diff --git a/politeiawww/addresswatcher.go b/politeiawww/cmsaddresswatcher.go
similarity index 72%
rename from politeiawww/addresswatcher.go
rename to politeiawww/cmsaddresswatcher.go
index 7e73e9888..f43ba895b 100644
--- a/politeiawww/addresswatcher.go
+++ b/politeiawww/cmsaddresswatcher.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
@@ -14,8 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/decred/dcrd/dcrutil"
 	pstypes "github.com/decred/dcrdata/pubsub/types/v2"
-	client "github.com/decred/dcrdata/pubsub/v2/psclient"
-	"github.com/decred/dcrdata/semver"
 	pd "github.com/decred/politeia/politeiad/api/v1"
 	"github.com/decred/politeia/politeiad/cache"
 	cms "github.com/decred/politeia/politeiawww/api/cms/v1"
@@ -24,85 +21,37 @@ import (
 	"github.com/decred/politeia/util"
 )
 
-const mainnetSubsidyAddr = "Dcur2mcGjmENx4DhNqDctW5wJCVyT3Qeqkx"
+const (
+	// mainnetSubsidyAddr is the mainnet address in which cms payments
+	// must come from in order to be considered a valid payment.
+	mainnetSubsidyAddr = "Dcur2mcGjmENx4DhNqDctW5wJCVyT3Qeqkx"
+)
 
-func (p *politeiawww) addWatchAddress(address string) error {
-	address = "address:" + address
-	if subd, _ := strInSlice(p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs, address); subd {
-		log.Infof("Already subscribed to %s.", address)
-		return nil
-	}
-	p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs = append(p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs, address)
-	_, err := p.pubSubDcrdata.client.Subscribe(address)
+func (p *politeiawww) addWatchAddress(address string) {
+	err := p.wsDcrdata.subToAddr(address)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to subscribe: %v", err)
+		log.Errorf("addWatchAddress: subscribe '%v': %v",
+			address, err)
+		return
 	}
 	log.Infof("Subscribed to listen: %v", address)
-	return nil
 }
 
-func (p *politeiawww) removeWatchAddress(address string) error {
-	address = "address:" + address
-	subd, i := strInSlice(p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs, address)
-	if !subd {
-		log.Infof("Not subscribed to %s.", address)
-		return nil
-	}
-	p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs = append(p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs[:i],
-		p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs[i+1:]...)
-	_, err := p.pubSubDcrdata.client.Unsubscribe(address)
+func (p *politeiawww) removeWatchAddress(address string) {
+	err := p.wsDcrdata.unsubFromAddr(address)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to unsubscribe: %v", err)
+		log.Errorf("removeWatchAddress: unsubscribe '%v': %v",
+			address, err)
+		return
 	}
 	log.Infof("Unsubscribed: %v", address)
-	return nil
 }
 
-func (p *politeiawww) addPing() error {
-	_, err := p.pubSubDcrdata.client.Subscribe("ping")
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to subscribe: %v", err)
-	}
-	log.Infof("Subscribed to ping")
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (p *politeiawww) setupWatcher() error {
-	// Create the websocket connection.
-	wsURL, err := util.BlockExplorerURLForSubscriptions(activeNetParams.Params)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	log.Infof("Connecting to ws at: %v", wsURL)
-
-	opts := client.Opts{
-		ReadTimeout:  3 * time.Second,
-		WriteTimeout: 3 * time.Second,
-	}
-	p.pubSubDcrdata.client, err = client.New(wsURL, context.Background(), &opts)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("failed to connect to %s: %v", wsURL, err)
-		return err
-	}
-	serverVer, err := p.pubSubDcrdata.client.ServerVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("failed to get server version: %v", err)
-		return err
-	}
-
-	clientSemVer := client.Version()
-	log.Infof("PubSub Server version: %s, Client version %v", serverVer,
-		clientSemVer)
-	serverSemVer := semver.NewSemver(serverVer.Major, serverVer.Minor,
-		serverVer.Patch)
-	if !semver.Compatible(clientSemVer, serverSemVer) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("pubsub server version is %v, but client is version %v",
-			serverSemVer, clientSemVer)
-	}
-
+func (p *politeiawww) setupCMSAddressWatcher() {
+	p.wsDcrdata.subToPing()
 	go func() {
 		for {
-			msg, ok := <-p.pubSubDcrdata.client.Receive()
+			msg, ok := <-p.wsDcrdata.client.Receive()
 			if !ok {
 				break
 			}
@@ -136,10 +85,9 @@ func (p *politeiawww) setupWatcher() error {
 			}
 		}
 	}()
-	return nil
 }
 
-func (p *politeiawww) restartAddressesWatching() error {
+func (p *politeiawww) restartCMSAddressesWatching() error {
 	approvedInvoices, err := p.cmsDB.InvoicesByStatus(int(cms.InvoiceStatusApproved))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -182,15 +130,6 @@ func (p *politeiawww) restartAddressesWatching() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func strInSlice(sl []string, str string) (bool, int) {
-	for i, s := range sl {
-		if s == str {
-			return true, i
-		}
-	}
-	return false, -1
-}
-
 // checkPayments checks to see if a given payment has been successfully paid.
 // It will return TRUE if paid, otherwise false.  It utilizes the util
 // FetchTxsForAddressNotBefore which looks for transaction at a given address
diff --git a/politeiawww/politeiawww.go b/politeiawww/politeiawww.go
index a05a6b278..87d15f3a4 100644
--- a/politeiawww/politeiawww.go
+++ b/politeiawww/politeiawww.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/davecgh/go-spew/spew"
 	"github.com/decred/dcrd/chaincfg"
-	client "github.com/decred/dcrdata/pubsub/v2/psclient"
 	"github.com/decred/politeia/politeiad/api/v1/mime"
 	"github.com/decred/politeia/politeiad/cache"
 	www "github.com/decred/politeia/politeiawww/api/www/v1"
@@ -67,12 +66,6 @@ type wsContext struct {
 	done          chan struct{} // SHUT...DOWN...EVERYTHING...
 }
 
-// wsDcrdata is the context for the dcrdata websocket connection.
-type wsDcrdata struct {
-	client      *client.Client
-	currentSubs []string
-}
-
 func (w *wsContext) String() string {
 	u := w.uuid
 	if u == "" {
@@ -135,9 +128,9 @@ type politeiawww struct {
 	cmsDB cmsdatabase.Database
 	cron  *cron.Cron
 
-	// pubSubDcrdata contains the client and list of current subscriptions to
+	// wsDcrdata contains the client and list of current subscriptions to
 	// dcrdata's public subscription websocket
-	pubSubDcrdata *wsDcrdata
+	wsDcrdata *wsDcrdata
 }
 
 // XXX rig this up
diff --git a/politeiawww/wsdcrdata.go b/politeiawww/wsdcrdata.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d3957f2d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/politeiawww/wsdcrdata.go
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	client "github.com/decred/dcrdata/pubsub/v2/psclient"
+	"github.com/decred/dcrdata/semver"
+	"github.com/decred/politeia/util"
+)
+
+const (
+	// addrSubPrefix must be prefixed to the address when subscribing
+	// to address events.
+	addrSubPrefix = "address:"
+)
+
+var (
+	// errDuplicateSub is emitted when attempting to subscribe to an
+	// event that has already been subscribed to.
+	errDuplicateSub = errors.New("duplicate subscription")
+
+	// errSubNotFound is emitted when attempting to unsubscribe to an
+	// event that has not yet been subscribed to.
+	errSubNotFound = errors.New("subscription not found")
+)
+
+// wsDcrdata is the context used for managing a dcrdata websocket connection.
+type wsDcrdata struct {
+	sync.RWMutex
+	client        *client.Client      // dcrdata websocket client
+	subscriptions map[string]struct{} // Client subscriptions
+}
+
+// addSub adds an event subscription to the subscriptions map.
+func (w *wsDcrdata) addSub(event string) {
+	w.Lock()
+	defer w.Unlock()
+
+	w.subscriptions[event] = struct{}{}
+}
+
+// removeSub removes an event subscription from the subscriptions map.
+func (w *wsDcrdata) removeSub(event string) {
+	w.Lock()
+	defer w.Unlock()
+
+	delete(w.subscriptions, event)
+}
+
+// isSubscribed returns whether the client is subscribed to the provided event.
+func (w *wsDcrdata) isSubscribed(event string) bool {
+	w.RLock()
+	defer w.RUnlock()
+
+	_, ok := w.subscriptions[event]
+	return ok
+}
+
+// subToPing subscribes to the dcrdata ping event.
+func (w *wsDcrdata) subToPing() error {
+	_, err := w.client.Subscribe("ping")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to subscribe: %v", err)
+	}
+	log.Debugf("wsDcrdata subscribed to ping")
+	return nil
+}
+
+// subToAddr subscribes to dcrdata events for the provided address.
+func (w *wsDcrdata) subToAddr(address string) error {
+	event := addrSubPrefix + address
+	if w.isSubscribed(event) {
+		return errDuplicateSub
+	}
+	_, err := w.client.Subscribe(event)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to subscribe: %v", err)
+	}
+	w.addSub(event)
+	log.Debugf("wsDcrdata subscribed to addr: %v", address)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// unsubFromAddr unsubscribes from dcrdata events for the provided address.
+func (w *wsDcrdata) unsubFromAddr(address string) error {
+	event := addrSubPrefix + address
+	if !w.isSubscribed(event) {
+		return errSubNotFound
+	}
+	_, err := w.client.Unsubscribe(event)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to unsubscribe: %v", err)
+	}
+	w.removeSub(event)
+	log.Debugf("wsDcrdata unsubscribed from addr: %v", address)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// newWSDcrdata return a new wsDcrdata context.
+func newWSDcrdata() (*wsDcrdata, error) {
+	// Init websocket client
+	u, err := util.BlockExplorerURLForSubscriptions(activeNetParams.Params)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	opts := client.Opts{
+		ReadTimeout:  3 * time.Second,
+		WriteTimeout: 3 * time.Second,
+	}
+	c, err := client.New(u, context.Background(), &opts)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to %v: %v", u, err)
+	}
+
+	log.Infof("Dcrdata websocket host: %v", u)
+
+	// Check client and server compatibility
+	v, err := c.ServerVersion()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("server version failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	serverSemVer := semver.NewSemver(v.Major, v.Minor, v.Patch)
+	clientSemVer := client.Version()
+	if !semver.Compatible(clientSemVer, serverSemVer) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("version mismatch; client %v, server %v",
+			serverSemVer, clientSemVer)
+	}
+
+	log.Infof("Dcrdata pubsub server version: %v, client version %v",
+		serverSemVer, clientSemVer)
+
+	return &wsDcrdata{
+		client:        c,
+		subscriptions: make(map[string]struct{}),
+	}, nil
+}
diff --git a/politeiawww/www.go b/politeiawww/www.go
index f24723d9b..7fccca3b7 100644
--- a/politeiawww/www.go
+++ b/politeiawww/www.go
@@ -537,20 +537,18 @@ func _main() error {
 		p.cron = cron.New()
 		p.checkInvoiceNotifications()
 
-		p.pubSubDcrdata = &wsDcrdata{}
-
-		// XXX how many addresses should we plan on storing?
-		p.pubSubDcrdata.currentSubs = make([]string, 0, 1048)
-
-		p.setupWatcher()
-
-		err = p.restartAddressesWatching()
+		// Setup address watcher
+		ws, err := newWSDcrdata()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("new wsDcrdata: %v", err)
+		}
+		p.wsDcrdata = ws
+		p.setupCMSAddressWatcher()
+		err = p.restartCMSAddressesWatching()
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("error restarting address watcher %v", err)
 		}
 
-		p.addPing()
-
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("unknown mode: %v", p.cfg.Mode)
 	}
@@ -639,8 +637,9 @@ done:
 	// Close user db connection
 	p.db.Close()
 
-	if p.pubSubDcrdata != nil && p.pubSubDcrdata.client != nil {
-		p.pubSubDcrdata.client.Stop()
+	// Shutdown all dcrdata websockets
+	if p.wsDcrdata != nil {
+		p.wsDcrdata.client.Stop()
 	}
 
 	return nil