diff --git a/lighthouse/state/block/block.rs b/lighthouse/state/block/block.rs
index bfc2e1b402..115cbcd0ea 100644
--- a/lighthouse/state/block/block.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/state/block/block.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,20 @@
 use super::utils::types::Hash256;
-use super::attestation_record::AttestationRecord;
+use super::attestation_record::{
+    AttestationRecord,
+    MIN_SSZ_ATTESTION_RECORD_LENGTH,
+};
 use super::ssz::{ Encodable, SszStream };
 
-const SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH: usize = 192;
+pub const MIN_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH: usize = {
+    4 + 32 +    // parent_hash
+    8 +     // slot_number
+    4 + 32 +    // randao_reveal
+    4 + MIN_SSZ_ATTESTION_RECORD_LENGTH +  // attestations (minimum one)
+    4 + 32 +    // pow_chain_ref
+    4 + 32 +    // active_state_root
+    4 + 32      // crystallized_state_root
+};
+pub const MAX_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH: usize = MIN_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH + (1 << 24);
 
 pub struct Block {
     pub parent_hash: Hash256,
@@ -26,23 +38,6 @@ impl Block {
             crystallized_state_root: Hash256::zero(),
         }
     }
-
-    /// Return the bytes that should be signed in order to
-    /// attest for this block.
-    pub fn encode_for_signing(&self)
-        -> [u8; SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH]
-    {
-        let mut s = SszStream::new();
-        s.append(&self.parent_hash);
-        s.append(&self.slot_number);
-        s.append(&self.randao_reveal);
-        s.append(&self.pow_chain_ref);
-        s.append(&self.active_state_root);
-        s.append(&self.crystallized_state_root);
-        let vec = s.drain();
-        let mut encoded = [0; SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH];
-        encoded.copy_from_slice(&vec); encoded
-    }
 }
 
 impl Encodable for Block {
@@ -54,8 +49,6 @@ impl Encodable for Block {
         s.append(&self.pow_chain_ref);
         s.append(&self.active_state_root);
         s.append(&self.crystallized_state_root);
-        // TODO: encode the aggregate sig correctly
-        s.append_vec(&vec![0_u8; 64])
     }
 }
 
@@ -75,4 +68,16 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(b.active_state_root.is_zero());
         assert!(b.crystallized_state_root.is_zero());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    pub fn test_block_min_ssz_length() {
+        let mut b = Block::zero();
+        b.attestations = vec![AttestationRecord::zero()];
+
+        let mut ssz_stream = SszStream::new();
+        ssz_stream.append(&b);
+        let ssz = ssz_stream.drain();
+
+        assert_eq!(ssz.len(), MIN_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lighthouse/state/block/ssz_block.rs b/lighthouse/state/block/ssz_block.rs
index 8643a531ed..055549f4a8 100644
--- a/lighthouse/state/block/ssz_block.rs
+++ b/lighthouse/state/block/ssz_block.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ use super::ssz::decode::{
     Decodable,
 };
 use super::utils::hash::canonical_hash;
-use super::attestation_record::MIN_SSZ_ATTESTION_RECORD_LENGTH;
+use super::block::{
+    MIN_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH,
+    MAX_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH,
+};
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum BlockValidatorError {
@@ -16,16 +19,6 @@ pub enum BlockValidatorError {
 }
 
 const LENGTH_BYTES: usize = 4;
-const MIN_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH: usize = {
-    32 +    // parent_hash
-    8 +     // slot_number
-    32 +    // randao_reveal
-    LENGTH_BYTES +     // attestations (assuming zero)
-    32 +    // pow_chain_ref
-    32 +    // active_state_root
-    32      // crystallized_state_root
-};
-const MAX_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH: usize = MIN_SSZ_BLOCK_LENGTH + (1 << 24);
 
 /// Allows for reading of block values directly from serialized
 /// ssz bytes.
@@ -61,13 +54,6 @@ impl<'a> SszBlock<'a> {
          */
         let attestation_len = decode_length(ssz, 72, LENGTH_BYTES)
             .map_err(|_| BlockValidatorError::TooShort)?;
-        if attestation_len < MIN_SSZ_ATTESTION_RECORD_LENGTH {
-            return Err(BlockValidatorError::NoAttestationRecords)
-        }
-        /*
-         * Ensure that the SSZ is long enough, now we know the
-         * length of the attestation records field.
-         */
         if len < (76 + attestation_len + 96) {
             return Err(BlockValidatorError::TooShort);
         }