diff --git a/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp b/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp
--- a/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/blockchain.cpp
@@ -1320,17 +1320,15 @@
 
 static UniValue verifychain(const Config &config,
                             const JSONRPCRequest &request) {
-    int nCheckLevel = gArgs.GetArg("-checklevel", DEFAULT_CHECKLEVEL);
-    int nCheckDepth = gArgs.GetArg("-checkblocks", DEFAULT_CHECKBLOCKS);
     RPCHelpMan{
         "verifychain",
         "Verifies blockchain database.\n",
         {
             {"checklevel", RPCArg::Type::NUM,
-             /* default */ strprintf("%d, range=0-4", nCheckLevel),
+             /* default */ strprintf("%d, range=0-4", DEFAULT_CHECKLEVEL),
              "How thorough the block verification is."},
             {"nblocks", RPCArg::Type::NUM,
-             /* default */ strprintf("%d, 0=all", nCheckDepth),
+             /* default */ strprintf("%d, 0=all", DEFAULT_CHECKBLOCKS),
              "The number of blocks to check."},
         },
         RPCResult{RPCResult::Type::BOOL, "", "Verified or not"},
@@ -1339,17 +1337,17 @@
     }
         .Check(request);
 
-    LOCK(cs_main);
+    const int check_level(request.params[0].isNull()
+                              ? DEFAULT_CHECKLEVEL
+                              : request.params[0].get_int());
+    const int check_depth{request.params[1].isNull()
+                              ? DEFAULT_CHECKBLOCKS
+                              : request.params[1].get_int()};
 
-    if (!request.params[0].isNull()) {
-        nCheckLevel = request.params[0].get_int();
-    }
-    if (!request.params[1].isNull()) {
-        nCheckDepth = request.params[1].get_int();
-    }
+    LOCK(cs_main);
 
     return CVerifyDB().VerifyDB(config, &::ChainstateActive().CoinsTip(),
-                                nCheckLevel, nCheckDepth);
+                                check_level, check_depth);
 }
 
 static void BIP9SoftForkDescPushBack(UniValue &softforks,