diff --git a/src/chain.h b/src/chain.h
--- a/src/chain.h
+++ b/src/chain.h
@@ -130,11 +130,7 @@
         nVersion = block.nVersion;
         hashMerkleRoot = block.hashMerkleRoot;
         nTime = block.nTime;
-        // Default to block time if nTimeReceived is never set, which
-        // in effect assumes that this block is honestly mined.
-        // Note that nTimeReceived isn't written to disk, so blocks read from
-        // disk will be assumed to be honestly mined.
-        nTimeReceived = block.nTime;
+        nTimeReceived = 0;
         nBits = block.nBits;
         nNonce = block.nNonce;
     }
diff --git a/src/test/blockindex_tests.cpp b/src/test/blockindex_tests.cpp
--- a/src/test/blockindex_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/blockindex_tests.cpp
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@
 
     CBlockIndex index = CBlockIndex(header);
 
-    // nTimeReceived defaults to block time
-    BOOST_CHECK(index.nTimeReceived == expectedBlockTime);
+    // nTimeReceived defaults to 0
+    BOOST_CHECK(index.nTimeReceived == 0);
 
     // nTimeReceived can be updated to the actual received time, which may
     // be before or after the miner's time.