diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h b/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h
index eb98e4d4b8..71578c0ab0 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h
@@ -1322,10 +1322,11 @@ class BlockchainDB
    * @brief get a txpool transaction's metadata
    *
    * @param txid the transaction id of the transation to lookup
+   * @param meta the metadata to return
    *
-   * @return the metadata associated with that transaction
+   * @return true if the tx meta was found, false otherwise
    */
-  virtual txpool_tx_meta_t get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid) const = 0;
+  virtual bool get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid, txpool_tx_meta_t &meta) const = 0;
 
   /**
    * @brief get a txpool transaction's blob
diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp
index 4ef1160318..7219a30d7a 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp
@@ -1574,7 +1574,7 @@ void BlockchainLMDB::remove_txpool_tx(const crypto::hash& txid)
   }
 }
 
-txpool_tx_meta_t BlockchainLMDB::get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid) const
+bool BlockchainLMDB::get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid, txpool_tx_meta_t &meta) const
 {
   LOG_PRINT_L3("BlockchainLMDB::" << __func__);
   check_open();
@@ -1585,12 +1585,14 @@ txpool_tx_meta_t BlockchainLMDB::get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid) co
   MDB_val k = {sizeof(txid), (void *)&txid};
   MDB_val v;
   auto result = mdb_cursor_get(m_cur_txpool_meta, &k, &v, MDB_SET);
+  if (result == MDB_NOTFOUND)
+      return false;
   if (result != 0)
       throw1(DB_ERROR(lmdb_error("Error finding txpool tx meta: ", result).c_str()));
 
-  const txpool_tx_meta_t meta = *(const txpool_tx_meta_t*)v.mv_data;
+  meta = *(const txpool_tx_meta_t*)v.mv_data;
   TXN_POSTFIX_RDONLY();
-  return meta;
+  return true;
 }
 
 bool BlockchainLMDB::get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid, cryptonote::blobdata &bd) const
diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h
index df4b61af37..966521b2b7 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class BlockchainLMDB : public BlockchainDB
   virtual uint64_t get_txpool_tx_count() const;
   virtual bool txpool_has_tx(const crypto::hash &txid) const;
   virtual void remove_txpool_tx(const crypto::hash& txid);
-  virtual txpool_tx_meta_t get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid) const;
+  virtual bool get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid, txpool_tx_meta_t &meta) const;
   virtual bool get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid, cryptonote::blobdata &bd) const;
   virtual cryptonote::blobdata get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid) const;
   virtual bool for_all_txpool_txes(std::function<bool(const crypto::hash&, const txpool_tx_meta_t&, const cryptonote::blobdata*)> f, bool include_blob = false) const;
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
index dc465bf324..d88e428023 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
@@ -4058,9 +4058,9 @@ uint64_t Blockchain::get_txpool_tx_count() const
   return m_db->get_txpool_tx_count();
 }
 
-txpool_tx_meta_t Blockchain::get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid) const
+bool Blockchain::get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid, txpool_tx_meta_t &meta) const
 {
-  return m_db->get_txpool_tx_meta(txid);
+  return m_db->get_txpool_tx_meta(txid, meta);
 }
 
 bool Blockchain::get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid, cryptonote::blobdata &bd) const
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
index 2357af49a9..4f7be38f05 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
@@ -886,7 +886,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
     void update_txpool_tx(const crypto::hash &txid, const txpool_tx_meta_t &meta);
     void remove_txpool_tx(const crypto::hash &txid);
     uint64_t get_txpool_tx_count() const;
-    txpool_tx_meta_t get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid) const;
+    bool get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid, txpool_tx_meta_t &meta) const;
     bool get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid, cryptonote::blobdata &bd) const;
     cryptonote::blobdata get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid) const;
     bool for_all_txpool_txes(std::function<bool(const crypto::hash&, const txpool_tx_meta_t&, const cryptonote::blobdata*)>, bool include_blob = false) const;
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/tx_pool.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/tx_pool.cpp
index 38fcd06fa0..a0b4e00d16 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/tx_pool.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/tx_pool.cpp
@@ -365,7 +365,12 @@ namespace cryptonote
     try
     {
       LockedTXN lock(m_blockchain);
-      txpool_tx_meta_t meta = m_blockchain.get_txpool_tx_meta(id);
+      txpool_tx_meta_t meta;
+      if (!m_blockchain.get_txpool_tx_meta(id, meta))
+      {
+        MERROR("Failed to find tx in txpool");
+        return false;
+      }
       cryptonote::blobdata txblob = m_blockchain.get_txpool_tx_blob(id);
       if (!parse_and_validate_tx_from_blob(txblob, tx))
       {
@@ -508,10 +513,13 @@ namespace cryptonote
     {
       try
       {
-        txpool_tx_meta_t meta = m_blockchain.get_txpool_tx_meta(it->first);
-        meta.relayed = true;
-        meta.last_relayed_time = now;
-        m_blockchain.update_txpool_tx(it->first, meta);
+        txpool_tx_meta_t meta;
+        if (m_blockchain.get_txpool_tx_meta(it->first, meta))
+        {
+          meta.relayed = true;
+          meta.last_relayed_time = now;
+          m_blockchain.update_txpool_tx(it->first, meta);
+        }
       }
       catch (const std::exception &e)
       {
@@ -867,7 +875,12 @@ namespace cryptonote
     auto sorted_it = m_txs_by_fee_and_receive_time.begin();
     while (sorted_it != m_txs_by_fee_and_receive_time.end())
     {
-      txpool_tx_meta_t meta = m_blockchain.get_txpool_tx_meta(sorted_it->second);
+      txpool_tx_meta_t meta;
+      if (!m_blockchain.get_txpool_tx_meta(sorted_it->second, meta))
+      {
+        MERROR("  failed to find tx meta");
+        continue;
+      }
       LOG_PRINT_L2("Considering " << sorted_it->second << ", size " << meta.blob_size << ", current block size " << total_size << "/" << max_total_size << ", current coinbase " << print_money(best_coinbase));
 
       // Can not exceed maximum block size
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/hardfork.cpp b/tests/unit_tests/hardfork.cpp
index d99288cc99..d47571ac32 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/hardfork.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/hardfork.cpp
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class TestDB: public BlockchainDB {
   virtual uint64_t get_txpool_tx_count() const { return 0; }
   virtual bool txpool_has_tx(const crypto::hash &txid) const { return false; }
   virtual void remove_txpool_tx(const crypto::hash& txid) {}
-  virtual txpool_tx_meta_t get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid) const { return txpool_tx_meta_t(); }
+  virtual bool get_txpool_tx_meta(const crypto::hash& txid, txpool_tx_meta_t &meta) const { return false; }
   virtual bool get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid, cryptonote::blobdata &bd) const { return false; }
   virtual cryptonote::blobdata get_txpool_tx_blob(const crypto::hash& txid) const { return ""; }
   virtual bool for_all_txpool_txes(std::function<bool(const crypto::hash&, const txpool_tx_meta_t&, const cryptonote::blobdata*)>, bool include_blob = false) const { return false; }