diff --git a/src/test/blockcheck_tests.cpp b/src/test/blockcheck_tests.cpp
--- a/src/test/blockcheck_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/blockcheck_tests.cpp
@@ -15,10 +15,12 @@
 BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_SUITE(blockcheck_tests, BasicTestingSetup)
 
 static void RunCheckOnBlockImpl(const GlobalConfig &config, const CBlock &block,
-                                CValidationState &state, bool expected) {
+                                CValidationState &state, bool expected,
+                                bool fCheckExcessive = true) {
     block.fChecked = false;
     const Consensus::Params &params = config.GetChainParams().GetConsensus();
-    bool fValid = CheckBlock(config, block, state, params, false, false);
+    bool fValid =
+        CheckBlock(config, block, state, params, false, false, fCheckExcessive);
 
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(fValid, expected);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(fValid, state.IsValid());
@@ -59,6 +61,12 @@
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(state.IsExcessive(), true);
 }
 
+static void RunNonExessiveCheckOnBlock(const GlobalConfig &config,
+                                       const CBlock &block) {
+    CValidationState state;
+    RunCheckOnBlockImpl(config, block, state, true, false);
+}
+
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(blockfail) {
     SelectParams(CBaseChainParams::MAIN);
 
@@ -116,6 +124,9 @@
     tx.vin[0].prevout.hash = GetRandHash();
     block.vtx.push_back(MakeTransactionRef(tx));
     RunExessiveCheckOnBlock(config, block, "bad-blk-length");
+
+    // Check everything but the block size, there should be no error
+    RunNonExessiveCheckOnBlock(config, block);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@
 bool CheckBlock(const Config &Config, const CBlock &block,
                 CValidationState &state,
                 const Consensus::Params &consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW = true,
-                bool fCheckMerkleRoot = true);
+                bool fCheckMerkleRoot = true, bool fCheckExcessive = true);
 
 /**
  * Context dependent validity checks for non coinbase transactions. This
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -3131,7 +3131,7 @@
 bool CheckBlock(const Config &config, const CBlock &block,
                 CValidationState &state,
                 const Consensus::Params &consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW,
-                bool fCheckMerkleRoot) {
+                bool fCheckMerkleRoot, bool fCheckExcessive) {
     // These are checks that are independent of context.
     if (block.fChecked) {
         return true;
@@ -3173,18 +3173,21 @@
 
     // Size limits.
     auto nMaxBlockSize = config.GetMaxBlockSize();
-
-    // Bail early if there is no way this block is of reasonable size.
-    if ((block.vtx.size() * MIN_TRANSACTION_SIZE) > nMaxBlockSize) {
-        return state.Excessive(10, false, REJECT_INVALID, "bad-blk-length",
-                               false, "size limits failed");
+    if (fCheckExcessive) {
+        // Bail early if there is no way this block is of reasonable size.
+        if ((block.vtx.size() * MIN_TRANSACTION_SIZE) > nMaxBlockSize) {
+            return state.Excessive(10, false, REJECT_INVALID, "bad-blk-length",
+                                   false, "size limits failed");
+        }
     }
 
     auto currentBlockSize =
         ::GetSerializeSize(block, SER_NETWORK, PROTOCOL_VERSION);
-    if (currentBlockSize > nMaxBlockSize) {
-        return state.Excessive(10, false, REJECT_INVALID, "bad-blk-length",
-                               false, "size limits failed");
+    if (fCheckExcessive) {
+        if (currentBlockSize > nMaxBlockSize) {
+            return state.Excessive(10, false, REJECT_INVALID, "bad-blk-length",
+                                   false, "size limits failed");
+        }
     }
 
     // And a valid coinbase.