diff --git a/src/interfaces/chain.cpp b/src/interfaces/chain.cpp
--- a/src/interfaces/chain.cpp
+++ b/src/interfaces/chain.cpp
@@ -347,10 +347,10 @@
         bool getPruneMode() override { return ::fPruneMode; }
         bool p2pEnabled() override { return g_connman != nullptr; }
         bool isReadyToBroadcast() override {
-            return !::fImporting && !::fReindex && !IsInitialBlockDownload();
+            return !::fImporting && !::fReindex && !isInitialBlockDownload();
         }
         bool isInitialBlockDownload() override {
-            return IsInitialBlockDownload();
+            return ::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload();
         }
         bool shutdownRequested() override { return ShutdownRequested(); }
         int64_t getAdjustedTime() override { return GetAdjustedTime(); }
diff --git a/src/interfaces/node.cpp b/src/interfaces/node.cpp
--- a/src/interfaces/node.cpp
+++ b/src/interfaces/node.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@
             return GuessVerificationProgress(Params().TxData(), tip);
         }
         bool isInitialBlockDownload() override {
-            return IsInitialBlockDownload();
+            return ::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload();
         }
         bool getReindex() override { return ::fReindex; }
         bool getImporting() override { return ::fImporting; }
diff --git a/src/net_processing.cpp b/src/net_processing.cpp
--- a/src/net_processing.cpp
+++ b/src/net_processing.cpp
@@ -1399,7 +1399,8 @@
     // 3. This is currently the best block we're aware of. We haven't updated
     //    the tip yet so we have no way to check this directly here. Instead we
     //    just check that there are currently no other blocks in flight.
-    else if (state.IsValid() && !IsInitialBlockDownload() &&
+    else if (state.IsValid() &&
+             !::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload() &&
              mapBlocksInFlight.count(hash) == mapBlocksInFlight.size()) {
         if (it != mapBlockSource.end()) {
             MaybeSetPeerAsAnnouncingHeaderAndIDs(it->second.first, connman);
@@ -2003,7 +2004,8 @@
         }
         // If we're in IBD, we want outbound peers that will serve us a useful
         // chain. Disconnect peers that are on chains with insufficient work.
-        if (IsInitialBlockDownload() && nCount != MAX_HEADERS_RESULTS) {
+        if (::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload() &&
+            nCount != MAX_HEADERS_RESULTS) {
             // When nCount < MAX_HEADERS_RESULTS, we know we have no more
             // headers to fetch from this peer.
             if (nodestate->pindexBestKnownBlock &&
@@ -2244,7 +2246,7 @@
 
         if (!pfrom->fInbound) {
             // Advertise our address
-            if (fListen && !IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
+            if (fListen && !::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
                 CAddress addr =
                     GetLocalAddress(&pfrom->addr, pfrom->GetLocalServices());
                 FastRandomContext insecure_rand;
@@ -2497,7 +2499,7 @@
                              "protocol peer=%d\n",
                              inv.hash.ToString(), pfrom->GetId());
                 } else if (!fAlreadyHave && !fImporting && !fReindex &&
-                           !IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
+                           !::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
                     RequestTx(State(pfrom->GetId()), TxId(inv.hash), nNow);
                 }
             }
@@ -2681,7 +2683,8 @@
         }
 
         LOCK(cs_main);
-        if (IsInitialBlockDownload() && !pfrom->HasPermission(PF_NOBAN)) {
+        if (::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload() &&
+            !pfrom->HasPermission(PF_NOBAN)) {
             LogPrint(BCLog::NET,
                      "Ignoring getheaders from peer=%d because node is in "
                      "initial block download\n",
@@ -2984,7 +2987,7 @@
             if (!LookupBlockIndex(cmpctblock.header.hashPrevBlock)) {
                 // Doesn't connect (or is genesis), instead of DoSing in
                 // AcceptBlockHeader, request deeper headers
-                if (!IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
+                if (!::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
                     connman->PushMessage(
                         pfrom, msgMaker.Make(
                                    NetMsgType::GETHEADERS,
@@ -3378,8 +3381,8 @@
         // unless we're still syncing with the network. Such an unrequested
         // block may still be processed, subject to the conditions in
         // AcceptBlock().
-        bool forceProcessing =
-            pfrom->HasPermission(PF_NOBAN) && !IsInitialBlockDownload();
+        bool forceProcessing = pfrom->HasPermission(PF_NOBAN) &&
+                               !::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload();
         const uint256 hash(pblock->GetHash());
         {
             LOCK(cs_main);
@@ -4216,7 +4219,8 @@
 
     // Address refresh broadcast
     int64_t nNow = GetTimeMicros();
-    if (!IsInitialBlockDownload() && pto->nNextLocalAddrSend < nNow) {
+    if (!::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload() &&
+        pto->nNextLocalAddrSend < nNow) {
         AdvertiseLocal(pto);
         pto->nNextLocalAddrSend =
             PoissonNextSend(nNow, AVG_LOCAL_ADDRESS_BROADCAST_INTERVAL);
@@ -4704,7 +4708,8 @@
     //
     std::vector<CInv> vGetData;
     if (!pto->fClient &&
-        ((fFetch && !pto->m_limited_node) || !IsInitialBlockDownload()) &&
+        ((fFetch && !pto->m_limited_node) ||
+         !::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) &&
         state.nBlocksInFlight < MAX_BLOCKS_IN_TRANSIT_PER_PEER) {
         std::vector<const CBlockIndex *> vToDownload;
         NodeId staller = -1;
diff --git a/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp b/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp
--- a/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp
@@ -1534,7 +1534,8 @@
     obj.pushKV("mediantime", int64_t(tip->GetMedianTimePast()));
     obj.pushKV("verificationprogress",
                GuessVerificationProgress(Params().TxData(), tip));
-    obj.pushKV("initialblockdownload", IsInitialBlockDownload());
+    obj.pushKV("initialblockdownload",
+               ::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload());
     obj.pushKV("chainwork", tip->nChainWork.GetHex());
     obj.pushKV("size_on_disk", CalculateCurrentUsage());
     obj.pushKV("pruned", fPruneMode);
diff --git a/src/rpc/mining.cpp b/src/rpc/mining.cpp
--- a/src/rpc/mining.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/mining.cpp
@@ -562,9 +562,9 @@
                            "Bitcoin is not connected!");
     }
 
-    if (IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
-        throw JSONRPCError(RPC_CLIENT_IN_INITIAL_DOWNLOAD,
-                           "Bitcoin is downloading blocks...");
+    if (::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
+        throw JSONRPCError(RPC_CLIENT_IN_INITIAL_DOWNLOAD, PACKAGE_NAME
+                           " is in initial sync and waiting for blocks...");
     }
 
     static unsigned int nTransactionsUpdatedLast;
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -376,12 +376,6 @@
  */
 void ThreadScriptCheck(int worker_num);
 
-/**
- * Check whether we are doing an initial block download (synchronizing from disk
- * or network)
- */
-bool IsInitialBlockDownload();
-
 /**
  * Retrieve a transaction (from memory pool, or from disk, if possible).
  */
@@ -767,6 +761,14 @@
      */
     std::set<CBlockIndex *> m_failed_blocks;
 
+    /**
+     * Whether this chainstate is undergoing initial block download.
+     *
+     * Mutable because we need to be able to mark IsInitialBlockDownload()
+     * const, which latches this for caching purposes.
+     */
+    mutable std::atomic<bool> m_cached_finished_ibd{false};
+
 public:
     CChain m_chain;
     BlockMap mapBlockIndex GUARDED_BY(cs_main);
@@ -856,6 +858,12 @@
 
     void UnloadBlockIndex();
 
+    /**
+     * Check whether we are doing an initial block download (synchronizing from
+     * disk or network)
+     */
+    bool IsInitialBlockDownload() const;
+
 private:
     bool ActivateBestChainStep(const Config &config, CValidationState &state,
                                CBlockIndex *pindexMostWork,
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -838,32 +838,35 @@
     return ((nSubsidy / SATOSHI) >> halvings) * SATOSHI;
 }
 
-bool IsInitialBlockDownload() {
-    // Once this function has returned false, it must remain false.
-    static std::atomic<bool> latchToFalse{false};
+// Note that though this is marked const, we may end up modifying
+// `m_cached_finished_ibd`, which is a performance-related implementation
+// detail. This function must be marked `const` so that `CValidationInterface`
+// clients (which are given a `const CChainState*`) can call it.
+//
+bool CChainState::IsInitialBlockDownload() const {
     // Optimization: pre-test latch before taking the lock.
-    if (latchToFalse.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
+    if (m_cached_finished_ibd.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
         return false;
     }
 
     LOCK(cs_main);
-    if (latchToFalse.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
+    if (m_cached_finished_ibd.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
         return false;
     }
     if (fImporting || fReindex) {
         return true;
     }
-    if (::ChainActive().Tip() == nullptr) {
+    if (m_chain.Tip() == nullptr) {
         return true;
     }
-    if (::ChainActive().Tip()->nChainWork < nMinimumChainWork) {
+    if (m_chain.Tip()->nChainWork < nMinimumChainWork) {
         return true;
     }
-    if (::ChainActive().Tip()->GetBlockTime() < (GetTime() - nMaxTipAge)) {
+    if (m_chain.Tip()->GetBlockTime() < (GetTime() - nMaxTipAge)) {
         return true;
     }
     LogPrintf("Leaving InitialBlockDownload (latching to false)\n");
-    latchToFalse.store(true, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    m_cached_finished_ibd.store(true, std::memory_order_relaxed);
     return false;
 }
 
@@ -895,7 +898,7 @@
     // Before we get past initial download, we cannot reliably alert about forks
     // (we assume we don't get stuck on a fork before finishing our initial
     // sync)
-    if (IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
+    if (::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -2798,7 +2801,8 @@
 
         if (pindexHeader != pindexHeaderOld) {
             fNotify = true;
-            fInitialBlockDownload = IsInitialBlockDownload();
+            fInitialBlockDownload =
+                ::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload();
             pindexHeaderOld = pindexHeader;
         }
     }
@@ -4365,7 +4369,7 @@
         // values, we should not prune too rapidly.
         // So when pruning in IBD, increase the buffer a bit to avoid a re-prune
         // too soon.
-        if (IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
+        if (::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
             // Since this is only relevant during IBD, we use a fixed 10%
             nBuffer += nPruneTarget / 10;
         }