diff --git a/.env-sample b/.env-sample
index 43f2f61f..65f13893 100644
--- a/.env-sample
+++ b/.env-sample
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ LND_CERT_BASE64='LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBDRVJUSUZJQ0FURS0tLS0tCk1JSUNLVENDQWRDZ0F3SUJBZ0l
 # base64 ~/.lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/testnet/admin.macaroon | tr -d '\n'
 LND_MACAROON_BASE64='AgEDbG5kAvgBAwoQsyI+PK+fyb7F2UyTeZ4seRIBMBoWCgdhZGRyZXNzEgRyZWFkEgV3cml0ZRoTCgRpbmZvEgRyZWFkEgV3cml0ZRoXCghpbnZvaWNlcxIEcmVhZBIFd3JpdGUaIQoIbWFjYXJvb24SCGdlbmVyYXRlEgRyZWFkEgV3cml0ZRoWCgdtZXNzYWdlEgRyZWFkEgV3cml0ZRoXCghvZmZjaGFpbhIEcmVhZBIFd3JpdGUaFgoHb25jaGFpbhIEcmVhZBIFd3JpdGUaFAoFcGVlcnMSBHJlYWQSBXdyaXRlGhgKBnNpZ25lchIIZ2VuZXJhdGUSBHJlYWQAAAYgMt90uD6v4truTadWCjlppoeJ4hZrL1SBb09Y+4WOiI0='
 
+# Bitcoin Core Daemon RPC, used to validate addresses
+BITCOIND_RPCURL = 'http://127.0.0.1:18332'
+BITCOIND_RPCUSER = 'robodev'
+BITCOIND_RPCPASSWORD = 'robodev'
+
 # Postgresql Database
 POSTGRES_NAME='postgres'
 POSTGRES_USER='postgres'
@@ -16,7 +21,7 @@ POSTGRES_HOST='127.0.0.1'
 POSTGRES_PORT='5432'
 
 # Auto unlock LND password. Only used in development docker-compose environment.
-# It will fail starting up the node without it. 
+# It will fail starting up the node without it.
 # To disable auto unlock, comment out 'wallet-unlock-password-file=/tmp/pwd' from 'docker/lnd/lnd.conf'
 AUTO_UNLOCK_PWD='1234'
 
@@ -73,18 +78,18 @@ RETRY_TIME = 1
 MAX_PUBLIC_ORDERS = 100
 
 # Trade limits in satoshis
-MIN_TRADE = 20000 
+MIN_TRADE = 20000
 MAX_TRADE = 3000000
 MAX_TRADE_BONDLESS_TAKER = 50000
 
-# For CLTV_expiry calculation 
+# For CLTV_expiry calculation
 # Assume 8 min/block assumed
 BLOCK_TIME = 8
 # Safety multiplier in case of mining speed up (CLTV expiry will be times X larger than real time needs for locked bonds/escrow)
 MAX_MINING_NETWORK_SPEEDUP_EXPECTED = 1.7
 
 # Expiration time for locking collateral in SECONDS
-EXP_MAKER_BOND_INVOICE = 300 
+EXP_MAKER_BOND_INVOICE = 300
 EXP_TAKER_BOND_INVOICE = 200
 
 # Time a order is public in the book HOURS
@@ -114,7 +119,7 @@ DISABLE_ONCHAIN = False
 SWAP_FEE_SHAPE = 'exponential'
 # EXPONENTIAL. fee (%) = MIN_SWAP_FEE + (MAX_SWAP_FEE - MIN_SWAP_FEE) * e ^ (-LAMBDA * onchain_liquidity_fraction)
 SWAP_LAMBDA = 8.8
-# LINEAR. 4 parameters needed: min/max fees and min/max balance points. E.g. If 25% or more of liquidity 
+# LINEAR. 4 parameters needed: min/max fees and min/max balance points. E.g. If 25% or more of liquidity
 # is onchain the fee for swap is 2% (minimum), if it is 12% fee is 6%, and for 0% fee is 10%.
 # Minimum swap fee as fraction (1%)
 MIN_SWAP_FEE = 0.01
@@ -124,7 +129,7 @@ MIN_SWAP_POINT = 0.35
 MAX_SWAP_FEE = 0.1
 # Liquidity split point (LN/onchain) at which we use MAX_SWAP_FEE
 MAX_SWAP_POINT = 0
-# Min amount allowed for Swap 
+# Min amount allowed for Swap
 MIN_SWAP_AMOUNT = 10000
 
 # Reward tip. Reward for every finished trade in the referral program (Satoshis)
diff --git a/api/utils.py b/api/utils.py
index d9314615..24178352 100644
--- a/api/utils.py
+++ b/api/utils.py
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
-import requests, ring, os
-from decouple import config
+import json
+import os
+
 import numpy as np
-import coinaddrvalidator as addr
+import requests
+import ring
+from decouple import config
+
 from api.models import Order
 
+
 def get_tor_session():
     session = requests.session()
     # Tor uses the 9050 port as the default socks port
@@ -11,36 +16,48 @@ def get_tor_session():
                        'https': 'socks5://127.0.0.1:9050'}
     return session
 
+
+def bitcoind_rpc(method, params=None):
+    """
+    Makes a RPC call to bitcoin core daemon
+    :param method: RPC method to call
+    :param params: list of params required by the calling RPC method
+    :return:
+    """
+
+    BITCOIND_RPCURL = config('BITCOIND_RPCURL')
+    BITCOIND_RPCUSER = config('BITCOIND_RPCUSER')
+    BITCOIND_RPCPASSWORD = config('BITCOIND_RPCPASSWORD')
+
+    if params is None:
+        params = []
+
+    payload = json.dumps(
+        {
+            "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+            "id": "robosats",
+            "method": method,
+            "params": params
+        }
+    )
+    return requests.post(BITCOIND_RPCURL, auth=(BITCOIND_RPCUSER, BITCOIND_RPCPASSWORD), data=payload).json()['result']
+
+
 def validate_onchain_address(address):
-    '''
+    """
     Validates an onchain address
-    '''
-    
-    validation = addr.validate('btc', address.encode('utf-8'))
+    """
 
-    if not validation.valid:
-        return False, {
-                "bad_address":
-                "Does not look like a valid address"
-            }
+    try:
+        validation = bitcoind_rpc('validateaddress', [address])
+        if not validation['isvalid']:
+            return False, {"bad_address": validation['error']}
+    except:
+        # TODO: log the exception ?
+        return False, {"bad_address": 'Unable to validate address, check bitcoind backend'}
+
+    return True, None
 
-    NETWORK = str(config('NETWORK'))
-    if NETWORK == 'mainnet':
-        if validation.network == 'main':
-            return True, None
-        else:
-            return False, {
-                "bad_address":
-                "This is not a bitcoin mainnet address"
-            }
-    elif NETWORK == 'testnet':
-        if validation.network == 'test':
-            return True, None
-        else:
-            return False, {
-                "bad_address":
-                "This is not a bitcoin testnet address"
-            }
 
 market_cache = {}
 @ring.dict(market_cache, expire=3)  # keeps in cache for 3 seconds