diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index bb627a5448..af34ed7a93 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ BITCOIN_INCLUDES += -I$(srcdir)/univalue/include
 LIBBITCOIN_SERVER=libbitcoin_server.a
 LIBBITCOIN_WALLET=libbitcoin_wallet.a
 LIBBITCOIN_COMMON=libbitcoin_common.a
+LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS=libbitcoin_consensus.a
 LIBBITCOIN_CLI=libbitcoin_cli.a
 LIBBITCOIN_UTIL=libbitcoin_util.a
 LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO=crypto/libbitcoin_crypto.a
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ EXTRA_LIBRARIES = \
   crypto/libbitcoin_crypto.a \
   libbitcoin_util.a \
   libbitcoin_common.a \
+  libbitcoin_consensus.a \
   libbitcoin_server.a \
   libbitcoin_cli.a
 if ENABLE_WALLET
@@ -59,9 +61,9 @@ endif
 
 if BUILD_BITCOIN_LIBS
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libbitcoinconsensus.la
-LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS=libbitcoinconsensus.la
+LIBBITCOINCONSENSUS=libbitcoinconsensus.la
 else
-LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS=
+LIBBITCOINCONSENSUS=
 endif
 
 bin_PROGRAMS =
@@ -81,7 +83,6 @@ endif
 BITCOIN_CORE_H = \
   addrman.h \
   alert.h \
-  amount.h \
   arith_uint256.h \
   base58.h \
   bloom.h \
@@ -105,7 +106,6 @@ BITCOIN_CORE_H = \
   consensus/validation.h \
   core_io.h \
   core_memusage.h \
-  hash.h \
   httprpc.h \
   httpserver.h \
   init.h \
@@ -124,24 +124,17 @@ BITCOIN_CORE_H = \
   policy/fees.h \
   policy/policy.h \
   pow.h \
-  prevector.h \
   primitives/block.h \
-  primitives/transaction.h \
   protocol.h \
-  pubkey.h \
   random.h \
   reverselock.h \
   rpcclient.h \
   rpcprotocol.h \
   rpcserver.h \
   scheduler.h \
-  script/interpreter.h \
-  script/script.h \
-  script/script_error.h \
   script/sigcache.h \
   script/sign.h \
   script/standard.h \
-  serialize.h \
   streams.h \
   support/allocators/secure.h \
   support/allocators/zeroafterfree.h \
@@ -150,19 +143,15 @@ BITCOIN_CORE_H = \
   sync.h \
   threadsafety.h \
   timedata.h \
-  tinyformat.h \
   torcontrol.h \
   txdb.h \
   txmempool.h \
   ui_interface.h \
-  uint256.h \
   undo.h \
   util.h \
   utilmoneystr.h \
-  utilstrencodings.h \
   utiltime.h \
   validationinterface.h \
-  version.h \
   wallet/crypter.h \
   wallet/db.h \
   wallet/wallet.h \
@@ -260,6 +249,33 @@ crypto_libbitcoin_crypto_a_SOURCES = \
   crypto/sha512.cpp \
   crypto/sha512.h
 
+# consensus: shared between all executables that validate any consensus rules.
+libbitcoin_consensus_a_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(BITCOIN_INCLUDES)
+libbitcoin_consensus_a_CXXFLAGS = $(AM_CXXFLAGS) $(PIE_FLAGS)
+libbitcoin_consensus_a_SOURCES = \
+  amount.h \
+  hash.cpp \
+  hash.h \
+  prevector.h \
+  primitives/transaction.cpp \
+  primitives/transaction.h \
+  pubkey.cpp \
+  pubkey.h \
+  script/bitcoinconsensus.cpp \
+  script/interpreter.cpp \
+  script/interpreter.h \
+  script/script.cpp \
+  script/script.h \
+  script/script_error.cpp \
+  script/script_error.h \
+  serialize.h \
+  tinyformat.h \
+  uint256.cpp \
+  uint256.h \
+  utilstrencodings.cpp \
+  utilstrencodings.h \
+  version.h
+
 # common: shared between bitcoind, and bitcoin-qt and non-server tools
 libbitcoin_common_a_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(BITCOIN_INCLUDES)
 libbitcoin_common_a_CXXFLAGS = $(AM_CXXFLAGS) $(PIE_FLAGS)
@@ -273,18 +289,12 @@ libbitcoin_common_a_SOURCES = \
   consensus/merkle.cpp \
   core_read.cpp \
   core_write.cpp \
-  hash.cpp \
   key.cpp \
   keystore.cpp \
   netbase.cpp \
   primitives/block.cpp \
-  primitives/transaction.cpp \
   protocol.cpp \
-  pubkey.cpp \
   scheduler.cpp \
-  script/interpreter.cpp \
-  script/script.cpp \
-  script/script_error.cpp \
   script/sign.cpp \
   script/standard.cpp \
   $(BITCOIN_CORE_H)
@@ -305,7 +315,6 @@ libbitcoin_util_a_SOURCES = \
   rpcprotocol.cpp \
   support/cleanse.cpp \
   sync.cpp \
-  uint256.cpp \
   util.cpp \
   utilmoneystr.cpp \
   utilstrencodings.cpp \
@@ -341,6 +350,7 @@ bitcoind_LDADD = \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) \
   $(LIBUNIVALUE) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) \
+  $(LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) \
   $(LIBLEVELDB) \
   $(LIBMEMENV) \
@@ -388,6 +398,7 @@ bitcoin_tx_LDADD = \
   $(LIBUNIVALUE) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) \
+  $(LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) \
   $(LIBSECP256K1)
 
@@ -403,14 +414,7 @@ libbitcoinconsensus_la_SOURCES = \
   crypto/sha1.cpp \
   crypto/sha256.cpp \
   crypto/sha512.cpp \
-  hash.cpp \
-  primitives/transaction.cpp \
-  pubkey.cpp \
-  script/bitcoinconsensus.cpp \
-  script/interpreter.cpp \
-  script/script.cpp \
-  uint256.cpp \
-  utilstrencodings.cpp
+  $(libbitcoin_consensus_a_SOURCES)
 
 if GLIBC_BACK_COMPAT
   libbitcoinconsensus_la_SOURCES += compat/glibc_compat.cpp
diff --git a/src/Makefile.bench.include b/src/Makefile.bench.include
index d660a3a747..d3cecb6b43 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.bench.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.bench.include
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ bench_bench_bitcoin_LDADD = \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_UNIVALUE) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) \
+  $(LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS) \
   $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) \
   $(LIBLEVELDB) \
   $(LIBMEMENV) \
diff --git a/src/Makefile.qt.include b/src/Makefile.qt.include
index a390d96a9f..18a45e6ac9 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.qt.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.qt.include
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ endif
 if ENABLE_ZMQ
 qt_bitcoin_qt_LDADD += $(LIBBITCOIN_ZMQ) $(ZMQ_LIBS)
 endif
-qt_bitcoin_qt_LDADD += $(LIBBITCOIN_CLI) $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) $(LIBUNIVALUE) $(LIBLEVELDB) $(LIBMEMENV) \
+qt_bitcoin_qt_LDADD += $(LIBBITCOIN_CLI) $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) $(LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS) $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) $(LIBUNIVALUE) $(LIBLEVELDB) $(LIBMEMENV) \
   $(BOOST_LIBS) $(QT_LIBS) $(QT_DBUS_LIBS) $(QR_LIBS) $(PROTOBUF_LIBS) $(BDB_LIBS) $(SSL_LIBS) $(CRYPTO_LIBS) $(MINIUPNPC_LIBS) $(LIBSECP256K1) \
   $(EVENT_PTHREADS_LIBS) $(EVENT_LIBS)
 qt_bitcoin_qt_LDFLAGS = $(RELDFLAGS) $(AM_LDFLAGS) $(QT_LDFLAGS) $(LIBTOOL_APP_LDFLAGS)
diff --git a/src/Makefile.qttest.include b/src/Makefile.qttest.include
index ede3fac4c3..813a343ffa 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.qttest.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.qttest.include
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ endif
 if ENABLE_ZMQ
 qt_test_test_bitcoin_qt_LDADD += $(LIBBITCOIN_ZMQ) $(ZMQ_LIBS)
 endif
-qt_test_test_bitcoin_qt_LDADD += $(LIBBITCOIN_CLI) $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) $(LIBUNIVALUE) $(LIBLEVELDB) \
+qt_test_test_bitcoin_qt_LDADD += $(LIBBITCOIN_CLI) $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) $(LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS) $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) $(LIBUNIVALUE) $(LIBLEVELDB) \
   $(LIBMEMENV) $(BOOST_LIBS) $(QT_DBUS_LIBS) $(QT_TEST_LIBS) $(QT_LIBS) \
   $(QR_LIBS) $(PROTOBUF_LIBS) $(BDB_LIBS) $(SSL_LIBS) $(CRYPTO_LIBS) $(MINIUPNPC_LIBS) $(LIBSECP256K1) \
   $(EVENT_PTHREADS_LIBS) $(EVENT_LIBS)
diff --git a/src/Makefile.test.include b/src/Makefile.test.include
index 4d0894b711..88ee5bad7c 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.test.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.test.include
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ endif
 
 test_test_bitcoin_SOURCES = $(BITCOIN_TESTS) $(JSON_TEST_FILES) $(RAW_TEST_FILES)
 test_test_bitcoin_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(BITCOIN_INCLUDES) -I$(builddir)/test/ $(TESTDEFS)
-test_test_bitcoin_LDADD = $(LIBBITCOIN_SERVER) $(LIBBITCOIN_CLI) $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) $(LIBUNIVALUE) $(LIBLEVELDB) $(LIBMEMENV) \
+test_test_bitcoin_LDADD = $(LIBBITCOIN_SERVER) $(LIBBITCOIN_CLI) $(LIBBITCOIN_COMMON) $(LIBBITCOIN_UTIL) $(LIBBITCOIN_CONSENSUS) $(LIBBITCOIN_CRYPTO) $(LIBUNIVALUE) $(LIBLEVELDB) $(LIBMEMENV) \
   $(BOOST_LIBS) $(BOOST_UNIT_TEST_FRAMEWORK_LIB) $(LIBSECP256K1)
 test_test_bitcoin_CXXFLAGS = $(AM_CXXFLAGS) $(PIE_FLAGS)
 if ENABLE_WALLET