diff --git a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs
index 3d60af700a..4707dede78 100644
--- a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs
+++ b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs
@@ -309,17 +309,12 @@ impl<B: BlockT, N: Network<B>> NetworkBridge<B, N> {
 		(bridge, startup_work)
 	}
 
-	/// Get the round messages for a round in the current set ID. These are signature-checked.
-	pub(crate) fn round_communication(
+	/// Note the beginning of a new round to the `GossipValidator`.
+	pub(crate) fn note_round(
 		&self,
 		round: Round,
 		set_id: SetId,
-		voters: Arc<VoterSet<AuthorityId>>,
-		local_key: Option<Arc<ed25519::Pair>>,
-		has_voted: HasVoted<B>,
-	) -> (
-		impl Stream<Item=SignedMessage<B>,Error=Error>,
-		impl Sink<SinkItem=Message<B>,SinkError=Error>,
+		voters: &VoterSet<AuthorityId>,
 	) {
 		// is a no-op if currently in that set.
 		self.validator.note_set(
@@ -338,6 +333,25 @@ impl<B: BlockT, N: Network<B>> NetworkBridge<B, N> {
 				GossipMessage::<B>::from(neighbor).encode()
 			),
 		);
+	}
+
+	/// Get the round messages for a round in the current set ID. These are signature-checked.
+	pub(crate) fn round_communication(
+		&self,
+		round: Round,
+		set_id: SetId,
+		voters: Arc<VoterSet<AuthorityId>>,
+		local_key: Option<Arc<ed25519::Pair>>,
+		has_voted: HasVoted<B>,
+	) -> (
+		impl Stream<Item=SignedMessage<B>,Error=Error>,
+		impl Sink<SinkItem=Message<B>,SinkError=Error>,
+	) {
+		self.note_round(
+			round,
+			set_id,
+			&*voters,
+		);
 
 		let locals = local_key.and_then(|pair| {
 			let public = pair.public();
diff --git a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/observer.rs b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/observer.rs
index cd55211cfe..2c0818c2d7 100644
--- a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/observer.rs
+++ b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/observer.rs
@@ -57,13 +57,14 @@ impl<'a, Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>, B, E, RA> grandpa::Chain<Block::Hash, NumberF
 	}
 }
 
-fn grandpa_observer<B, E, Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>, RA, S>(
+fn grandpa_observer<B, E, Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>, RA, S, F>(
 	client: &Arc<Client<B, E, Block, RA>>,
 	authority_set: &SharedAuthoritySet<Block::Hash, NumberFor<Block>>,
 	consensus_changes: &SharedConsensusChanges<Block::Hash, NumberFor<Block>>,
 	voters: &Arc<VoterSet<AuthorityId>>,
 	last_finalized_number: NumberFor<Block>,
 	commits: S,
+	note_round: F,
 ) -> impl Future<Item=(), Error=CommandOrError<H256, NumberFor<Block>>> where
 	NumberFor<Block>: BlockNumberOps,
 	B: Backend<Block, Blake2Hasher>,
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ fn grandpa_observer<B, E, Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>, RA, S>(
 		Item = CommunicationIn<Block>,
 		Error = CommandOrError<Block::Hash, NumberFor<Block>>,
 	>,
+	F: Fn(u64),
 {
 	let authority_set = authority_set.clone();
 	let consensus_changes = consensus_changes.clone();
@@ -124,6 +126,10 @@ fn grandpa_observer<B, E, Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>, RA, S>(
 				Err(e) => return future::err(e),
 			};
 
+			// note that we've observed completion of this round through the commit,
+			// and that implies that the next round has started.
+			note_round(round + 1);
+
 			grandpa::process_commit_validation_result(validation_result, callback);
 
 			// proceed processing with new finalized block number
@@ -188,6 +194,21 @@ pub fn run_grandpa_observer<B, E, Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>, N, RA, SC>(
 
 		let last_finalized_number = client.info().chain.finalized_number;
 
+		// NOTE: since we are not using `round_communication` we have to
+		// manually note the round with the gossip validator, otherwise we won't
+		// relay round messages. we want all full nodes to contribute to vote
+		// availability.
+		let note_round = {
+			let network = network.clone();
+			let voters = voters.clone();
+
+			move |round| network.note_round(
+				crate::communication::Round(round),
+				crate::communication::SetId(set_id),
+				&*voters,
+			)
+		};
+
 		// create observer for the current set
 		let observer = grandpa_observer(
 			&client,
@@ -196,6 +217,7 @@ pub fn run_grandpa_observer<B, E, Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>, N, RA, SC>(
 			&voters,
 			last_finalized_number,
 			global_in,
+			note_round,
 		);
 
 		let handle_voter_command = move |command, voter_commands_rx| {