diff --git a/monero-wallet-ng/src/rpc.rs b/monero-wallet-ng/src/rpc.rs
index be11d19ee..659fe4e83 100644
--- a/monero-wallet-ng/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/monero-wallet-ng/src/rpc.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,30 @@ pub trait ProvidesTransactionStatus: Sync {
     ) -> impl Send + Future<Output = Result<TransactionStatus, TransactionStatusError>>;
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum NodeInfoError {
+    #[error("Interface error: {0}")]
+    Interface(#[from] InterfaceError),
+    #[error("Failed to parse get_info response: {0}")]
+    Parse(String),
+}
+
+/// Sync status of a remote daemon, as reported by `get_info`.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct NodeSyncStatus {
+    /// Whether the node considers itself on the same height as the network.
+    pub synchronized: bool,
+    /// The height the node has synced to.
+    pub height: u64,
+}
+
+/// Provides the ability to query a remote daemon's sync status.
+pub trait ProvidesNodeInfo: Sync {
+    fn node_sync_status(
+        &self,
+    ) -> impl Send + Future<Output = Result<NodeSyncStatus, NodeInfoError>>;
+}
+
 /// Data structures we get back from the RPC server
 ///
 /// See: https://github.com/monero-project/monero/blob/48ad374b0d6d6e045128729534dc2508e6999afe/src/rpc/core_rpc_server_commands_defs.h#L358-L439
@@ -54,6 +78,14 @@ mod monerod {
         pub(crate) txs: Vec<TransactionInfo>,
     }
 
+    // The daemon `get_info` endpoint.
+    // See: https://github.com/monero-project/monero/blob/48ad374b0d6d6e045128729534dc2508e6999afe/src/rpc/core_rpc_server_commands_defs.h#L633-L673
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    pub(crate) struct GetInfoResponse {
+        pub(crate) synchronized: bool,
+        pub(crate) height: u64,
+    }
+
     // See: https://github.com/SNeedlewoods/seraphis_wallet/blob/dbbccecc89e1121762a4ad6b531638ece82aa0c7/src/rpc/core_rpc_server_commands_defs.h#L406-L428
     #[derive(Deserialize)]
     pub(crate) struct TransactionInfo {
@@ -113,3 +145,22 @@ impl<T: HttpTransport> ProvidesTransactionStatus for MoneroDaemon<T> {
         }
     }
 }
+
+impl<T: HttpTransport> ProvidesNodeInfo for MoneroDaemon<T> {
+    fn node_sync_status(
+        &self,
+    ) -> impl Send + Future<Output = Result<NodeSyncStatus, NodeInfoError>> {
+        async move {
+            // 16kb, fairly arbitrary, but get_info is small
+            let response = self.rpc_call("get_info", None, 16384).await?;
+
+            let info: monerod::GetInfoResponse = serde_json::from_str(&response)
+                .map_err(|e| NodeInfoError::Parse(e.to_string()))?;
+
+            Ok(NodeSyncStatus {
+                synchronized: info.synchronized,
+                height: info.height,
+            })
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/monero-wallet/src/wallets.rs b/monero-wallet/src/wallets.rs
index 3540af39c..9fe7a527e 100644
--- a/monero-wallet/src/wallets.rs
+++ b/monero-wallet/src/wallets.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 //!  - send money from one wallet to another.
 pub use monero_sys::{Daemon, WalletHandle as Wallet, WalletHandleListener};
 
-use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
 use monero_address::Network;
 use monero_daemon_rpc::MoneroDaemon;
 use monero_oxide_wallet::transaction::{NotPruned, Transaction};
@@ -299,12 +299,23 @@ impl Wallets {
         Ok(rpc_client)
     }
 
-    /// Check that the daemon RPC is reachable, connecting if necessary.
+    /// Check that the daemon RPC is reachable and the node is fully synced.
     pub async fn rpc_health_check(&self) -> Result<()> {
-        self.direct_rpc_block_height()
+        use monero_wallet_ng::rpc::ProvidesNodeInfo;
+
+        let rpc_client = self.rpc_client().await?;
+        let status = rpc_client
+            .node_sync_status()
             .await
             .context("Monero daemon RPC health check failed")?;
 
+        if !status.synchronized {
+            bail!(
+                "Monero node is not fully synced (synced to height {})",
+                status.height
+            );
+        }
+
         Ok(())
     }