diff --git a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
index 43f563159a..159fca136e 100644
--- a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
+++ b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ func (b *SimulatedBackend) callContract(ctx context.Context, call ethereum.CallM
 	// Execute the call.
 	msg := callmsg{call}
 
-	evmContext := core.NewEVMContext(msg, block.Header(), b.blockchain)
+	evmContext := core.NewEVMContext(msg, block.Header(), b.blockchain, nil)
 	// Create a new environment which holds all relevant information
 	// about the transaction and calling mechanisms.
 	vmenv := vm.NewEVM(evmContext, statedb, b.config, vm.Config{})
diff --git a/consensus/clique/clique.go b/consensus/clique/clique.go
index 3c36545c45..8619bd1d8e 100644
--- a/consensus/clique/clique.go
+++ b/consensus/clique/clique.go
@@ -220,6 +220,12 @@ func New(config *params.CliqueConfig, db ethdb.Database) *Clique {
 	}
 }
 
+// Author implements consensus.Engine, returning the Ethereum address recovered
+// from the signature in the header's extra-data section.
+func (c *Clique) Author(header *types.Header) (common.Address, error) {
+	return ecrecover(header)
+}
+
 // VerifyHeader checks whether a header conforms to the consensus rules.
 func (c *Clique) VerifyHeader(chain consensus.ChainReader, header *types.Header, seal bool) error {
 	return c.verifyHeader(chain, header, nil)
diff --git a/consensus/consensus.go b/consensus/consensus.go
index c199e627fd..8cbd32c883 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus.go
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ type ChainReader interface {
 
 // Engine is an algorithm agnostic consensus engine.
 type Engine interface {
+	// Author retrieves the Ethereum address of the account that minted the given
+	// block, which may be different from the header's coinbase if a consensus
+	// engine is based on signatures.
+	Author(header *types.Header) (common.Address, error)
+
 	// VerifyHeader checks whether a header conforms to the consensus rules of a
 	// given engine. Verifying the seal may be done optionally here, or explicitly
 	// via the VerifySeal method.
diff --git a/consensus/ethash/consensus.go b/consensus/ethash/consensus.go
index f4f8f4b170..4b6e779d54 100644
--- a/consensus/ethash/consensus.go
+++ b/consensus/ethash/consensus.go
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ var (
 	errInvalidPoW        = errors.New("invalid proof-of-work")
 )
 
+// Author implements consensus.Engine, returning the header's coinbase as the
+// proof-of-work verified author of the block.
+func (ethash *Ethash) Author(header *types.Header) (common.Address, error) {
+	return header.Coinbase, nil
+}
+
 // VerifyHeader checks whether a header conforms to the consensus rules of the
 // stock Ethereum ethash engine.
 func (ethash *Ethash) VerifyHeader(chain consensus.ChainReader, header *types.Header, seal bool) error {
diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index d2232e50fd..d6f2653ae8 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -1398,3 +1398,6 @@ func (self *BlockChain) GetHeaderByNumber(number uint64) *types.Header {
 
 // Config retrieves the blockchain's chain configuration.
 func (self *BlockChain) Config() *params.ChainConfig { return self.config }
+
+// Engine retrieves the blockchain's consensus engine.
+func (self *BlockChain) Engine() consensus.Engine { return self.engine }
diff --git a/core/chain_makers.go b/core/chain_makers.go
index c47c719f64..f34279ba01 100644
--- a/core/chain_makers.go
+++ b/core/chain_makers.go
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func (b *BlockGen) AddTx(tx *types.Transaction) {
 		b.SetCoinbase(common.Address{})
 	}
 	b.statedb.StartRecord(tx.Hash(), common.Hash{}, len(b.txs))
-	receipt, _, err := ApplyTransaction(b.config, nil, b.gasPool, b.statedb, b.header, tx, b.header.GasUsed, vm.Config{})
+	receipt, _, err := ApplyTransaction(b.config, nil, &b.header.Coinbase, b.gasPool, b.statedb, b.header, tx, b.header.GasUsed, vm.Config{})
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
diff --git a/core/evm.go b/core/evm.go
index 6a5713075b..49a786a864 100644
--- a/core/evm.go
+++ b/core/evm.go
@@ -20,25 +20,36 @@ import (
 	"math/big"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
 )
 
-// BlockFetcher retrieves headers by their hash
-type HeaderFetcher interface {
-	// GetHeader returns the hash corresponding to their hash
+// ChainContext supports retrieving headers and consensus parameters from the
+// current blockchain to be used during transaction processing.
+type ChainContext interface {
+	// Engine retrieves the chain's consensus engine.
+	Engine() consensus.Engine
+
+	// GetHeader returns the hash corresponding to their hash.
 	GetHeader(common.Hash, uint64) *types.Header
 }
 
 // NewEVMContext creates a new context for use in the EVM.
-func NewEVMContext(msg Message, header *types.Header, chain HeaderFetcher) vm.Context {
+func NewEVMContext(msg Message, header *types.Header, chain ChainContext, author *common.Address) vm.Context {
+	// If we don't have an explicit author (i.e. not mining), extract from the header
+	var beneficiary common.Address
+	if author == nil {
+		beneficiary, _ = chain.Engine().Author(header) // Ignore error, we're past header validation
+	} else {
+		beneficiary = *author
+	}
 	return vm.Context{
 		CanTransfer: CanTransfer,
 		Transfer:    Transfer,
 		GetHash:     GetHashFn(header, chain),
-
 		Origin:      msg.From(),
-		Coinbase:    header.Coinbase,
+		Coinbase:    beneficiary,
 		BlockNumber: new(big.Int).Set(header.Number),
 		Time:        new(big.Int).Set(header.Time),
 		Difficulty:  new(big.Int).Set(header.Difficulty),
@@ -48,7 +59,7 @@ func NewEVMContext(msg Message, header *types.Header, chain HeaderFetcher) vm.Co
 }
 
 // GetHashFn returns a GetHashFunc which retrieves header hashes by number
-func GetHashFn(ref *types.Header, chain HeaderFetcher) func(n uint64) common.Hash {
+func GetHashFn(ref *types.Header, chain ChainContext) func(n uint64) common.Hash {
 	return func(n uint64) common.Hash {
 		for header := chain.GetHeader(ref.ParentHash, ref.Number.Uint64()-1); header != nil; header = chain.GetHeader(header.ParentHash, header.Number.Uint64()-1) {
 			if header.Number.Uint64() == n {
diff --git a/core/headerchain.go b/core/headerchain.go
index f58afc6ca2..9bb7f17937 100644
--- a/core/headerchain.go
+++ b/core/headerchain.go
@@ -442,6 +442,9 @@ func (hc *HeaderChain) SetGenesis(head *types.Header) {
 // Config retrieves the header chain's chain configuration.
 func (hc *HeaderChain) Config() *params.ChainConfig { return hc.config }
 
+// Engine retrieves the header chain's consensus engine.
+func (hc *HeaderChain) Engine() consensus.Engine { return hc.engine }
+
 // GetBlock implements consensus.ChainReader, and returns nil for every input as
 // a header chain does not have blocks available for retrieval.
 func (hc *HeaderChain) GetBlock(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Block {
diff --git a/core/state_processor.go b/core/state_processor.go
index aca2929eb2..4fc2f1eaed 100644
--- a/core/state_processor.go
+++ b/core/state_processor.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package core
 import (
 	"math/big"
 
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus/misc"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ func (p *StateProcessor) Process(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, cfg
 	// Iterate over and process the individual transactions
 	for i, tx := range block.Transactions() {
 		statedb.StartRecord(tx.Hash(), block.Hash(), i)
-		receipt, _, err := ApplyTransaction(p.config, p.bc, gp, statedb, header, tx, totalUsedGas, cfg)
+		receipt, _, err := ApplyTransaction(p.config, p.bc, nil, gp, statedb, header, tx, totalUsedGas, cfg)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, nil, err
 		}
@@ -86,13 +87,13 @@ func (p *StateProcessor) Process(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, cfg
 // and uses the input parameters for its environment. It returns the receipt
 // for the transaction, gas used and an error if the transaction failed,
 // indicating the block was invalid.
-func ApplyTransaction(config *params.ChainConfig, bc *BlockChain, gp *GasPool, statedb *state.StateDB, header *types.Header, tx *types.Transaction, usedGas *big.Int, cfg vm.Config) (*types.Receipt, *big.Int, error) {
+func ApplyTransaction(config *params.ChainConfig, bc *BlockChain, author *common.Address, gp *GasPool, statedb *state.StateDB, header *types.Header, tx *types.Transaction, usedGas *big.Int, cfg vm.Config) (*types.Receipt, *big.Int, error) {
 	msg, err := tx.AsMessage(types.MakeSigner(config, header.Number))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 	// Create a new context to be used in the EVM environment
-	context := NewEVMContext(msg, header, bc)
+	context := NewEVMContext(msg, header, bc, author)
 	// Create a new environment which holds all relevant information
 	// about the transaction and calling mechanisms.
 	vmenv := vm.NewEVM(context, statedb, config, cfg)
diff --git a/eth/api.go b/eth/api.go
index 0decd57ca7..b386c08b45 100644
--- a/eth/api.go
+++ b/eth/api.go
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ func (api *PrivateDebugAPI) TraceTransaction(ctx context.Context, txHash common.
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("sender retrieval failed: %v", err)
 		}
-		context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, block.Header(), api.eth.BlockChain())
+		context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, block.Header(), api.eth.BlockChain(), nil)
 
 		// Mutate the state if we haven't reached the tracing transaction yet
 		if uint64(idx) < txIndex {
diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 61e1844017..fe108d2720 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func (b *EthApiBackend) GetEVM(ctx context.Context, msg core.Message, state etha
 	from.SetBalance(math.MaxBig256)
 	vmError := func() error { return nil }
 
-	context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, b.eth.BlockChain())
+	context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, b.eth.BlockChain(), nil)
 	return vm.NewEVM(context, statedb, b.eth.chainConfig, vmCfg), vmError, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/ethstats/ethstats.go b/ethstats/ethstats.go
index aec8eb8bf6..c16163ace7 100644
--- a/ethstats/ethstats.go
+++ b/ethstats/ethstats.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth"
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ type Service struct {
 	server *p2p.Server        // Peer-to-peer server to retrieve networking infos
 	eth    *eth.Ethereum      // Full Ethereum service if monitoring a full node
 	les    *les.LightEthereum // Light Ethereum service if monitoring a light node
+	engine consensus.Engine   // Consensus engine to retrieve variadic block fields
 
 	node string // Name of the node to display on the monitoring page
 	pass string // Password to authorize access to the monitoring page
@@ -72,9 +74,16 @@ func New(url string, ethServ *eth.Ethereum, lesServ *les.LightEthereum) (*Servic
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid netstats url: \"%s\", should be nodename:secret@host:port", url)
 	}
 	// Assemble and return the stats service
+	var engine consensus.Engine
+	if ethServ != nil {
+		engine = ethServ.Engine()
+	} else {
+		engine = lesServ.Engine()
+	}
 	return &Service{
 		eth:    ethServ,
 		les:    lesServ,
+		engine: engine,
 		node:   parts[1],
 		pass:   parts[3],
 		host:   parts[4],
@@ -493,12 +502,14 @@ func (s *Service) assembleBlockStats(block *types.Block) *blockStats {
 		td = s.les.BlockChain().GetTd(header.Hash(), header.Number.Uint64())
 	}
 	// Assemble and return the block stats
+	author, _ := s.engine.Author(header)
+
 	return &blockStats{
 		Number:     header.Number,
 		Hash:       header.Hash(),
 		ParentHash: header.ParentHash,
 		Timestamp:  header.Time,
-		Miner:      header.Coinbase,
+		Miner:      author,
 		GasUsed:    new(big.Int).Set(header.GasUsed),
 		GasLimit:   new(big.Int).Set(header.GasLimit),
 		Diff:       header.Difficulty.String(),
diff --git a/les/api_backend.go b/les/api_backend.go
index 67de3bcd5c..7d69046deb 100644
--- a/les/api_backend.go
+++ b/les/api_backend.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func (b *LesApiBackend) GetEVM(ctx context.Context, msg core.Message, state etha
 	from.SetBalance(math.MaxBig256)
 
 	vmstate := light.NewVMState(ctx, stateDb)
-	context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, b.eth.blockchain)
+	context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, b.eth.blockchain, nil)
 	return vm.NewEVM(context, vmstate, b.eth.chainConfig, vmCfg), vmstate.Error, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/les/backend.go b/les/backend.go
index 3aad16fa0e..5670b77d25 100644
--- a/les/backend.go
+++ b/les/backend.go
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ func (s *LightEthereum) ResetWithGenesisBlock(gb *types.Block) {
 
 func (s *LightEthereum) BlockChain() *light.LightChain      { return s.blockchain }
 func (s *LightEthereum) TxPool() *light.TxPool              { return s.txPool }
+func (s *LightEthereum) Engine() consensus.Engine           { return s.engine }
 func (s *LightEthereum) LesVersion() int                    { return int(s.protocolManager.SubProtocols[0].Version) }
 func (s *LightEthereum) Downloader() *downloader.Downloader { return s.protocolManager.downloader }
 func (s *LightEthereum) EventMux() *event.TypeMux           { return s.eventMux }
diff --git a/les/odr_test.go b/les/odr_test.go
index 6b074f1a22..532de4d80b 100644
--- a/les/odr_test.go
+++ b/les/odr_test.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func odrContractCall(ctx context.Context, db ethdb.Database, config *params.Chai
 
 				msg := callmsg{types.NewMessage(from.Address(), &testContractAddr, 0, new(big.Int), big.NewInt(100000), new(big.Int), data, false)}
 
-				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, bc)
+				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, bc, nil)
 				vmenv := vm.NewEVM(context, statedb, config, vm.Config{})
 
 				//vmenv := core.NewEnv(statedb, config, bc, msg, header, vm.Config{})
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func odrContractCall(ctx context.Context, db ethdb.Database, config *params.Chai
 
 				msg := callmsg{types.NewMessage(from.Address(), &testContractAddr, 0, new(big.Int), big.NewInt(100000), new(big.Int), data, false)}
 
-				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, lc)
+				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, lc, nil)
 				vmenv := vm.NewEVM(context, vmstate, config, vm.Config{})
 
 				//vmenv := light.NewEnv(ctx, state, config, lc, msg, header, vm.Config{})
diff --git a/light/lightchain.go b/light/lightchain.go
index 4073e39e59..e8fd0ba5e2 100644
--- a/light/lightchain.go
+++ b/light/lightchain.go
@@ -213,6 +213,9 @@ func (bc *LightChain) ResetWithGenesisBlock(genesis *types.Block) {
 
 // Accessors
 
+// Engine retrieves the light chain's consensus engine.
+func (bc *LightChain) Engine() consensus.Engine { return bc.engine }
+
 // Genesis returns the genesis block
 func (bc *LightChain) Genesis() *types.Block {
 	return bc.genesisBlock
diff --git a/light/odr_test.go b/light/odr_test.go
index ca33db2463..576e3abc9a 100644
--- a/light/odr_test.go
+++ b/light/odr_test.go
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func odrContractCall(ctx context.Context, db ethdb.Database, bc *core.BlockChain
 
 				msg := callmsg{types.NewMessage(from.Address(), &testContractAddr, 0, new(big.Int), big.NewInt(1000000), new(big.Int), data, false)}
 
-				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, bc)
+				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, bc, nil)
 				vmenv := vm.NewEVM(context, statedb, config, vm.Config{})
 
 				gp := new(core.GasPool).AddGas(math.MaxBig256)
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func odrContractCall(ctx context.Context, db ethdb.Database, bc *core.BlockChain
 				from.SetBalance(math.MaxBig256)
 
 				msg := callmsg{types.NewMessage(from.Address(), &testContractAddr, 0, new(big.Int), big.NewInt(1000000), new(big.Int), data, false)}
-				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, lc)
+				context := core.NewEVMContext(msg, header, lc, nil)
 				vmenv := vm.NewEVM(context, vmstate, config, vm.Config{})
 				gp := new(core.GasPool).AddGas(math.MaxBig256)
 				ret, _, _ := core.ApplyMessage(vmenv, msg, gp)
diff --git a/miner/worker.go b/miner/worker.go
index 8a67b12a6a..01241b3f30 100644
--- a/miner/worker.go
+++ b/miner/worker.go
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ func (self *worker) update() {
 				txs := map[common.Address]types.Transactions{acc: {ev.Tx}}
 				txset := types.NewTransactionsByPriceAndNonce(txs)
 
-				self.current.commitTransactions(self.mux, txset, self.gasPrice, self.chain)
+				self.current.commitTransactions(self.mux, txset, self.gasPrice, self.chain, self.coinbase)
 				self.currentMu.Unlock()
 			}
 		}
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ func (self *worker) commitNewWork() {
 		return
 	}
 	txs := types.NewTransactionsByPriceAndNonce(pending)
-	work.commitTransactions(self.mux, txs, self.gasPrice, self.chain)
+	work.commitTransactions(self.mux, txs, self.gasPrice, self.chain, self.coinbase)
 
 	self.eth.TxPool().RemoveBatch(work.lowGasTxs)
 	self.eth.TxPool().RemoveBatch(work.failedTxs)
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ func (self *worker) commitUncle(work *Work, uncle *types.Header) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (env *Work) commitTransactions(mux *event.TypeMux, txs *types.TransactionsByPriceAndNonce, gasPrice *big.Int, bc *core.BlockChain) {
+func (env *Work) commitTransactions(mux *event.TypeMux, txs *types.TransactionsByPriceAndNonce, gasPrice *big.Int, bc *core.BlockChain, coinbase common.Address) {
 	gp := new(core.GasPool).AddGas(env.header.GasLimit)
 
 	var coalescedLogs []*types.Log
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ func (env *Work) commitTransactions(mux *event.TypeMux, txs *types.TransactionsB
 		// Start executing the transaction
 		env.state.StartRecord(tx.Hash(), common.Hash{}, env.tcount)
 
-		err, logs := env.commitTransaction(tx, bc, gp)
+		err, logs := env.commitTransaction(tx, bc, coinbase, gp)
 		switch err {
 		case core.ErrGasLimitReached:
 			// Pop the current out-of-gas transaction without shifting in the next from the account
@@ -594,10 +594,10 @@ func (env *Work) commitTransactions(mux *event.TypeMux, txs *types.TransactionsB
 	}
 }
 
-func (env *Work) commitTransaction(tx *types.Transaction, bc *core.BlockChain, gp *core.GasPool) (error, []*types.Log) {
+func (env *Work) commitTransaction(tx *types.Transaction, bc *core.BlockChain, coinbase common.Address, gp *core.GasPool) (error, []*types.Log) {
 	snap := env.state.Snapshot()
 
-	receipt, _, err := core.ApplyTransaction(env.config, bc, gp, env.state, env.header, tx, env.header.GasUsed, vm.Config{})
+	receipt, _, err := core.ApplyTransaction(env.config, bc, &coinbase, gp, env.state, env.header, tx, env.header.GasUsed, vm.Config{})
 	if err != nil {
 		env.state.RevertToSnapshot(snap)
 		return err, nil