diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -2144,7 +2144,7 @@
             }
             // Flush best chain related state. This can only be done if the
             // blocks / block index write was also done.
-            if (fDoFullFlush) {
+            if (fDoFullFlush && !pcoinsTip->GetBestBlock().IsNull()) {
                 // Typical Coin structures on disk are around 48 bytes in size.
                 // Pushing a new one to the database can cause it to be written
                 // twice (once in the log, and once in the tables). This is