diff --git a/ethcore/src/block.rs b/ethcore/src/block.rs
index 16d3e2216..eb9d66124 100644
--- a/ethcore/src/block.rs
+++ b/ethcore/src/block.rs
@@ -309,15 +309,10 @@ impl ClosedBlock {
 	pub fn try_seal(self, engine: &Engine, seal: Vec<Bytes>) -> Result<SealedBlock, ClosedBlock> {
 		let mut s = self;
 		s.block.base.header.set_seal(seal);
-		if let Err(e) = engine.verify_block_basic(&s.block.base.header, None) {
-			debug!("Failed to try_seal: {:?}", e);
-			return Err(s);
+		match engine.verify_block_seal(&s.block.base.header) {
+			Err(_) => Err(s),
+			_ => Ok(SealedBlock { block: s.block, uncle_bytes: s.uncle_bytes }),
 		}
-		if let Err(e) = engine.verify_block_unordered(&s.block.base.header, None) {
-			debug!("Failed to try_seal: {:?}", e);
-			return Err(s);
-		}
-		Ok(SealedBlock { block: s.block, uncle_bytes: s.uncle_bytes })
 	}
 
 	/// Drop this object and return the underlieing database.
diff --git a/ethcore/src/engine.rs b/ethcore/src/engine.rs
index c57be3cdb..a05c78ff5 100644
--- a/ethcore/src/engine.rs
+++ b/ethcore/src/engine.rs
@@ -74,6 +74,13 @@ pub trait Engine : Sync + Send {
 	/// Verify a particular transaction is valid.
 	fn verify_transaction(&self, _t: &SignedTransaction, _header: &Header) -> Result<(), Error> { Ok(()) }
 
+	/// Verify the seal of a block. This is an auxilliary method that actually just calls other `verify_` methods
+	/// to get the job done. By default it must pass `verify_basic` and `verify_block_unordered`. If more or fewer
+	/// methods are needed for an Engine, this may be overridden.
+	fn verify_block_seal(&self, header: &Header) -> Result<(), Error> {
+		self.verify_block_basic(header, None).and_then(|_| self.verify_block_unordered(header, None))
+	}
+
 	/// Don't forget to call Super::populateFromParent when subclassing & overriding.
 	// TODO: consider including State in the params.
 	fn populate_from_parent(&self, _header: &mut Header, _parent: &Header) {}