent.
+func TestMinerDownloaderFirstFails(t *testing.T) {
+	miner, mux := createMiner(t)
+	miner.Start(common.HexToAddress("0x12345"))
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+	// Start the downloader
 	mux.Post(downloader.StartEvent{})
 	waitForMiningState(t, miner, false)
+
 	// Stop the downloader and wait for the update loop to run
 	mux.Post(downloader.FailedEvent{})
 	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+
+	// Since the downloader hasn't yet emitted a successful DoneEvent,
+	// we expect the miner to stop on next StartEvent.
+	mux.Post(downloader.StartEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, false)
+
+	// Downloader finally succeeds.
+	mux.Post(downloader.DoneEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+
+	// Downloader starts again.
+	// Since it has achieved a DoneEvent once, we expect miner
+	// state to be unchanged.
+	mux.Post(downloader.StartEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+
+	mux.Post(downloader.FailedEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+}
+
+func TestMinerStartStopAfterDownloaderEvents(t *testing.T) {
+	miner, mux := createMiner(t)
+
+	miner.Start(common.HexToAddress("0x12345"))
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+	// Start the downloader
+	mux.Post(downloader.StartEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, false)
+
+	// Downloader finally succeeds.
+	mux.Post(downloader.DoneEvent{})
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+
+	miner.Stop()
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, false)
+
+	miner.Start(common.HexToAddress("0x678910"))
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, true)
+
+	miner.Stop()
+	waitForMiningState(t, miner, false)
 }
 
 func TestStartWhileDownload(t *testing.T) {
@@ -137,10 +200,10 @@ func waitForMiningState(t *testing.T, m *Miner, mining bool) {
 
 	var state bool
 	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 		if state = m.Mining(); state == mining {
 			return
 		}
-		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 	}
 	t.Fatalf("Mining() == %t, want %t", state, mining)
 }