diff --git a/api/src/json_rpc.rs b/api/src/json_rpc.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb6a8e434f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/src/json_rpc.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,276 @@
+// Copyright 2020 The Grin Developers
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+// Derived from https://github.com/apoelstra/rust-jsonrpc
+
+//! JSON RPC Client functionality
+use std::{error, fmt};
+
+use hyper;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+/// Builds a request
+pub fn build_request<'a, 'b>(name: &'a str, params: &'b serde_json::Value) -> Request<'a, 'b> {
+	Request {
+		method: name,
+		params: params,
+		id: From::from(1),
+		jsonrpc: Some("2.0"),
+	}
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize)]
+/// A JSONRPC request object
+pub struct Request<'a, 'b> {
+	/// The name of the RPC call
+	pub method: &'a str,
+	/// Parameters to the RPC call
+	pub params: &'b serde_json::Value,
+	/// Identifier for this Request, which should appear in the response
+	pub id: serde_json::Value,
+	/// jsonrpc field, MUST be "2.0"
+	pub jsonrpc: Option<&'a str>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+/// A JSONRPC response object
+pub struct Response {
+	/// A result if there is one, or null
+	pub result: Option<serde_json::Value>,
+	/// An error if there is one, or null
+	pub error: Option<RpcError>,
+	/// Identifier for this Request, which should match that of the request
+	pub id: serde_json::Value,
+	/// jsonrpc field, MUST be "2.0"
+	pub jsonrpc: Option<String>,
+}
+
+impl Response {
+	/// Extract the result from a response
+	pub fn result<T: serde::de::DeserializeOwned>(&self) -> Result<T, Error> {
+		if let Some(ref e) = self.error {
+			return Err(Error::Rpc(e.clone()));
+		}
+
+		let result = match self.result.clone() {
+			Some(r) => serde_json::from_value(r["Ok"].clone()).map_err(Error::Json),
+			None => serde_json::from_value(serde_json::Value::Null).map_err(Error::Json),
+		}?;
+		Ok(result)
+	}
+
+	/// Extract the result from a response, consuming the response
+	pub fn into_result<T: serde::de::DeserializeOwned>(self) -> Result<T, Error> {
+		if let Some(e) = self.error {
+			return Err(Error::Rpc(e));
+		}
+		self.result()
+	}
+
+	/// Return the RPC error, if there was one, but do not check the result
+	pub fn _check_error(self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+		if let Some(e) = self.error {
+			Err(Error::Rpc(e))
+		} else {
+			Ok(())
+		}
+	}
+
+	/// Returns whether or not the `result` field is empty
+	pub fn _is_none(&self) -> bool {
+		self.result.is_none()
+	}
+}
+
+/// A library error
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum Error {
+	/// Json error
+	Json(serde_json::Error),
+	/// Client error
+	Hyper(hyper::error::Error),
+	/// Error response
+	Rpc(RpcError),
+	/// Response to a request did not have the expected nonce
+	_NonceMismatch,
+	/// Response to a request had a jsonrpc field other than "2.0"
+	_VersionMismatch,
+	/// Batches can't be empty
+	_EmptyBatch,
+	/// Too many responses returned in batch
+	_WrongBatchResponseSize,
+	/// Batch response contained a duplicate ID
+	_BatchDuplicateResponseId(serde_json::Value),
+	/// Batch response contained an ID that didn't correspond to any request ID
+	_WrongBatchResponseId(serde_json::Value),
+}
+
+impl From<serde_json::Error> for Error {
+	fn from(e: serde_json::Error) -> Error {
+		Error::Json(e)
+	}
+}
+
+impl From<hyper::error::Error> for Error {
+	fn from(e: hyper::error::Error) -> Error {
+		Error::Hyper(e)
+	}
+}
+
+impl From<RpcError> for Error {
+	fn from(e: RpcError) -> Error {
+		Error::Rpc(e)
+	}
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for Error {
+	fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+		match *self {
+			Error::Json(ref e) => write!(f, "JSON decode error: {}", e),
+			Error::Hyper(ref e) => write!(f, "Hyper error: {}", e),
+			Error::Rpc(ref r) => write!(f, "RPC error response: {:?}", r),
+			Error::_BatchDuplicateResponseId(ref v) => {
+				write!(f, "duplicate RPC batch response ID: {}", v)
+			}
+			Error::_WrongBatchResponseId(ref v) => write!(f, "wrong RPC batch response ID: {}", v),
+			_ => f.write_str(&self.to_string()),
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+impl std::error::Error for Error {
+	fn description(&self) -> &str {
+		match *self {
+			Error::Json(_) => "JSON decode error",
+			Error::Hyper(_) => "Hyper error",
+			Error::Rpc(_) => "RPC error response",
+			Error::_NonceMismatch => "Nonce of response did not match nonce of request",
+			Error::_VersionMismatch => "`jsonrpc` field set to non-\"2.0\"",
+			Error::_EmptyBatch => "batches can't be empty",
+			Error::_WrongBatchResponseSize => "too many responses returned in batch",
+			Error::_BatchDuplicateResponseId(_) => "batch response contained a duplicate ID",
+			Error::_WrongBatchResponseId(_) => {
+				"batch response contained an ID that didn't correspond to any request ID"
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	fn cause(&self) -> Option<&dyn error::Error> {
+		match *self {
+			Error::Json(ref e) => Some(e),
+			Error::Hyper(ref e) => Some(e),
+			_ => None,
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/// Standard error responses, as described at at
+/// http://www.jsonrpc.org/specification#error_object
+///
+/// # Documentation Copyright
+/// Copyright (C) 2007-2010 by the JSON-RPC Working Group
+///
+/// This document and translations of it may be used to implement JSON-RPC, it
+/// may be copied and furnished to others, and derivative works that comment
+/// on or otherwise explain it or assist in its implementation may be prepared,
+/// copied, published and distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction
+/// of any kind, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph
+/// are included on all such copies and derivative works. However, this document
+/// itself may not be modified in any way.
+///
+/// The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be revoked.
+///
+/// This document and the information contained herein is provided "AS IS" and
+/// ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED are DISCLAIMED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
+/// TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY
+/// RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
+/// PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+///
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum StandardError {
+	/// Invalid JSON was received by the server.
+	/// An error occurred on the server while parsing the JSON text.
+	ParseError,
+	/// The JSON sent is not a valid Request object.
+	InvalidRequest,
+	/// The method does not exist / is not available.
+	MethodNotFound,
+	/// Invalid method parameter(s).
+	InvalidParams,
+	/// Internal JSON-RPC error.
+	InternalError,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+/// A JSONRPC error object
+pub struct RpcError {
+	/// The integer identifier of the error
+	pub code: i32,
+	/// A string describing the error
+	pub message: String,
+	/// Additional data specific to the error
+	pub data: Option<serde_json::Value>,
+}
+
+/// Create a standard error responses
+pub fn _standard_error(code: StandardError, data: Option<serde_json::Value>) -> RpcError {
+	match code {
+		StandardError::ParseError => RpcError {
+			code: -32700,
+			message: "Parse error".to_string(),
+			data: data,
+		},
+		StandardError::InvalidRequest => RpcError {
+			code: -32600,
+			message: "Invalid Request".to_string(),
+			data: data,
+		},
+		StandardError::MethodNotFound => RpcError {
+			code: -32601,
+			message: "Method not found".to_string(),
+			data: data,
+		},
+		StandardError::InvalidParams => RpcError {
+			code: -32602,
+			message: "Invalid params".to_string(),
+			data: data,
+		},
+		StandardError::InternalError => RpcError {
+			code: -32603,
+			message: "Internal error".to_string(),
+			data: data,
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+/// Converts a Rust `Result` to a JSONRPC response object
+pub fn _result_to_response(
+	result: Result<serde_json::Value, RpcError>,
+	id: serde_json::Value,
+) -> Response {
+	match result {
+		Ok(data) => Response {
+			result: Some(data),
+			error: None,
+			id: id,
+			jsonrpc: Some(String::from("2.0")),
+		},
+		Err(err) => Response {
+			result: None,
+			error: Some(err),
+			id: id,
+			jsonrpc: Some(String::from("2.0")),
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/api/src/lib.rs b/api/src/lib.rs
index 3f7d3221cb..0b3f788f18 100644
--- a/api/src/lib.rs
+++ b/api/src/lib.rs
@@ -38,11 +38,12 @@ pub mod client;
 mod foreign;
 mod foreign_rpc;
 mod handlers;
+pub mod json_rpc;
 mod owner;
 mod owner_rpc;
 mod rest;
 mod router;
-mod types;
+pub mod types;
 
 pub use crate::auth::{
 	BasicAuthMiddleware, BasicAuthURIMiddleware, GRIN_BASIC_REALM, GRIN_FOREIGN_BASIC_REALM,
diff --git a/src/bin/cmd/client.rs b/src/bin/cmd/client.rs
index 796062d91d..dcb2f14171 100644
--- a/src/bin/cmd/client.rs
+++ b/src/bin/cmd/client.rs
@@ -17,30 +17,158 @@ use std::net::SocketAddr;
 
 use clap::ArgMatches;
 
-use crate::api;
+use crate::api::client;
+use crate::api::json_rpc::*;
+use crate::api::types::Status;
 use crate::config::GlobalConfig;
-use crate::p2p;
-use crate::servers::ServerConfig;
+use crate::p2p::types::PeerInfoDisplay;
 use crate::util::file::get_first_line;
+use serde_json::json;
 use term;
 
+const ENDPOINT: &str = "/v2/owner";
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct HTTPNodeClient {
+	node_url: String,
+	node_api_secret: Option<String>,
+}
+impl HTTPNodeClient {
+	/// Create a new client that will communicate with the given grin node
+	pub fn new(node_url: &str, node_api_secret: Option<String>) -> HTTPNodeClient {
+		HTTPNodeClient {
+			node_url: node_url.to_owned(),
+			node_api_secret: node_api_secret,
+		}
+	}
+	fn send_json_request<D: serde::de::DeserializeOwned>(
+		&self,
+		method: &str,
+		params: &serde_json::Value,
+	) -> Result<D, Error> {
+		let url = format!("http://{}{}", self.node_url, ENDPOINT);
+		let req = build_request(method, params);
+		let res =
+			client::post::<Request, Response>(url.as_str(), self.node_api_secret.clone(), &req);
+
+		match res {
+			Err(e) => {
+				let report = format!("Error calling {}: {}", method, e);
+				error!("{}", report);
+				Err(Error::RPCError(report))
+			}
+			Ok(inner) => match inner.clone().into_result() {
+				Ok(r) => Ok(r),
+				Err(e) => {
+					error!("{:?}", inner);
+					let report = format!("Unable to parse response for {}: {}", method, e);
+					error!("{}", report);
+					Err(Error::RPCError(report))
+				}
+			},
+		}
+	}
+
+	pub fn show_status(&self) {
+		println!();
+		let title = "Grin Server Status".to_string();
+		if term::stdout().is_none() {
+			println!("Could not open terminal");
+			return;
+		}
+		let mut t = term::stdout().unwrap();
+		let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
+		t.fg(term::color::MAGENTA).unwrap();
+		writeln!(t, "{}", title).unwrap();
+		writeln!(t, "--------------------------").unwrap();
+		t.reset().unwrap();
+		match self.send_json_request::<Status>("get_status", &serde_json::Value::Null) {
+			Ok(status) => {
+				writeln!(e, "Protocol version: {:?}", status.protocol_version).unwrap();
+				writeln!(e, "User agent: {}", status.user_agent).unwrap();
+				writeln!(e, "Connections: {}", status.connections).unwrap();
+				writeln!(e, "Chain height: {}", status.tip.height).unwrap();
+				writeln!(e, "Last block hash: {}", status.tip.last_block_pushed).unwrap();
+				writeln!(e, "Previous block hash: {}", status.tip.prev_block_to_last).unwrap();
+				writeln!(e, "Total difficulty: {}", status.tip.total_difficulty).unwrap();
+				writeln!(e, "Sync status: {}", status.sync_status).unwrap();
+				if let Some(sync_info) = status.sync_info {
+					writeln!(e, "Sync info: {}", sync_info).unwrap();
+				}
+			}
+			Err(_) => writeln!(
+				e,
+				"WARNING: Client failed to get data. Is your `grin server` offline or broken?"
+			)
+			.unwrap(),
+		};
+		e.reset().unwrap();
+		println!()
+	}
+
+	pub fn list_connected_peers(&self) {
+		let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
+		match self.send_json_request::<Vec<PeerInfoDisplay>>(
+			"get_connected_peers",
+			&serde_json::Value::Null,
+		) {
+			Ok(connected_peers) => {
+				for (index, connected_peer) in connected_peers.into_iter().enumerate() {
+					writeln!(e, "Peer {}:", index).unwrap();
+					writeln!(e, "Capabilities: {:?}", connected_peer.capabilities).unwrap();
+					writeln!(e, "User agent: {}", connected_peer.user_agent).unwrap();
+					writeln!(e, "Version: {:?}", connected_peer.version).unwrap();
+					writeln!(e, "Peer address: {}", connected_peer.addr).unwrap();
+					writeln!(e, "Height: {}", connected_peer.height).unwrap();
+					writeln!(e, "Total difficulty: {}", connected_peer.total_difficulty).unwrap();
+					writeln!(e, "Direction: {:?}", connected_peer.direction).unwrap();
+					println!();
+				}
+			}
+			Err(_) => writeln!(e, "Failed to get connected peers").unwrap(),
+		};
+		e.reset().unwrap();
+	}
+
+	pub fn ban_peer(&self, peer_addr: &SocketAddr) {
+		let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
+		let params = json!([peer_addr]);
+		match self.send_json_request::<()>("ban_peer", &params) {
+			Ok(_) => writeln!(e, "Successfully banned peer {}", peer_addr).unwrap(),
+			Err(_) => writeln!(e, "Failed to ban peer {}", peer_addr).unwrap(),
+		};
+		e.reset().unwrap();
+	}
+
+	pub fn unban_peer(&self, peer_addr: &SocketAddr) {
+		let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
+		let params = json!([peer_addr]);
+		match self.send_json_request::<()>("unban_peer", &params) {
+			Ok(_) => writeln!(e, "Successfully unbanned peer {}", peer_addr).unwrap(),
+			Err(_) => writeln!(e, "Failed to unban peer {}", peer_addr).unwrap(),
+		};
+		e.reset().unwrap();
+	}
+}
+
 pub fn client_command(client_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, global_config: GlobalConfig) -> i32 {
 	// just get defaults from the global config
 	let server_config = global_config.members.unwrap().server;
 	let api_secret = get_first_line(server_config.api_secret_path.clone());
+	let node_client = HTTPNodeClient::new(&server_config.api_http_addr, api_secret.clone());
 
 	match client_args.subcommand() {
 		("status", Some(_)) => {
-			show_status(&server_config, api_secret);
+			node_client.show_status();
 		}
 		("listconnectedpeers", Some(_)) => {
-			list_connected_peers(&server_config, api_secret);
+			node_client.list_connected_peers();
 		}
 		("ban", Some(peer_args)) => {
 			let peer = peer_args.value_of("peer").unwrap();
 
 			if let Ok(addr) = peer.parse() {
-				ban_peer(&server_config, &addr, api_secret);
+				node_client.ban_peer(&addr);
 			} else {
 				panic!("Invalid peer address format");
 			}
@@ -49,7 +177,7 @@ pub fn client_command(client_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, global_config: GlobalConfig)
 			let peer = peer_args.value_of("peer").unwrap();
 
 			if let Ok(addr) = peer.parse() {
-				unban_peer(&server_config, &addr, api_secret);
+				node_client.unban_peer(&addr);
 			} else {
 				panic!("Invalid peer address format");
 			}
@@ -58,111 +186,9 @@ pub fn client_command(client_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, global_config: GlobalConfig)
 	}
 	0
 }
-
-pub fn show_status(config: &ServerConfig, api_secret: Option<String>) {
-	println!();
-	let title = "Grin Server Status".to_string();
-	if term::stdout().is_none() {
-		println!("Could not open terminal");
-		return;
-	}
-	let mut t = term::stdout().unwrap();
-	let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
-	t.fg(term::color::MAGENTA).unwrap();
-	writeln!(t, "{}", title).unwrap();
-	writeln!(t, "--------------------------").unwrap();
-	t.reset().unwrap();
-	match get_status_from_node(config, api_secret) {
-		Ok(status) => {
-			writeln!(e, "Protocol version: {:?}", status.protocol_version).unwrap();
-			writeln!(e, "User agent: {}", status.user_agent).unwrap();
-			writeln!(e, "Connections: {}", status.connections).unwrap();
-			writeln!(e, "Chain height: {}", status.tip.height).unwrap();
-			writeln!(e, "Last block hash: {}", status.tip.last_block_pushed).unwrap();
-			writeln!(e, "Previous block hash: {}", status.tip.prev_block_to_last).unwrap();
-			writeln!(e, "Total difficulty: {}", status.tip.total_difficulty).unwrap();
-		}
-		Err(_) => writeln!(
-			e,
-			"WARNING: Client failed to get data. Is your `grin server` offline or broken?"
-		)
-		.unwrap(),
-	};
-	e.reset().unwrap();
-	println!()
-}
-
-pub fn ban_peer(config: &ServerConfig, peer_addr: &SocketAddr, api_secret: Option<String>) {
-	let params = "";
-	let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
-	let url = format!(
-		"http://{}/v1/peers/{}/ban",
-		config.api_http_addr,
-		peer_addr.to_string()
-	);
-	match api::client::post_no_ret(url.as_str(), api_secret, &params).map_err(Error::API) {
-		Ok(_) => writeln!(e, "Successfully banned peer {}", peer_addr.to_string()).unwrap(),
-		Err(_) => writeln!(e, "Failed to ban peer {}", peer_addr).unwrap(),
-	};
-	e.reset().unwrap();
-}
-
-pub fn unban_peer(config: &ServerConfig, peer_addr: &SocketAddr, api_secret: Option<String>) {
-	let params = "";
-	let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
-	let url = format!(
-		"http://{}/v1/peers/{}/unban",
-		config.api_http_addr,
-		peer_addr.to_string()
-	);
-	let res: Result<(), api::Error>;
-	res = api::client::post_no_ret(url.as_str(), api_secret, &params);
-
-	match res.map_err(Error::API) {
-		Ok(_) => writeln!(e, "Successfully unbanned peer {}", peer_addr).unwrap(),
-		Err(_) => writeln!(e, "Failed to unban peer {}", peer_addr).unwrap(),
-	};
-	e.reset().unwrap();
-}
-
-pub fn list_connected_peers(config: &ServerConfig, api_secret: Option<String>) {
-	let mut e = term::stdout().unwrap();
-	let url = format!("http://{}/v1/peers/connected", config.api_http_addr);
-	// let peers_info: Result<Vec<p2p::PeerInfoDisplay>, api::Error>;
-
-	let peers_info = api::client::get::<Vec<p2p::types::PeerInfoDisplay>>(url.as_str(), api_secret);
-
-	match peers_info.map_err(Error::API) {
-		Ok(connected_peers) => {
-			for (index, connected_peer) in connected_peers.into_iter().enumerate() {
-				writeln!(e, "Peer {}:", index).unwrap();
-				writeln!(e, "Capabilities: {:?}", connected_peer.capabilities).unwrap();
-				writeln!(e, "User agent: {}", connected_peer.user_agent).unwrap();
-				writeln!(e, "Version: {:?}", connected_peer.version).unwrap();
-				writeln!(e, "Peer address: {}", connected_peer.addr).unwrap();
-				writeln!(e, "Height: {}", connected_peer.height).unwrap();
-				writeln!(e, "Total difficulty: {}", connected_peer.total_difficulty).unwrap();
-				writeln!(e, "Direction: {:?}", connected_peer.direction).unwrap();
-				println!();
-			}
-		}
-		Err(_) => writeln!(e, "Failed to get connected peers").unwrap(),
-	};
-
-	e.reset().unwrap();
-}
-
-fn get_status_from_node(
-	config: &ServerConfig,
-	api_secret: Option<String>,
-) -> Result<api::Status, Error> {
-	let url = format!("http://{}/v1/status", config.api_http_addr);
-	api::client::get::<api::Status>(url.as_str(), api_secret).map_err(Error::API)
-}
-
 /// Error type wrapping underlying module errors.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 enum Error {
-	/// Error originating from HTTP API calls.
-	API(api::Error),
+	/// RPC Error
+	RPCError(String),
 }