diff --git a/src/komodo_utils.h b/src/komodo_utils.h
index ff90d7307..640449da9 100644
--- a/src/komodo_utils.h
+++ b/src/komodo_utils.h
@@ -1563,9 +1563,10 @@ uint64_t komodo_ac_block_subsidy(int nHeight)
     int32_t numhalvings, curEra = 0;
     static uint64_t cached_subsidy; static int32_t cached_numhalvings; static int cached_era;
 
-
-    // if we have zero end block with rewards or non-zero end-block, check further
-    if ( (ASSETCHAINS_ENDSUBSIDY[0] == 0 && ASSETCHAINS_REWARD[0] != 0) || ASSETCHAINS_ENDSUBSIDY[0] != 0 )
+    // check for backwards compat, older chains with no rewards had 0.0001 block reward
+    if ( ASSETCHAINS_ENDSUBSIDY[0] == 0 && ASSETCHAINS_REWARD[0] == 0 )
+        nSubsidy = 10000;
+    else if ( (ASSETCHAINS_ENDSUBSIDY[0] == 0 && ASSETCHAINS_REWARD[0] != 0) || ASSETCHAINS_ENDSUBSIDY[0] != 0 )
     {
         // if we have an end block in the first era, find our current era
         if ( ASSETCHAINS_ENDSUBSIDY[0] != 0 )