diff --git a/src/bitcoinrpc.cpp b/src/bitcoinrpc.cpp
index 0704173e..d82a382c 100644
--- a/src/bitcoinrpc.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoinrpc.cpp
@@ -1161,6 +1161,7 @@ Array RPCConvertValues(const std::string &strMethod, const std::vector<std::stri
     if (strMethod == "listunspent"            && n > 0) ConvertTo<boost::int64_t>(params[0]);
     if (strMethod == "listunspent"            && n > 1) ConvertTo<boost::int64_t>(params[1]);
     if (strMethod == "listunspent"            && n > 2) ConvertTo<Array>(params[2]);
+    if (strMethod == "getblock"               && n > 1) ConvertTo<bool>(params[1]);
     if (strMethod == "getrawtransaction"      && n > 1) ConvertTo<boost::int64_t>(params[1]);
     if (strMethod == "createrawtransaction"   && n > 0) ConvertTo<Array>(params[0]);
     if (strMethod == "createrawtransaction"   && n > 1) ConvertTo<Object>(params[1]);
diff --git a/src/rpcblockchain.cpp b/src/rpcblockchain.cpp
index 2dfdf584..2aa400ab 100644
--- a/src/rpcblockchain.cpp
+++ b/src/rpcblockchain.cpp
@@ -141,14 +141,20 @@ Value getblockhash(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
 
 Value getblock(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
 {
-    if (fHelp || params.size() != 1)
+    if (fHelp || params.size() < 1 || params.size() > 2)
         throw runtime_error(
-            "getblock <hash>\n"
-            "Returns details of a block with given block-hash.");
+            "getblock <hash> [verbose=true]\n"
+            "If verbose is false, returns a string that is serialized, hex-encoded data for block <hash>.\n"
+            "If verbose is true, returns an Object with information about block <hash>."
+        );
 
     std::string strHash = params[0].get_str();
     uint256 hash(strHash);
 
+    bool fVerbose = true;
+    if (params.size() > 1)
+        fVerbose = params[1].get_bool();
+
     if (mapBlockIndex.count(hash) == 0)
         throw JSONRPCError(RPC_INVALID_ADDRESS_OR_KEY, "Block not found");
 
@@ -156,6 +162,14 @@ Value getblock(const Array& params, bool fHelp)
     CBlockIndex* pblockindex = mapBlockIndex[hash];
     block.ReadFromDisk(pblockindex, true);
 
+    if (!fVerbose)
+    {
+        CDataStream ssBlock(SER_NETWORK, PROTOCOL_VERSION);
+        ssBlock << block;
+        std::string strHex = HexStr(ssBlock.begin(), ssBlock.end());
+        return strHex;
+    }
+
     return blockToJSON(block, pblockindex);
 }