diff --git a/src/gtest/test_joinsplit.cpp b/src/gtest/test_joinsplit.cpp
index 18f293f1d..17ac7ecb2 100644
--- a/src/gtest/test_joinsplit.cpp
+++ b/src/gtest/test_joinsplit.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ using namespace libzcash;
 
 void test_full_api(ZCJoinSplit* js)
 {
+    // Create verification context.
+    auto verifier = libzcash::ProofVerifier::Strict();
+
     // The recipient's information.
     SpendingKey recipient_key = SpendingKey::random();
     PaymentAddress recipient_addr = recipient_key.address();
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ void test_full_api(ZCJoinSplit* js)
     // Verify the transaction:
     ASSERT_TRUE(js->verify(
         proof,
+        verifier,
         pubKeyHash,
         randomSeed,
         macs,
@@ -143,6 +147,7 @@ void test_full_api(ZCJoinSplit* js)
     // Verify the transaction:
     ASSERT_TRUE(js->verify(
         proof,
+        verifier,
         pubKeyHash,
         randomSeed,
         macs,
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 36b265758..491714f95 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -844,8 +844,9 @@ bool CheckTransaction(const CTransaction& tx, CValidationState &state)
         return false;
     } else {
         // Ensure that zk-SNARKs verify
+        auto verifier = libzcash::ProofVerifier::Strict();
         BOOST_FOREACH(const JSDescription &joinsplit, tx.vjoinsplit) {
-            if (!joinsplit.Verify(*pzcashParams, tx.joinSplitPubKey)) {
+            if (!joinsplit.Verify(*pzcashParams, verifier, tx.joinSplitPubKey)) {
                 return state.DoS(100, error("CheckTransaction(): joinsplit does not verify"),
                                     REJECT_INVALID, "bad-txns-joinsplit-verification-failed");
             }
diff --git a/src/primitives/transaction.cpp b/src/primitives/transaction.cpp
index d1e969360..f6236a2f8 100644
--- a/src/primitives/transaction.cpp
+++ b/src/primitives/transaction.cpp
@@ -70,10 +70,12 @@ JSDescription JSDescription::Randomized(
 
 bool JSDescription::Verify(
     ZCJoinSplit& params,
+    libzcash::ProofVerifier& verifier,
     const uint256& pubKeyHash
 ) const {
     return params.verify(
         proof,
+        verifier,
         pubKeyHash,
         randomSeed,
         macs,
diff --git a/src/primitives/transaction.h b/src/primitives/transaction.h
index 1b144dc45..829588371 100644
--- a/src/primitives/transaction.h
+++ b/src/primitives/transaction.h
@@ -95,7 +95,11 @@ public:
     );
 
     // Verifies that the JoinSplit proof is correct.
-    bool Verify(ZCJoinSplit& params, const uint256& pubKeyHash) const;
+    bool Verify(
+        ZCJoinSplit& params,
+        libzcash::ProofVerifier& verifier,
+        const uint256& pubKeyHash
+    ) const;
 
     // Returns the calculated h_sig
     uint256 h_sig(ZCJoinSplit& params, const uint256& pubKeyHash) const;
diff --git a/src/test/transaction_tests.cpp b/src/test/transaction_tests.cpp
index 672a20d8a..86d59e809 100644
--- a/src/test/transaction_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/transaction_tests.cpp
@@ -341,9 +341,11 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_basic_joinsplit_verification)
         libzcash::JSOutput(addr, 50)
     };
 
+    auto verifier = libzcash::ProofVerifier::Strict();
+
     {
         JSDescription jsdesc(*p, pubKeyHash, rt, inputs, outputs, 0, 0);
-        BOOST_CHECK(jsdesc.Verify(*p, pubKeyHash));
+        BOOST_CHECK(jsdesc.Verify(*p, verifier, pubKeyHash));
 
         CDataStream ss(SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
         ss << jsdesc;
@@ -352,7 +354,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_basic_joinsplit_verification)
         ss >> jsdesc_deserialized;
 
         BOOST_CHECK(jsdesc_deserialized == jsdesc);
-        BOOST_CHECK(jsdesc_deserialized.Verify(*p, pubKeyHash));
+        BOOST_CHECK(jsdesc_deserialized.Verify(*p, verifier, pubKeyHash));
     }
 
     {
@@ -365,7 +367,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(test_basic_joinsplit_verification)
         // Ensure that it won't verify if the root is changed.
         auto test = JSDescription(*p, pubKeyHash, rt, inputs, outputs, 0, 0);
         test.anchor = GetRandHash();
-        BOOST_CHECK(!test.Verify(*p, pubKeyHash));
+        BOOST_CHECK(!test.Verify(*p, verifier, pubKeyHash));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/asyncrpcoperation_sendmany.cpp b/src/wallet/asyncrpcoperation_sendmany.cpp
index 9e27b971a..f01ac45f7 100644
--- a/src/wallet/asyncrpcoperation_sendmany.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/asyncrpcoperation_sendmany.cpp
@@ -926,8 +926,11 @@ Object AsyncRPCOperation_sendmany::perform_joinsplit(
             info.vpub_new,
             !this->testmode);
 
-    if (!(jsdesc.Verify(*pzcashParams, joinSplitPubKey_))) {
-        throw std::runtime_error("error verifying joinsplit");
+    {
+        auto verifier = libzcash::ProofVerifier::Strict();
+        if (!(jsdesc.Verify(*pzcashParams, verifier, joinSplitPubKey_))) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("error verifying joinsplit");
+        }
     }
 
     mtx.vjoinsplit.push_back(jsdesc);
diff --git a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
index b10a08efe..6c26df449 100644
--- a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
@@ -2707,7 +2707,10 @@ Value zc_raw_joinsplit(const json_spirit::Array& params, bool fHelp)
                          vpub_old,
                          vpub_new);
 
-    assert(jsdesc.Verify(*pzcashParams, joinSplitPubKey));
+    {
+        auto verifier = libzcash::ProofVerifier::Strict();
+        assert(jsdesc.Verify(*pzcashParams, verifier, joinSplitPubKey));
+    }
 
     mtx.vjoinsplit.push_back(jsdesc);
 
diff --git a/src/zcash/JoinSplit.cpp b/src/zcash/JoinSplit.cpp
index dad15316e..590700cd9 100644
--- a/src/zcash/JoinSplit.cpp
+++ b/src/zcash/JoinSplit.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #include "zcash/util.h"
 
 #include <memory>
-#include <mutex>
 
 #include <boost/foreach.hpp>
 #include <boost/format.hpp>
@@ -25,8 +24,6 @@ namespace libzcash {
 
 #include "zcash/circuit/gadget.tcc"
 
-std::once_flag init_public_params_once_flag;
-
 CCriticalSection cs_ParamsIO;
 CCriticalSection cs_LoadKeys;
 
@@ -80,10 +77,6 @@ public:
     JoinSplitCircuit() {}
     ~JoinSplitCircuit() {}
 
-    static void initialize() {
-        std::call_once (init_public_params_once_flag, ppzksnark_ppT::init_public_params);
-    }
-
     void setProvingKeyPath(std::string path) {
         pkPath = path;
     }
@@ -151,6 +144,7 @@ public:
 
     bool verify(
         const ZCProof& proof,
+        ProofVerifier& verifier,
         const uint256& pubKeyHash,
         const uint256& randomSeed,
         const boost::array<uint256, NumInputs>& macs,
@@ -179,7 +173,12 @@ public:
                 vpub_new
             );
 
-            return r1cs_ppzksnark_online_verifier_strong_IC<ppzksnark_ppT>(*vk_precomp, witness, r1cs_proof);
+            return verifier.check(
+                *vk,
+                *vk_precomp,
+                witness,
+                r1cs_proof
+            );
         } catch (...) {
             return false;
         }
@@ -358,7 +357,7 @@ public:
 template<size_t NumInputs, size_t NumOutputs>
 JoinSplit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>* JoinSplit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>::Generate()
 {
-    JoinSplitCircuit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>::initialize();
+    initialize_curve_params();
     auto js = new JoinSplitCircuit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>();
     js->generate();
 
@@ -368,7 +367,7 @@ JoinSplit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>* JoinSplit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>::Generate()
 template<size_t NumInputs, size_t NumOutputs>
 JoinSplit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>* JoinSplit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>::Unopened()
 {
-    JoinSplitCircuit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>::initialize();
+    initialize_curve_params();
     return new JoinSplitCircuit<NumInputs, NumOutputs>();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/zcash/JoinSplit.hpp b/src/zcash/JoinSplit.hpp
index 8f17a4c46..a8c08d21b 100644
--- a/src/zcash/JoinSplit.hpp
+++ b/src/zcash/JoinSplit.hpp
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool verify(
         const ZCProof& proof,
+        ProofVerifier& verifier,
         const uint256& pubKeyHash,
         const uint256& randomSeed,
         const boost::array<uint256, NumInputs>& hmacs,
diff --git a/src/zcash/Proof.cpp b/src/zcash/Proof.cpp
index ab7c64483..d45a1d48a 100644
--- a/src/zcash/Proof.cpp
+++ b/src/zcash/Proof.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "Proof.hpp"
 
 #include <boost/static_assert.hpp>
+#include <mutex>
 
 #include "crypto/common.h"
 #include "libsnark/common/default_types/r1cs_ppzksnark_pp.hpp"
@@ -211,4 +212,36 @@ ZCProof ZCProof::random_invalid()
     return p;
 }
 
+std::once_flag init_public_params_once_flag;
+
+void initialize_curve_params()
+{
+    std::call_once (init_public_params_once_flag, curve_pp::init_public_params);
+}
+
+ProofVerifier ProofVerifier::Strict() {
+    initialize_curve_params();
+    return ProofVerifier(true);
+}
+
+ProofVerifier ProofVerifier::Dummy() {
+    initialize_curve_params();
+    return ProofVerifier(false);
+}
+
+template<>
+bool ProofVerifier::check(
+    const r1cs_ppzksnark_verification_key<curve_pp>& vk,
+    const r1cs_ppzksnark_processed_verification_key<curve_pp>& pvk,
+    const r1cs_primary_input<curve_Fr>& primary_input,
+    const r1cs_ppzksnark_proof<curve_pp>& proof
+)
+{
+    if (perform_verification) {
+        return r1cs_ppzksnark_online_verifier_strong_IC<curve_pp>(pvk, primary_input, proof);
+    } else {
+        return true;
+    }
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/src/zcash/Proof.hpp b/src/zcash/Proof.hpp
index b4fdf93b6..c6ec45ee8 100644
--- a/src/zcash/Proof.hpp
+++ b/src/zcash/Proof.hpp
@@ -235,6 +235,36 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+void initialize_curve_params();
+
+class ProofVerifier {
+private:
+    bool perform_verification;
+
+    ProofVerifier(bool perform_verification) : perform_verification(perform_verification) { }
+
+public:
+    // Creates a verification context that strictly verifies
+    // all proofs using libsnark's API.
+    static ProofVerifier Strict();
+
+    // Creates a dummy verification context that performs
+    // no verification, used when avoiding duplicate effort
+    // such as during reindexing.
+    static ProofVerifier Dummy();
+
+    template <typename VerificationKey,
+              typename ProcessedVerificationKey,
+              typename PrimaryInput,
+              typename Proof
+              >
+    bool check(
+        const VerificationKey& vk,
+        const ProcessedVerificationKey& pvk,
+        const PrimaryInput& pi,
+        const Proof& p
+    );
+};
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/zcbenchmarks.cpp b/src/zcbenchmarks.cpp
index 1d60fdde7..dac7bf764 100644
--- a/src/zcbenchmarks.cpp
+++ b/src/zcbenchmarks.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ double benchmark_create_joinsplit()
                          0);
     double ret = timer_stop(tv_start);
 
-    assert(jsdesc.Verify(*pzcashParams, pubKeyHash));
+    auto verifier = libzcash::ProofVerifier::Strict();
+    assert(jsdesc.Verify(*pzcashParams, verifier, pubKeyHash));
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -98,7 +99,8 @@ double benchmark_verify_joinsplit(const JSDescription &joinsplit)
     struct timeval tv_start;
     timer_start(tv_start);
     uint256 pubKeyHash;
-    joinsplit.Verify(*pzcashParams, pubKeyHash);
+    auto verifier = libzcash::ProofVerifier::Strict();
+    joinsplit.Verify(*pzcashParams, verifier, pubKeyHash);
     return timer_stop(tv_start);
 }