diff --git a/src/callrpc.cpp b/src/callrpc.cpp
index 1c07573ce2..357cd2099d 100644
--- a/src/callrpc.cpp
+++ b/src/callrpc.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ UniValue CallRPC(const std::string& strMethod, const UniValue& params, bool conn
     return reply;
 }
 
-bool IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(const uint256& hash, int nMinConfirmationDepth)
+bool IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(const uint256& hash, const int nMinConfirmationDepth, const int nbTxs)
 {
     try {
         UniValue params(UniValue::VARR);
@@ -189,8 +189,21 @@ bool IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(const uint256& hash, int nMinConfirmationDepth)
         UniValue result = find_value(reply, "result");
         if (!result.isObject())
             return false;
-        result = find_value(result.get_obj(), "confirmations");
-        return result.isNum() && result.get_int64() >= nMinConfirmationDepth;
+
+        UniValue confirmations = find_value(result.get_obj(), "confirmations");
+        if (!confirmations.isNum() || confirmations.get_int64() < nMinConfirmationDepth) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        // Only perform extra test if nbTxs has been provided (non-zero).
+        if (nbTxs != 0) {
+            UniValue nTx = find_value(result.get_obj(), "nTx");
+            if (!nTx.isNum() || nTx.get_int64() != nbTxs) {
+                LogPrintf("ERROR: Invalid number of transactions in merkle block for %s", 
+                        hash.GetHex());
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
     } catch (CConnectionFailed& e) {
         LogPrintf("ERROR: Lost connection to bitcoind RPC, you will want to restart after fixing this!\n");
         return false;
diff --git a/src/callrpc.h b/src/callrpc.h
index 8557aa23ca..3ba091325e 100644
--- a/src/callrpc.h
+++ b/src/callrpc.h
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ public:
 };
 
 UniValue CallRPC(const std::string& strMethod, const UniValue& params, bool connectToMainchain=false);
-bool IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(const uint256& hash, int nMinConfirmationDepth);
+
+// Verify if the block with given hash has at least the specified minimum number
+// of confirmations.
+// For validating merkle blocks, you can provide the nbTxs parameter to verify if
+// it equals the number of transactions in the block.
+bool IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(const uint256& hash, int nMinConfirmationDepth, int nbTxs);
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_CALLRPC_H
diff --git a/src/merkleblock.h b/src/merkleblock.h
index 73cbf670ee..5726b6f492 100644
--- a/src/merkleblock.h
+++ b/src/merkleblock.h
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@ public:
      * returns the merkle root, or 0 in case of failure
      */
     uint256 ExtractMatches(std::vector<uint256> &vMatch, std::vector<unsigned int> &vnIndex);
+
+    /** Get number of transactions the merkle proof is indicating for cross-reference with
+     * local blockchain knowledge.
+     */
+    unsigned int GetNumTransactions() const { return nTransactions; };
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/primitives/bitcoin/merkleblock.h b/src/primitives/bitcoin/merkleblock.h
index 7dcb4411cb..8ea5120d8d 100644
--- a/src/primitives/bitcoin/merkleblock.h
+++ b/src/primitives/bitcoin/merkleblock.h
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ public:
      * returns the merkle root, or 0 in case of failure
      */
     uint256 ExtractMatches(std::vector<uint256> &vMatch, std::vector<unsigned int> &vnIndex);
+
+    /** Get number of transactions the merkle proof is indicating for cross-reference with
+     * local blockchain knowledge.
+     */
+    unsigned int GetNumTransactions() const { return nTransactions; };
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index c64540bc45..fc6860501f 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -2531,6 +2531,7 @@ bool IsValidPeginWitness(const CScriptWitness& pegin_witness, const COutPoint& p
 
     uint256 block_hash;
     uint256 tx_hash;
+    int num_txs;
     // Get txout proof
     if (Params().GetConsensus().ParentChainHasPow()) {
 
@@ -2546,6 +2547,8 @@ bool IsValidPeginWitness(const CScriptWitness& pegin_witness, const COutPoint& p
         if (!CheckPeginTx(stack[4], pegtx, prevout, value, claim_script)) {
             return false;
         }
+
+        num_txs = merkle_block_pow.txn.GetNumTransactions();
     } else {
 
         CMerkleBlock merkle_block;
@@ -2561,6 +2564,8 @@ bool IsValidPeginWitness(const CScriptWitness& pegin_witness, const COutPoint& p
         if (!CheckPeginTx(stack[4], pegtx, prevout, value, claim_script)) {
             return false;
         }
+
+        num_txs = merkle_block.txn.GetNumTransactions();
     }
 
     // Check that the merkle proof corresponds to the txid
@@ -2580,7 +2585,9 @@ bool IsValidPeginWitness(const CScriptWitness& pegin_witness, const COutPoint& p
 
     // Finally, validate peg-in via rpc call
     if (check_depth && GetBoolArg("-validatepegin", DEFAULT_VALIDATE_PEGIN)) {
-        return IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(block_hash, Params().GetConsensus().pegin_min_depth);
+        if (!IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(block_hash, Params().GetConsensus().pegin_min_depth, num_txs)) {
+            return false;
+        }
     }
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
index acfd861315..1adae5c678 100644
--- a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
@@ -3702,7 +3702,8 @@ static UniValue createrawpegin(const JSONRPCRequest& request, T_tx_ref& txBTCRef
 
     // Additional block lee-way to avoid bitcoin block races
     if (GetBoolArg("-validatepegin", DEFAULT_VALIDATE_PEGIN)) {
-        ret.push_back(Pair("mature", IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(merkleBlock.header.GetHash(), Params().GetConsensus().pegin_min_depth+2)));
+        ret.push_back(Pair("mature", IsConfirmedBitcoinBlock(merkleBlock.header.GetHash(), 
+			Params().GetConsensus().pegin_min_depth+2, merkleBlock.txn.GetNumTransactions())));
     }
 
     return ret;