diff --git a/components/NetworkStatusItem.qml b/components/NetworkStatusItem.qml
index 6667b974..7b0187b4 100644
--- a/components/NetworkStatusItem.qml
+++ b/components/NetworkStatusItem.qml
@@ -48,8 +48,11 @@ Row {
     }
 
     function getConnectionStatusString(status) {
-        if (status == Wallet.ConnectionStatus_Connected)
+        if (status == Wallet.ConnectionStatus_Connected) {
+            if(!appWindow.daemonSynced)
+                return qsTr("Synchronizing")
             return qsTr("Connected")
+        }
         if (status == Wallet.ConnectionStatus_WrongVersion)
             return qsTr("Wrong version")
         if (status == Wallet.ConnectionStatus_Disconnected)
diff --git a/components/ProgressBar.qml b/components/ProgressBar.qml
index ec53ec61..0c1519de 100644
--- a/components/ProgressBar.qml
+++ b/components/ProgressBar.qml
@@ -37,11 +37,24 @@ Item {
     visible: false
     //clip: true
 
-    function updateProgress(currentBlock,targetBlock){
+    function updateProgress(currentBlock,targetBlock, blocksToSync){
+        if(targetBlock == 1) {
+            fillLevel = 0
+            progressText.text = qsTr("Establishing connection...");
+            progressBar.visible = true
+            return
+        }
+
         if(targetBlock > 0) {
-            var progressLevel = ((currentBlock/targetBlock) * 100).toFixed(0);
+            var remaining = targetBlock - currentBlock
+            // wallet sync
+            if(blocksToSync > 0)
+                var progressLevel = (100*(blocksToSync - remaining)/blocksToSync).toFixed(0);
+            // Daemon sync
+            else
+                var progressLevel = (100*(currentBlock/targetBlock)).toFixed(0);
             fillLevel = progressLevel
-            progressText.text = qsTr("Synchronizing blocks %1/%2").arg(currentBlock.toFixed(0)).arg(targetBlock.toFixed(0));
+            progressText.text = qsTr("Blocks remaining: %1").arg(remaining.toFixed(0));
             progressBar.visible = currentBlock < targetBlock
         }
     }
diff --git a/main.qml b/main.qml
index 843c43b4..91de9efd 100644
--- a/main.qml
+++ b/main.qml
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ ApplicationWindow {
     property bool foundNewBlock: false
     property int timeToUnlock: 0
     property bool qrScannerEnabled: builtWithScanner && (QtMultimedia.availableCameras.length > 0)
+    property int blocksToSync: 1
 
     // true if wallet ever synchronized
     property bool walletInitialized : false
@@ -351,10 +352,10 @@ ApplicationWindow {
         // Check daemon status
         var dCurrentBlock = currentWallet.daemonBlockChainHeight();
         var dTargetBlock = currentWallet.daemonBlockChainTargetHeight();
-
         // Daemon fully synced
         // TODO: implement onDaemonSynced or similar in wallet API and don't start refresh thread before daemon is synced
-        daemonSynced = dCurrentBlock >= dTargetBlock
+        // targetBlock = currentBlock = 1 before network connection is established.
+        daemonSynced = dCurrentBlock >= dTargetBlock && dTargetBlock != 1
         // Update daemon sync progress
         leftPanel.progressBar.updateProgress(dCurrentBlock,dTargetBlock);
         leftPanel.progressBar.visible =  !daemonSynced && currentWallet.connected() !== Wallet.ConnectionStatus_Disconnected
@@ -408,7 +409,12 @@ ApplicationWindow {
 
     function onWalletNewBlock(blockHeight, targetHeight) {
         // Update progress bar
-        leftPanel.progressBar.updateProgress(blockHeight,targetHeight);
+        var remaining = targetHeight - blockHeight;
+        if(blocksToSync < remaining) {
+            blocksToSync = remaining;
+        }
+
+        leftPanel.progressBar.updateProgress(blockHeight,targetHeight, blocksToSync);
         foundNewBlock = true;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/daemon/DaemonManager.cpp b/src/daemon/DaemonManager.cpp
index e1e89f61..0820b462 100644
--- a/src/daemon/DaemonManager.cpp
+++ b/src/daemon/DaemonManager.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ bool DaemonManager::start(const QString &flags, bool testnet)
             arguments << str;
     }
 
-    arguments << "--updates" << "disabled";
+    arguments << "--check-updates" << "disabled";
 
     qDebug() << "starting monerod " + m_monerod;
     qDebug() << "With command line arguments " << arguments;
diff --git a/src/libwalletqt/Wallet.cpp b/src/libwalletqt/Wallet.cpp
index 8913d4c3..77b35d06 100644
--- a/src/libwalletqt/Wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/libwalletqt/Wallet.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 namespace {
     static const int DAEMON_BLOCKCHAIN_HEIGHT_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS = 5;
-    static const int DAEMON_BLOCKCHAIN_TARGET_HEIGHT_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS = 60;
+    static const int DAEMON_BLOCKCHAIN_TARGET_HEIGHT_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS = 30;
     static const int WALLET_CONNECTION_STATUS_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS = 5;
 }
 
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ quint64 Wallet::daemonBlockChainHeight() const
 
 quint64 Wallet::daemonBlockChainTargetHeight() const
 {
-    if (m_daemonBlockChainTargetHeight == 0
+    if (m_daemonBlockChainTargetHeight <= 1
             || m_daemonBlockChainTargetHeightTime.elapsed() / 1000 > m_daemonBlockChainTargetHeightTtl) {
         m_daemonBlockChainTargetHeight = m_walletImpl->daemonBlockChainTargetHeight();