diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index cc2c917397f61..a179ea5bf73c3 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ void ThreadImport(const std::vector<fs::path>& vImportFiles)
         fReindex = false;
         LogPrintf("Reindexing finished\n");
         // To avoid ending up in a situation without genesis block, re-try initializing (no-op if reindexing worked):
-        InitBlockIndex();
+        LoadGenesisBlock();
     }
 
     // hardcoded $DATADIR/bootstrap.dat
@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@ bool AppInitMain()
                     return UIError(_("Incorrect or no genesis block found. Wrong datadir for network?"));
 
                 // Initialize the block index (no-op if non-empty database was already loaded)
-                if (!InitBlockIndex()) {
+                if (!LoadGenesisBlock()) {
                     strLoadError = _("Error initializing block database");
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/src/test/test_pivx.cpp b/src/test/test_pivx.cpp
index d1aa0e6baca56..5e009205a53ae 100644
--- a/src/test/test_pivx.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test_pivx.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ TestingSetup::TestingSetup()
         pblocktree = new CBlockTreeDB(1 << 20, true);
         pcoinsdbview = new CCoinsViewDB(1 << 23, true);
         pcoinsTip = new CCoinsViewCache(pcoinsdbview);
-        InitBlockIndex();
+        LoadGenesisBlock();
         {
             CValidationState state;
             bool ok = ActivateBestChain(state);
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index b18919d97158d..5e882b3b21ed3 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -3743,45 +3743,56 @@ void UnloadBlockIndex()
 
 bool LoadBlockIndex(std::string& strError)
 {
-    // Load block index from databases
-    if (!fReindex && !LoadBlockIndexDB(strError))
-        return false;
+    bool needs_init = fReindex;
+    if (!fReindex) {
+        if (!LoadBlockIndexDB(strError))
+            return false;
+        needs_init = mapBlockIndex.empty();
+    }
+
+    if (needs_init) {
+        // Everything here is for *new* reindex/DBs. Thus, though
+        // LoadBlockIndexDB may have set fReindex if we shut down
+        // mid-reindex previously, we don't check fReindex and
+        // instead only check it prior to LoadBlockIndexDB to set
+        // needs_init.
+
+        LogPrintf("Initializing databases...\n");
+        // Use the provided setting for -txindex in the new database
+        fTxIndex = gArgs.GetBoolArg("-txindex", DEFAULT_TXINDEX);
+        pblocktree->WriteFlag("txindex", fTxIndex);
+    }
     return true;
 }
 
 
-bool InitBlockIndex()
+bool LoadGenesisBlock()
 {
     LOCK(cs_main);
 
-    // Check whether we're already initialized
-    if (chainActive.Genesis() != NULL)
+    // Check whether we're already initialized by checking for genesis in
+    // mapBlockIndex. Note that we can't use chainActive here, since it is
+    // set based on the coins db, not the block index db, which is the only
+    // thing loaded at this point.
+    if (mapBlockIndex.count(Params().GenesisBlock().GetHash()))
         return true;
 
-    // Use the provided setting for -txindex in the new database
-    fTxIndex = gArgs.GetBoolArg("-txindex", true);
-    pblocktree->WriteFlag("txindex", fTxIndex);
-    LogPrintf("Initializing databases...\n");
-
-    // Only add the genesis block if not reindexing (in which case we reuse the one already on disk)
-    if (!fReindex) {
-        try {
-            CBlock& block = const_cast<CBlock&>(Params().GenesisBlock());
-            // Start new block file
-            unsigned int nBlockSize = ::GetSerializeSize(block, SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
-            CDiskBlockPos blockPos;
-            CValidationState state;
-            if (!FindBlockPos(state, blockPos, nBlockSize + 8, 0, block.GetBlockTime()))
-                return error("LoadBlockIndex() : FindBlockPos failed");
-            if (!WriteBlockToDisk(block, blockPos))
-                return error("LoadBlockIndex() : writing genesis block to disk failed");
-            CBlockIndex* pindex = AddToBlockIndex(block);
-            if (!ReceivedBlockTransactions(block, state, pindex, blockPos))
-                return error("LoadBlockIndex() : genesis block not accepted");
-        } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
-            return error("LoadBlockIndex() : failed to initialize block database: %s", e.what());
-        }
-    }
+    try {
+        CBlock& block = const_cast<CBlock&>(Params().GenesisBlock());
+        // Start new block file
+        unsigned int nBlockSize = ::GetSerializeSize(block, SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
+        CDiskBlockPos blockPos;
+        CValidationState state;
+        if (!FindBlockPos(state, blockPos, nBlockSize + 8, 0, block.GetBlockTime()))
+            return error("%s: FindBlockPos failed", __func__);
+        if (!WriteBlockToDisk(block, blockPos))
+            return error("%s: writing genesis block to disk failed", __func__);
+        CBlockIndex *pindex = AddToBlockIndex(block);
+        if (!ReceivedBlockTransactions(block, state, pindex, blockPos))
+            return error("%s: genesis block not accepted", __func__);
+    } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
+         return error("%s: failed to write genesis block: %s", __func__, e.what());
+     }
 
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index 407455208ba98..d0ff2c1d9f3f2 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -183,9 +183,10 @@ FILE* OpenUndoFile(const CDiskBlockPos& pos, bool fReadOnly = false);
 fs::path GetBlockPosFilename(const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const char* prefix);
 /** Import blocks from an external file */
 bool LoadExternalBlockFile(FILE* fileIn, CDiskBlockPos* dbp = NULL);
-/** Initialize a new block tree database + block data on disk */
-bool InitBlockIndex();
-/** Load the block tree and coins database from disk */
+/** Ensures we have a genesis block in the block tree, possibly writing one to disk. */
+bool LoadGenesisBlock();
+/** Load the block tree and coins database from disk,
+ * initializing state if we're running with -reindex. */
 bool LoadBlockIndex(std::string& strError);
 /** Update the chain tip based on database information. */
 void LoadChainTip(const CChainParams& chainparams);