diff --git a/src/currency_core/checkpoints.cpp b/src/currency_core/checkpoints.cpp
index 2d997691..3dacc47e 100644
--- a/src/currency_core/checkpoints.cpp
+++ b/src/currency_core/checkpoints.cpp
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ namespace currency
     if(height > blockchain_last_block_height)
       return false;
 
-    auto it = m_points.lower_bound(height);
+    auto it = m_points.lower_bound(height);   // if found, it->first >= height
     if(it == m_points.end())
       return false;
     if(it->first <= blockchain_last_block_height)
-      return true;
+      return true; // this is the case only if height <= it->first <= blockchain_last_block_height
     else 
       return false;
   }
@@ -68,4 +68,27 @@ namespace currency
       return false;
     }
   }
+  //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  uint64_t checkpoints::get_checkpoint_before_height(uint64_t height) const
+  {
+    // returns height of the leftmost CP with height that is LESS than the given height
+    // ex:
+    // If there are two CP at 11 and 15:
+    // get_checkpoint_before_height(10) = 0
+    // get_checkpoint_before_height(11) = 0
+    // get_checkpoint_before_height(12) = 11
+    // get_checkpoint_before_height(13) = 11
+    // get_checkpoint_before_height(14) = 11
+    // get_checkpoint_before_height(15) = 11
+    // get_checkpoint_before_height(16) = 15
+
+    uint64_t top_cp = get_top_checkpoint_height();
+    if (height > top_cp)
+      return top_cp;
+
+    auto it = m_points.lower_bound(height);                // if found, it->first >= height
+    if (it == m_points.end() || --it == m_points.end())
+      return 0;
+    return it->first;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/currency_core/checkpoints.h b/src/currency_core/checkpoints.h
index a845e6eb..76675e67 100644
--- a/src/currency_core/checkpoints.h
+++ b/src/currency_core/checkpoints.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ namespace currency
     bool is_height_passed_zone(uint64_t height, uint64_t blockchain_last_block_height) const;
     bool check_block(uint64_t height, const crypto::hash& h) const;
     uint64_t get_top_checkpoint_height() const;
+
+    uint64_t get_checkpoint_before_height(uint64_t height) const;
   private:
     std::map<uint64_t, crypto::hash> m_points;
   };
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/check_points_test.cpp b/tests/unit_tests/check_points_test.cpp
index 543e2ac6..0c9e5c26 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/check_points_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/check_points_test.cpp
@@ -39,3 +39,48 @@ TEST(checkpoints_test, test_checkpoints_for_alternative)
   r = cp.is_height_passed_zone(11, 12);
   ASSERT_FALSE(r);
 }
+
+TEST(checkpoints_test, get_checkpoint_before_height)
+{
+  currency::checkpoints cp;
+  cp.add_checkpoint(11, "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000");
+  cp.add_checkpoint(15, "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000");
+  cp.add_checkpoint(21, "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000");
+
+  for(uint64_t h = 0; h < 11; ++h)
+    ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(h) == 0);
+
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(11) == 0);
+
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(12) == 11);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(13) == 11);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(14) == 11);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(15) == 11);
+
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(16) == 15);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(17) == 15);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(18) == 15);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(19) == 15);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(20) == 15);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(21) == 15);
+  
+  ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(22) == 21);
+
+  for(uint64_t h = 22; h < 100; ++h)
+    ASSERT_TRUE(cp.get_checkpoint_before_height(h) == 21);
+}
+
+
+TEST(checkpoints_test, is_in_checkpoint_zone)
+{
+  currency::checkpoints cp;
+  cp.add_checkpoint(11, "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000");
+  cp.add_checkpoint(15, "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000");
+  cp.add_checkpoint(21, "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000");
+
+  for (uint64_t h = 0; h < 22; ++h)
+    ASSERT_TRUE(cp.is_in_checkpoint_zone(h));
+
+  for (uint64_t h = 22; h < 100; ++h)
+    ASSERT_FALSE(cp.is_in_checkpoint_zone(h));
+}