diff --git a/docs/doc_gen/rpc_doc.ml b/docs/doc_gen/rpc_doc.ml
index 947f08021383181a02eae328bfd5970e7c5b01b7..dd6b7a59e1670e71e5f1f365de0f1eb2aa3bdc04 100644
--- a/docs/doc_gen/rpc_doc.ml
+++ b/docs/doc_gen/rpc_doc.ml
@@ -392,7 +392,9 @@ let make_index ?introduction_path ~required_version ~hash () =
         | Some proto -> proto
       in
       Tezos_rpc.Directory.map (fun () -> assert false)
-      @@ Block_directory.build_raw_rpc_directory (module Proto) (module Proto)
+      @@ Block_directory.build_raw_rpc_directory_with_validator
+           (module Proto)
+           (module Proto)
     in
     Tezos_rpc.Directory.describe_directory ~recurse:true ~arg:() dir
   in
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/block_directory.ml b/src/lib_shell/block_directory.ml
index b1ef3858d18f0144d00408d62c2eeefc071fc2ae..f6a675caa7f730b0df0133d7ecd8cfd20475823b 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/block_directory.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/block_directory.ml
@@ -157,7 +157,75 @@ let with_metadata ~force_metadata ~metadata =
   | _, Some `Never -> Some `Never
   | _, None -> None
 
-let build_raw_rpc_directory (module Proto : Block_services.PROTO)
+let build_raw_rpc_directory_with_validator (module Proto : Block_services.PROTO)
+    (module Next_proto : Registered_protocol.T) =
+  let open Lwt_result_syntax in
+  let dir : (Store.chain_store * Store.Block.block) Tezos_rpc.Directory.t ref =
+    ref Tezos_rpc.Directory.empty
+  in
+  let register0 s f =
+    dir :=
+      Tezos_rpc.Directory.register
+        !dir
+        (Tezos_rpc.Service.subst0 s)
+        (fun block p q -> f block p q)
+  in
+  let module Block_services = Block_services.Make (Proto) (Next_proto) in
+  let module S = Block_services.S in
+  (* helpers *)
+  register0 S.Helpers.Preapply.block (fun (chain_store, block) q p ->
+      let timestamp =
+        match q#timestamp with
+        | None -> Time.System.to_protocol (Time.System.now ())
+        | Some time -> time
+      in
+      let protocol_data =
+        Data_encoding.Binary.to_bytes_exn
+          Next_proto.block_header_data_encoding
+          p.protocol_data
+      in
+      let operations =
+        List.map
+          (fun operations ->
+            let operations =
+              List.map
+                (fun op ->
+                  let proto =
+                    Data_encoding.Binary.to_bytes_exn
+                      Next_proto
+                      .operation_data_encoding_with_legacy_attestation_name
+                      op.Next_proto.protocol_data
+                  in
+                  (op, {Operation.shell = op.shell; proto}))
+                operations
+            in
+            let operations =
+              if q#sort_operations then
+                List.sort
+                  (fun (op, ops) (op', ops') ->
+                    let oph, oph' = (Operation.hash ops, Operation.hash ops') in
+                    Next_proto.compare_operations (oph, op) (oph', op'))
+                  operations
+              else operations
+            in
+            List.map snd operations)
+          p.operations
+      in
+      let* bv =
+        try return (Block_validator.running_worker ())
+        with _ -> failwith "Block validator is not running"
+      in
+      Block_validator.preapply
+        bv
+        chain_store
+        ~predecessor:block
+        ~timestamp
+        ~protocol_data
+        operations) ;
+  !dir
+
+let build_raw_rpc_directory_without_validator
+    (module Proto : Block_services.PROTO)
     (module Next_proto : Registered_protocol.T) =
   let open Lwt_result_syntax in
   let dir : (Store.chain_store * Store.Block.block) Tezos_rpc.Directory.t ref =
@@ -659,55 +727,6 @@ let build_raw_rpc_directory (module Proto : Block_services.PROTO)
             operations;
           } )) ;
   (* helpers *)
-  register0 S.Helpers.Preapply.block (fun (chain_store, block) q p ->
-      let timestamp =
-        match q#timestamp with
-        | None -> Time.System.to_protocol (Time.System.now ())
-        | Some time -> time
-      in
-      let protocol_data =
-        Data_encoding.Binary.to_bytes_exn
-          Next_proto.block_header_data_encoding
-          p.protocol_data
-      in
-      let operations =
-        List.map
-          (fun operations ->
-            let operations =
-              List.map
-                (fun op ->
-                  let proto =
-                    Data_encoding.Binary.to_bytes_exn
-                      Next_proto
-                      .operation_data_encoding_with_legacy_attestation_name
-                      op.Next_proto.protocol_data
-                  in
-                  (op, {Operation.shell = op.shell; proto}))
-                operations
-            in
-            let operations =
-              if q#sort_operations then
-                List.sort
-                  (fun (op, ops) (op', ops') ->
-                    let oph, oph' = (Operation.hash ops, Operation.hash ops') in
-                    Next_proto.compare_operations (oph, op) (oph', op'))
-                  operations
-              else operations
-            in
-            List.map snd operations)
-          p.operations
-      in
-      let* bv =
-        try return (Block_validator.running_worker ())
-        with _ -> failwith "Block validator is not running"
-      in
-      Block_validator.preapply
-        bv
-        chain_store
-        ~predecessor:block
-        ~timestamp
-        ~protocol_data
-        operations) ;
   register0
     S.Helpers.Preapply.operations
     (fun (chain_store, block) params ops ->
@@ -839,7 +858,7 @@ let get_protocol hash =
   | None -> raise Not_found
   | Some protocol -> protocol
 
-let get_directory chain_store block =
+let get_directory chain_store block ~with_validator =
   let open Lwt_syntax in
   let* o = Store.Chain.get_rpc_directory chain_store block in
   match o with
@@ -849,13 +868,20 @@ let get_directory chain_store block =
         Store.Block.protocol_hash_exn chain_store block
       in
       let (module Next_proto) = get_protocol next_protocol_hash in
-      let build_fake_rpc_directory () =
-        build_raw_rpc_directory
-          (module Block_services.Fake_protocol)
-          (module Next_proto)
-      in
       if Store.Block.is_genesis chain_store (Store.Block.hash block) then
-        Lwt.return (build_fake_rpc_directory ())
+        let dir =
+          build_raw_rpc_directory_without_validator
+            (module Block_services.Fake_protocol)
+            (module Next_proto)
+        in
+        if with_validator then
+          let dir_with_validator =
+            build_raw_rpc_directory_with_validator
+              (module Block_services.Fake_protocol)
+              (module Next_proto)
+          in
+          Lwt.return (Tezos_rpc.Directory.merge dir dir_with_validator)
+        else Lwt.return dir
       else
         let* (module Proto) =
           let* o = Store.Block.read_predecessor_opt chain_store block in
@@ -888,7 +914,21 @@ let get_directory chain_store block =
         | Some dir -> Lwt.return dir
         | None ->
             let dir =
-              build_raw_rpc_directory (module Proto) (module Next_proto)
+              let dir_without_validator =
+                build_raw_rpc_directory_without_validator
+                  (module Proto)
+                  (module Next_proto)
+              in
+              if with_validator then
+                let dir_with_validator =
+                  build_raw_rpc_directory_with_validator
+                    (module Proto)
+                    (module Next_proto)
+                in
+                Tezos_rpc.Directory.merge
+                  dir_without_validator
+                  dir_with_validator
+              else dir_without_validator
             in
             let* () =
               Store.Chain.set_rpc_directory
@@ -899,12 +939,22 @@ let get_directory chain_store block =
             in
             Lwt.return dir)
 
-let build_rpc_directory chain_store block =
+let build_rpc_directory_with_validator chain_store block =
+  let open Lwt_syntax in
+  let* o = Store.Chain.block_of_identifier_opt chain_store block in
+  match o with
+  | None -> Lwt.fail Not_found
+  | Some b ->
+      let* dir = get_directory ~with_validator:true chain_store b in
+      Lwt.return
+        (Tezos_rpc.Directory.map (fun _ -> Lwt.return (chain_store, b)) dir)
+
+let build_rpc_directory_without_validator chain_store block =
   let open Lwt_syntax in
   let* o = Store.Chain.block_of_identifier_opt chain_store block in
   match o with
   | None -> Lwt.fail Not_found
   | Some b ->
-      let* dir = get_directory chain_store b in
+      let* dir = get_directory ~with_validator:false chain_store b in
       Lwt.return
         (Tezos_rpc.Directory.map (fun _ -> Lwt.return (chain_store, b)) dir)
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/block_directory.mli b/src/lib_shell/block_directory.mli
index e9c3eb1f0553b6ae27cf37e81f99918b5ba9cd1c..e7b4b1ef376712a197315935aa54c251c37554f9 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/block_directory.mli
+++ b/src/lib_shell/block_directory.mli
@@ -24,10 +24,22 @@
 (*                                                                           *)
 (*****************************************************************************)
 
-val build_raw_rpc_directory :
+val build_raw_rpc_directory_with_validator :
   (module Block_services.PROTO) ->
   (module Registered_protocol.T) ->
   (Store.chain_store * Store.Block.t) Tezos_rpc.Directory.directory
 
-val build_rpc_directory :
+(** [build_rpc_directory_with_validator chain_store block_services]
+    builds an [RPC_directory.t] that contains all RPCs in
+    [block_services], especially the one that depends on the
+    validator.
+
+    @raises Error when validator is not running.  *)
+val build_rpc_directory_with_validator :
+  Store.chain_store -> Block_services.block -> 'a Tezos_rpc.Directory.t Lwt.t
+
+(** Same as [build_rpc_directory_with_validator] except that the
+    returned [RPC_directory.t] contains only RPCs that do **not**
+    depend on the validator. *)
+val build_rpc_directory_without_validator :
   Store.chain_store -> Block_services.block -> 'a Tezos_rpc.Directory.t Lwt.t
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.ml b/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.ml
index 1d1748dbe7197bfba42fa98e923200cf888ad992..1f3e098952de753e39c284a4d1e169e41edb7642 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.ml
@@ -116,18 +116,31 @@ let list_blocks chain_store ?(length = 1) ?min_date blocks =
   in
   return (List.rev blocks)
 
-let rpc_directory validator =
+let register0 dir s f =
+  dir :=
+    Tezos_rpc.Directory.register
+      !dir
+      (Tezos_rpc.Service.subst0 s)
+      (fun chain p q -> f chain p q)
+
+let rpc_directory_with_validator dir validator =
+  let open Lwt_result_syntax in
+  register0 dir S.is_bootstrapped (fun chain_store () () ->
+      match Validator.get validator (Store.Chain.chain_id chain_store) with
+      | Error _ -> Lwt.fail Not_found
+      | Ok chain_validator ->
+          return
+            Chain_validator.
+              (is_bootstrapped chain_validator, sync_status chain_validator)) ;
+  register0 dir S.force_bootstrapped (fun chain_store () b ->
+      match Validator.get validator (Store.Chain.chain_id chain_store) with
+      | Error _ -> Lwt.fail Not_found
+      | Ok chain_validator ->
+          let*! v = Chain_validator.force_bootstrapped chain_validator b in
+          return v)
+
+let rpc_directory_without_validator dir =
   let open Lwt_result_syntax in
-  let dir : Store.chain_store Tezos_rpc.Directory.t ref =
-    ref Tezos_rpc.Directory.empty
-  in
-  let register0 s f =
-    dir :=
-      Tezos_rpc.Directory.register
-        !dir
-        (Tezos_rpc.Service.subst0 s)
-        (fun chain p q -> f chain p q)
-  in
   let register1 s f =
     dir :=
       Tezos_rpc.Directory.register
@@ -135,17 +148,9 @@ let rpc_directory validator =
         (Tezos_rpc.Service.subst1 s)
         (fun (chain, a) p q -> f chain a p q)
   in
-  let register_dynamic_directory2 ?descr s f =
-    dir :=
-      Tezos_rpc.Directory.register_dynamic_directory
-        !dir
-        ?descr
-        (Tezos_rpc.Path.subst1 s)
-        (fun (chain, a) -> f chain a)
-  in
-  register0 S.chain_id (fun chain_store () () ->
+  register0 dir S.chain_id (fun chain_store () () ->
       return (Store.Chain.chain_id chain_store)) ;
-  register0 S.checkpoint (fun chain_store () () ->
+  register0 dir S.checkpoint (fun chain_store () () ->
       let*! checkpoint_hash, _ = Store.Chain.checkpoint chain_store in
       let* block = Store.Block.read_block chain_store checkpoint_hash in
       let checkpoint_header = Store.Block.header block in
@@ -153,36 +158,20 @@ let rpc_directory validator =
       let*! _, caboose_level = Store.Chain.caboose chain_store in
       let history_mode = Store.Chain.history_mode chain_store in
       return (checkpoint_header, savepoint_level, caboose_level, history_mode)) ;
-  register0 S.Levels.checkpoint (fun chain_store () () ->
+  register0 dir S.Levels.checkpoint (fun chain_store () () ->
       let*! v = Store.Chain.checkpoint chain_store in
       return v) ;
-  register0 S.Levels.savepoint (fun chain_store () () ->
+  register0 dir S.Levels.savepoint (fun chain_store () () ->
       let*! v = Store.Chain.savepoint chain_store in
       return v) ;
-  register0 S.Levels.caboose (fun chain_store () () ->
+  register0 dir S.Levels.caboose (fun chain_store () () ->
       let*! v = Store.Chain.caboose chain_store in
       return v) ;
-  register0 S.is_bootstrapped (fun chain_store () () ->
-      match Validator.get validator (Store.Chain.chain_id chain_store) with
-      | Error _ -> Lwt.fail Not_found
-      | Ok chain_validator ->
-          return
-            Chain_validator.
-              (is_bootstrapped chain_validator, sync_status chain_validator)) ;
-  register0 S.force_bootstrapped (fun chain_store () b ->
-      match Validator.get validator (Store.Chain.chain_id chain_store) with
-      | Error _ -> Lwt.fail Not_found
-      | Ok chain_validator ->
-          let*! v = Chain_validator.force_bootstrapped chain_validator b in
-          return v) ;
   (* blocks *)
-  register0 S.Blocks.list (fun chain q () ->
+  register0 dir S.Blocks.list (fun chain q () ->
       list_blocks chain ?length:q#length ?min_date:q#min_date q#heads) ;
-  register_dynamic_directory2
-    Block_services.path
-    Block_directory.build_rpc_directory ;
   (* invalid_blocks *)
-  register0 S.Invalid_blocks.list (fun chain_store () () ->
+  register0 dir S.Invalid_blocks.list (fun chain_store () () ->
       let convert (hash, {Store_types.level; errors}) = {hash; level; errors} in
       let*! invalid_blocks_map = Store.Block.read_invalid_blocks chain_store in
       let blocks = Block_hash.Map.bindings invalid_blocks_map in
@@ -193,7 +182,45 @@ let rpc_directory validator =
       | None -> Lwt.fail Not_found
       | Some {level; errors} -> return {hash; level; errors}) ;
   register1 S.Invalid_blocks.delete (fun chain_store hash () () ->
-      Store.Block.unmark_invalid chain_store hash) ;
+      Store.Block.unmark_invalid chain_store hash)
+
+let rpc_directory validator =
+  let dir : Store.chain_store Tezos_rpc.Directory.t ref =
+    ref Tezos_rpc.Directory.empty
+  in
+  rpc_directory_without_validator dir ;
+  rpc_directory_with_validator dir validator ;
+  let register_dynamic_directory2 ?descr s f =
+    dir :=
+      Tezos_rpc.Directory.register_dynamic_directory
+        !dir
+        ?descr
+        (Tezos_rpc.Path.subst1 s)
+        (fun (chain, a) -> f chain a)
+  in
+  (* blocks *)
+  register_dynamic_directory2
+    Block_services.path
+    Block_directory.build_rpc_directory_with_validator ;
+  !dir
+
+let rpc_directory_without_validator () =
+  let dir : Store.chain_store Tezos_rpc.Directory.t ref =
+    ref Tezos_rpc.Directory.empty
+  in
+  rpc_directory_without_validator dir ;
+  let register_dynamic_directory2 ?descr s f =
+    dir :=
+      Tezos_rpc.Directory.register_dynamic_directory
+        !dir
+        ?descr
+        (Tezos_rpc.Path.subst1 s)
+        (fun (chain, a) -> f chain a)
+  in
+  (* blocks *)
+  register_dynamic_directory2
+    Block_services.path
+    Block_directory.build_rpc_directory_without_validator ;
   !dir
 
 let build_rpc_directory validator =
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.mli b/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.mli
index 4e15fa460529dab7a3ab7feb2705779cd53d2adf..e80b5b51d72193961d53c951391b9133071aae8e 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.mli
+++ b/src/lib_shell/chain_directory.mli
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ val get_chain_store_exn :
 
 val get_checkpoint : Store.t -> Chain_services.chain -> Block_hash.t Lwt.t
 
-val rpc_directory : Validator.t -> Store.chain_store Tezos_rpc.Directory.t
+val rpc_directory_without_validator :
+  unit -> Store.chain_store Tezos_rpc.Directory.t
 
 val build_rpc_directory : Validator.t -> unit Tezos_rpc.Directory.t