I have created two nodes and connected the 1st node with the 2nd node in regtest mode . Now when I make the getblocktemplate command using bitcoin-cli . It fails with bitcoin is downloading the block.
 
Bitcoin core vs v0.16

_admin1@root:~/Projects/bitcoin$ ./src/bitcoin-cli -regtest -port=8333 -rpcport=8332 -rpcuser=test -rpcpassword=test getconnectioncount_
**1**
_admin1@root:~/Projects/bitcoin$ ./src/bitcoin-cli -regtest -port=8333 -rpcport=8332 -rpcuser=test -rpcpassword=test getblocktemplate_
**error code: -10
error message:
Bitcoin is downloading blocks.**
RPCResult{
            "{\n"
            "  \"version\" : n,                    (numeric) The preferred block version\n"
            "  \"rules\" : [ \"rulename\", ... ],    (array of strings) specific block rules that are to be enforced\n"
            "  \"vbavailable\" : {                 (json object) set of pending, supported versionbit (BIP 9) softfork deployments\n"
            "      \"rulename\" : bitnumber          (numeric) identifies the bit number as indicating acceptance and readiness for the named softfork rule\n"
            "      ,...\n"
            "  },\n"
            "  \"vbrequired\" : n,                 (numeric) bit mask of versionbits the server requires set in submissions\n"
            "  \"previousblockhash\" : \"xxxx\",     (string) The hash of current highest block\n"
            "  \"transactions\" : [                (array) contents of non-coinbase transactions that should be included in the next block\n"
            "      {\n"
            "         \"data\" : \"xxxx\",             (string) transaction data encoded in hexadecimal (byte-for-byte)\n"
            "         \"txid\" : \"xxxx\",             (string) transaction id encoded in little-endian hexadecimal\n"
            "         \"hash\" : \"xxxx\",             (string) hash encoded in little-endian hexadecimal (including witness data)\n"
            "         \"depends\" : [                (array) array of numbers \n"
            "             n                          (numeric) transactions before this one (by 1-based index in 'transactions' list) that must be present in the final block if this one is\n"
            "             ,...\n"
            "         ],\n"
            "         \"fee\": n,                    (numeric) difference in value between transaction inputs and outputs (in satoshis); for coinbase transactions, this is a negative Number of the total collected block fees (ie, not including the block subsidy); if key is not present, fee is unknown and clients MUST NOT assume there isn't one\n"
            "         \"sigops\" : n,                (numeric) total SigOps cost, as counted for purposes of block limits; if key is not present, sigop cost is unknown and clients MUST NOT assume it is zero\n"
            "         \"weight\" : n,                (numeric) total transaction weight, as counted for purposes of block limits\n"
            "      }\n"
            "      ,...\n"
            "  ],\n"
            "  \"coinbaseaux\" : {                 (json object) data that should be included in the coinbase's scriptSig content\n"
            "      \"flags\" : \"xx\"                  (string) key name is to be ignored, and value included in scriptSig\n"
            "  },\n"
            "  \"coinbasevalue\" : n,              (numeric) maximum allowable input to coinbase transaction, including the generation award and transaction fees (in satoshis)\n"
            "  \"coinbasetxn\" : { ... },          (json object) information for coinbase transaction\n"