diff --git a/beacon_node/websocket_server/Cargo.toml b/beacon_node/websocket_server/Cargo.toml
index 0ed8d628cc..e53e0a917f 100644
--- a/beacon_node/websocket_server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/beacon_node/websocket_server/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ edition = "2018"
 # See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
 
 [dependencies]
-futures = "0.1.29"
+futures = "0.3"
 serde = "1.0.102"
 serde_derive = "1.0.102"
 serde_json = "1.0.41"
 slog = "2.5.2"
-tokio = "0.1.22"
+tokio = { version = "0.2", features = ["full"] }
 types = { path = "../../eth2/types" }
 ws = "0.9.1"
diff --git a/beacon_node/websocket_server/src/lib.rs b/beacon_node/websocket_server/src/lib.rs
index 01b48ab18b..c6f1b537cc 100644
--- a/beacon_node/websocket_server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/websocket_server/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-use futures::Future;
+use futures::future::TryFutureExt;
 use slog::{debug, error, info, warn, Logger};
 use std::marker::PhantomData;
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
-use std::thread;
-use tokio::runtime::TaskExecutor;
+use tokio::runtime::Handle;
 use types::EthSpec;
 use ws::{Sender, WebSocket};
 
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ impl<T: EthSpec> WebSocketSender<T> {
 
 pub fn start_server<T: EthSpec>(
     config: &Config,
-    executor: &TaskExecutor,
+    handle: &Handle,
     log: &Logger,
 ) -> Result<
     (
@@ -87,19 +86,21 @@ pub fn start_server<T: EthSpec>(
                 } else {
                     info!(log_inner, "Websocket server shutdown");
                 }
-                Ok(())
+                futures::future::ok(())
             })
             .map_err(|_| ());
 
-        // Place a future on the executor that will shutdown the websocket server when the
+        // Place a future on the handle that will shutdown the websocket server when the
         // application exits.
-        executor.spawn(exit_future);
+        handle.spawn(exit_future);
 
         exit_channel
     };
 
     let log_inner = log.clone();
-    let _handle = thread::spawn(move || match server.run() {
+    // TODO: using tokio `spawn_blocking` instead of `thread::spawn`
+    // Check which is more apt
+    let _handle = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || match server.run() {
         Ok(_) => {
             debug!(
                 log_inner,