diff --git a/cli/sync.go b/cli/sync.go
index 02e4e381ff7..89d2d94f039 100644
--- a/cli/sync.go
+++ b/cli/sync.go
@@ -273,11 +273,6 @@ func SyncWait(ctx context.Context, napi v0api.FullNode, watch bool) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		head, err := napi.ChainHead(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
 		working := -1
 		for i, ss := range state.ActiveSyncs {
 			switch ss.Stage {
@@ -332,7 +327,11 @@ func SyncWait(ctx context.Context, napi v0api.FullNode, watch bool) error {
 
 		_ = target // todo: maybe print? (creates a bunch of line wrapping issues with most tipsets)
 
-		if !watch && time.Now().Unix()-int64(head.MinTimestamp()) < int64(build.BlockDelaySecs) {
+		isDone, err := IsSyncDone(ctx, napi)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if !watch && isDone {
 			fmt.Println("\nDone!")
 			return nil
 		}
@@ -347,3 +346,11 @@ func SyncWait(ctx context.Context, napi v0api.FullNode, watch bool) error {
 		i++
 	}
 }
+
+func IsSyncDone(ctx context.Context, napi v0api.FullNode) (bool, error) {
+	head, err := napi.ChainHead(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return time.Now().Unix()-int64(head.MinTimestamp()) < int64(build.BlockDelaySecs), nil
+}
diff --git a/cli/wallet.go b/cli/wallet.go
index 2afe8617b95..61946a46382 100644
--- a/cli/wallet.go
+++ b/cli/wallet.go
@@ -206,7 +206,12 @@ var walletBalance = &cli.Command{
 			return err
 		}
 
-		if balance.Equals(types.NewInt(0)) {
+		inSync, err := IsSyncDone(ctx, api)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if balance.Equals(types.NewInt(0)) && !inSync {
 			afmt.Printf("%s (warning: may display 0 if chain sync in progress)\n", types.FIL(balance))
 		} else {
 			afmt.Printf("%s\n", types.FIL(balance))
diff --git a/cli/wallet_test.go b/cli/wallet_test.go
index dee26018b28..eb2c544f0a6 100644
--- a/cli/wallet_test.go
+++ b/cli/wallet_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/api"
 	apitypes "github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/api/types"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types/mock"
 )
 
 func TestWalletNew(t *testing.T) {
@@ -133,6 +134,11 @@ func TestWalletBalance(t *testing.T) {
 
 	balance := big.NewInt(1234)
 
+	// add blocks to the chain
+	first := mock.TipSet(mock.MkBlock(nil, 5, 4))
+	head := mock.TipSet(mock.MkBlock(first, 15, 7))
+
+	mockApi.EXPECT().ChainHead(ctx).Return(head, nil)
 	mockApi.EXPECT().WalletBalance(ctx, addr).Return(balance, nil)
 
 	//stm: @CLI_WALLET_BALANCE_001