diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index df83709af..f1bb05347 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1432,7 +1432,13 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
         mempool.setSanityCheck(1.0 / ratio);
     }
     fCheckBlockIndex = GetBoolArg("-checkblockindex", chainparams.DefaultConsistencyChecks());
-    fCheckpointsEnabled = GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", true);
+    // Regtest inherits the DRAGONX *mainnet* checkpoint set (chainparams_commandline applies it
+    // for every SMART_CHAIN_SYMBOL=="DRAGONX" network, regardless of -regtest), whose top height
+    // ~3.2M would otherwise pin an isolated regtest chain in IsInitialBlockDownload() forever --
+    // disabling the ChainTip auto-ops (autoshield/sweep/consolidation) and the below-checkpoint
+    // script-check skip. Default checkpoints OFF on regtest so a fresh regtest node leaves IBD
+    // normally; still overridable with -checkpoints=1.
+    fCheckpointsEnabled = GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", chainparams.NetworkIDString() != "regtest");
 
     // -par=0 means autodetect, but nScriptCheckThreads==0 means no concurrency
     nScriptCheckThreads = GetArg("-par", DEFAULT_SCRIPTCHECK_THREADS);