diff --git a/PENDING.md b/PENDING.md
index aaa663f10834..a684ea8820e6 100644
--- a/PENDING.md
+++ b/PENDING.md
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ BUG FIXES
 * Gaia REST API
 
 * Gaia CLI  (`gaiacli`)
+  - [\#3417](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/3417) Fix `q slashing signing-info` panic by ensuring safety of user input and properly returning not found error
 
 * Gaia
 
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go b/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go
index 51d26833fe03..845f4c95dfb8 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go
@@ -977,6 +977,10 @@ func TestSlashingGetParams(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, time.Duration(120000000000), params.MaxEvidenceAge)
 	require.Equal(t, int64(100), params.SignedBlocksWindow)
 	require.Equal(t, sdk.NewDecWithPrec(5, 1), params.MinSignedPerWindow)
+
+	sinfo := f.QuerySigningInfo(f.GDTendermint("show-validator"))
+	require.Equal(t, int64(0), sinfo.StartHeight)
+	require.False(t, sinfo.Tombstoned)
 }
 
 func TestValidateGenesis(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/cli_test/test_helpers.go b/cmd/gaia/cli_test/test_helpers.go
index 1be9004754de..9b42e592b88a 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/cli_test/test_helpers.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/cli_test/test_helpers.go
@@ -196,7 +196,16 @@ func (f *Fixtures) GDStart(flags ...string) *tests.Process {
 	return proc
 }
 
-// ValidateGenesis runs gaiad validate-genesi
+// GDTendermint returns the results of gaiad tendermint [query]
+func (f *Fixtures) GDTendermint(query string) string {
+	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("gaiad tendermint %s --home=%s", query, f.GDHome)
+	success, stdout, stderr := executeWriteRetStdStreams(f.T, cmd)
+	require.Empty(f.T, stderr)
+	require.True(f.T, success)
+	return strings.TrimSpace(stdout)
+}
+
+// ValidateGenesis runs gaiad validate-genesis
 func (f *Fixtures) ValidateGenesis() {
 	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("gaiad validate-genesis --home=%s", f.GDHome)
 	executeWriteCheckErr(f.T, cmd)
@@ -521,6 +530,18 @@ func (f *Fixtures) QueryGovDeposits(propsalID int, flags ...string) []gov.Deposi
 //___________________________________________________________________________________
 // query slashing
 
+// QuerySigningInfo returns the signing info for a validator
+func (f *Fixtures) QuerySigningInfo(val string) slashing.ValidatorSigningInfo {
+	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli query slashing signing-info %s %s", val, f.Flags())
+	res, errStr := tests.ExecuteT(f.T, cmd, "")
+	require.Empty(f.T, errStr)
+	cdc := app.MakeCodec()
+	var sinfo slashing.ValidatorSigningInfo
+	err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON([]byte(res), &sinfo)
+	require.NoError(f.T, err)
+	return sinfo
+}
+
 // QuerySlashingParams is gaiacli query slashing params
 func (f *Fixtures) QuerySlashingParams() slashing.Params {
 	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli query slashing params %s", f.Flags())
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/init/validate_genesis.go b/cmd/gaia/init/validate_genesis.go
index ed0f6e0a05a2..5f5aae7099a3 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/init/validate_genesis.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/init/validate_genesis.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func ValidateGenesisCmd(ctx *server.Context, cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "validating genesis file at %s\n", genesis)
 
 			var genDoc types.GenesisDoc
-			if genDoc, err = loadGenesisDoc(cdc, genesis); err != nil {
+			if genDoc, err = LoadGenesisDoc(cdc, genesis); err != nil {
 				return errors.Errorf("Error loading genesis doc from %s: %s", genesis, err.Error())
 			}
 
diff --git a/x/slashing/client/cli/query.go b/x/slashing/client/cli/query.go
index fa5f882cc69e..5354e6e23d9e 100644
--- a/x/slashing/client/cli/query.go
+++ b/x/slashing/client/cli/query.go
@@ -25,15 +25,20 @@ func GetCmdQuerySigningInfo(storeName string, cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			key := slashing.GetValidatorSigningInfoKey(sdk.ConsAddress(pk.Address()))
+			consAddr := sdk.ConsAddress(pk.Address())
+			key := slashing.GetValidatorSigningInfoKey(consAddr)
 
 			res, err := cliCtx.QueryStore(key, storeName)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
+			if len(res) == 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf("Validator %s not found in slashing store", consAddr)
+			}
+
 			var signingInfo slashing.ValidatorSigningInfo
-			cdc.MustUnmarshalBinaryLengthPrefixed(res, signingInfo)
+			cdc.MustUnmarshalBinaryLengthPrefixed(res, &signingInfo)
 			return cliCtx.PrintOutput(signingInfo)
 		},
 	}