diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index a179ea5bf73c3..f2a54b1f2cd91 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1636,7 +1636,17 @@ bool AppInitMain()
                     break;
                 }
                 pcoinsTip = new CCoinsViewCache(pcoinscatcher);
-                LoadChainTip(chainparams);
+
+                // !TODO: after enabling reindex-chainstate
+                // if (!fReindex && !fReindexChainState) {
+                if (!fReindex) {
+                    // LoadChainTip sets chainActive based on pcoinsTip's best block
+                    if (!LoadChainTip(chainparams)) {
+                        strLoadError = _("Error initializing block database");
+                        break;
+                    }
+                    assert(chainActive.Tip() != NULL);
+                }
 
                 // Populate list of invalid/fraudulent outpoints that are banned from the chain
                 invalid_out::LoadOutpoints();
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 5e882b3b21ed3..dcee17ea8a0e6 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -3517,14 +3517,25 @@ bool static LoadBlockIndexDB(std::string& strError)
     return true;
 }
 
-void LoadChainTip(const CChainParams& chainparams)
+bool LoadChainTip(const CChainParams& chainparams)
 {
-    if (chainActive.Tip() && chainActive.Tip()->GetBlockHash() == pcoinsTip->GetBestBlock()) return;
+    if (chainActive.Tip() && chainActive.Tip()->GetBlockHash() == pcoinsTip->GetBestBlock()) return true;
+
+    if (pcoinsTip->GetBestBlock().IsNull() && mapBlockIndex.size() == 1) {
+        // In case we just added the genesis block, connect it now, so
+        // that we always have a chainActive.Tip() when we return.
+        LogPrintf("%s: Connecting genesis block...\n", __func__);
+        CValidationState state;
+        if (!ActivateBestChain(state)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
 
     // Load pointer to end of best chain
     BlockMap::iterator it = mapBlockIndex.find(pcoinsTip->GetBestBlock());
-    if (it == mapBlockIndex.end())
-        return;
+    if (it == mapBlockIndex.end()) {
+        return false;
+    }
     chainActive.SetTip(it->second);
 
     PruneBlockIndexCandidates();
@@ -3535,6 +3546,7 @@ void LoadChainTip(const CChainParams& chainparams)
             pChainTip->GetBlockHash().GetHex(), pChainTip->nHeight,
             DateTimeStrFormat("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", pChainTip->GetBlockTime()),
             Checkpoints::GuessVerificationProgress(pChainTip));
+    return true;
 }
 
 CVerifyDB::CVerifyDB()
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index d0ff2c1d9f3f2..d6f37cfc6ffb3 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ bool LoadGenesisBlock();
  * 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);
+bool LoadChainTip(const CChainParams& chainparams);
 /** Unload database information */
 void UnloadBlockIndex();
 /** See whether the protocol update is enforced for connected nodes */