diff --git a/cumulus/consensus/src/lib.rs b/cumulus/consensus/src/lib.rs
index 45e68ab661..bc5c2b117f 100644
--- a/cumulus/consensus/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cumulus/consensus/src/lib.rs
@@ -14,19 +14,26 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Cumulus.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-use substrate_client::{backend::{Backend, Finalizer}, CallExecutor, Client, BlockchainEvents};
-use substrate_client::error::{Error as ClientError, Result as ClientResult};
+use substrate_client::{
+	backend::{Backend, Finalizer}, CallExecutor, Client, BlockchainEvents,
+	error::{Error as ClientError, Result as ClientResult},
+};
 use substrate_primitives::{Blake2Hasher, H256};
-use sr_primitives::generic::BlockId;
-use sr_primitives::traits::{Block as BlockT, Header as HeaderT, ProvideRuntimeApi};
-use polkadot_primitives::{Hash as PHash, Block as PBlock};
-use polkadot_primitives::parachain::{Id as ParaId, ParachainHost};
+use sr_primitives::{
+	generic::BlockId,
+	traits::{Block as BlockT, Header as HeaderT, ProvideRuntimeApi},
+};
+use substrate_consensus_common::{Error as ConsensusError, SelectChain as SelectChainT};
+
+use polkadot_primitives::{
+	Hash as PHash, Block as PBlock, parachain::{Id as ParaId, ParachainHost},
+};
 
 use futures::{Stream, StreamExt, TryStreamExt, future, Future, TryFutureExt, FutureExt};
-use codec::{Encode, Decode};
+use codec::Decode;
 use log::warn;
 
-use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::{sync::Arc, marker::PhantomData};
 
 /// Helper for the local client.
 pub trait LocalClient {
@@ -66,6 +73,13 @@ pub trait PolkadotClient: Clone {
 
 	/// Get a stream of finalized heads.
 	fn finalized_heads(&self, para_id: ParaId) -> ClientResult<Self::Finalized>;
+
+	/// Returns the parachain head for the given `para_id` at the given block id.
+	fn parachain_head_at(
+		&self,
+		at: &BlockId<PBlock>,
+		para_id: ParaId,
+	) -> ClientResult<Option<Vec<u8>>>;
 }
 
 /// Spawns a future that follows the Polkadot relay chain for the given parachain.
@@ -116,20 +130,11 @@ impl<B, E, Block, RA> LocalClient for Client<B, E, Block, RA> where
 	}
 }
 
-fn parachain_key(para_id: ParaId) -> substrate_primitives::storage::StorageKey {
-	const PREFIX: &[u8] = &*b"Parachains Heads";
-	para_id.using_encoded(|s| {
-		let mut v = PREFIX.to_vec();
-		v.extend(s);
-		substrate_primitives::storage::StorageKey(v)
-	})
-}
-
 impl<B, E, RA> PolkadotClient for Arc<Client<B, E, PBlock, RA>> where
 	B: Backend<PBlock, Blake2Hasher> + Send + Sync + 'static,
 	E: CallExecutor<PBlock, Blake2Hasher> + Send + Sync + 'static,
-	RA: ProvideRuntimeApi + Send + Sync + 'static,
-	RA::Api: ParachainHost<PBlock>,
+	Client<B, E, PBlock, RA>: ProvideRuntimeApi + Send + Sync + 'static,
+	<Client<B, E, PBlock, RA> as ProvideRuntimeApi>::Api: ParachainHost<PBlock>,
 {
 	type Error = ClientError;
 
@@ -137,17 +142,100 @@ impl<B, E, RA> PolkadotClient for Arc<Client<B, E, PBlock, RA>> where
 
 	fn finalized_heads(&self, para_id: ParaId) -> ClientResult<Self::Finalized> {
 		let polkadot = self.clone();
-		let parachain_key = parachain_key(para_id);
 
 		let s = self.finality_notification_stream()
 			.filter_map(move |n|
 				future::ready(
-					polkadot.storage(&BlockId::hash(n.hash), &parachain_key)
-						.ok()
-						.and_then(|d| d.map(|d| d.0)),
+					polkadot.parachain_head_at(&BlockId::hash(n.hash), para_id).ok().and_then(|h| h),
 				),
 			);
 
 		Ok(Box::new(s))
 	}
+
+	fn parachain_head_at(
+		&self,
+		at: &BlockId<PBlock>,
+		para_id: ParaId,
+	) -> ClientResult<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
+		self.runtime_api().parachain_status(at, para_id).map(|s| s.map(|s| s.head_data.0))
+	}
+}
+
+/// Select chain implementation for parachains.
+///
+/// The actual behavior of the implementation depends on the select chain implementation used by
+/// Polkadot.
+pub struct SelectChain<Block, PC, SC> {
+	polkadot_client: PC,
+	polkadot_select_chain: SC,
+	para_id: ParaId,
+	_marker: PhantomData<Block>,
+}
+
+impl<Block, PC, SC> SelectChain<Block, PC, SC> {
+	/// Create new instance of `Self`.
+	///
+	/// - `para_id`: The id of the parachain.
+	/// - `polkadot_client`: The client of the Polkadot node.
+	/// - `polkadot_select_chain`: The Polkadot select chain implementation.
+	pub fn new(para_id: ParaId, polkadot_client: PC, polkadot_select_chain: SC) -> Self {
+		Self {
+			polkadot_client,
+			polkadot_select_chain,
+			para_id,
+			_marker: PhantomData,
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+impl<Block, PC: Clone, SC: Clone> Clone for SelectChain<Block, PC, SC> {
+	fn clone(&self) -> Self {
+		Self {
+			polkadot_client: self.polkadot_client.clone(),
+			polkadot_select_chain: self.polkadot_select_chain.clone(),
+			para_id: self.para_id,
+			_marker: PhantomData,
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+impl<Block, PC, SC> SelectChainT<Block> for SelectChain<Block, PC, SC> where
+	Block: BlockT<Hash=H256>,
+	PC: PolkadotClient + Clone + Send + Sync,
+	PC::Error: ToString,
+	SC: SelectChainT<PBlock>,
+{
+	fn leaves(&self) -> Result<Vec<<Block as BlockT>::Hash>, ConsensusError> {
+		let leaves = self.polkadot_select_chain.leaves()?;
+		leaves.into_iter()
+			.filter_map(|l|
+				self.polkadot_client
+					.parachain_head_at(&BlockId::Hash(l), self.para_id)
+					.map(|h| h.and_then(|d| <<Block as BlockT>::Hash>::decode(&mut &d[..]).ok()))
+					.transpose()
+			)
+			.collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()
+			.map_err(|e| ConsensusError::ChainLookup(e.to_string()))
+	}
+
+	fn best_chain(&self) -> Result<<Block as BlockT>::Header, ConsensusError> {
+		let best_chain = self.polkadot_select_chain.best_chain()?;
+		let para_best_chain = self.polkadot_client
+			.parachain_head_at(&BlockId::Hash(best_chain.hash()), self.para_id)
+			.map_err(|e| ConsensusError::ChainLookup(e.to_string()))?;
+
+		match para_best_chain {
+			Some(best) => Decode::decode(&mut &best[..])
+				.map_err(|e|
+					ConsensusError::ChainLookup(
+						format!("Error decoding parachain head: {}", e.what()),
+					),
+				),
+			None => Err(
+				ConsensusError::ChainLookup(
+					"Could not find parachain head for best relay chain!".into()),
+			)
+		}
+	}
 }