diff --git a/src/komodo_kv.h b/src/komodo_kv.h
index 0d86fadd0..9aca2d387 100644
--- a/src/komodo_kv.h
+++ b/src/komodo_kv.h
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ void komodo_kvupdate(uint8_t *opretbuf,int32_t opretlen,uint64_t value)
 {
     static uint256 zeroes;
     uint32_t flags; uint256 pubkey,refpubkey,sig; int32_t i,refvaluesize,hassig,coresize,haspubkey,height,kvheight; uint16_t keylen,valuesize,newflag = 0; uint8_t *key,*valueptr,keyvalue[IGUANA_MAXSCRIPTSIZE]; struct komodo_kv *ptr; char *transferpubstr,*tstr; uint64_t fee;
+    if ( ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL[0] == 0 ) // disable KV for KMD
+        return;
     iguana_rwnum(0,&opretbuf[1],sizeof(keylen),&keylen);
     iguana_rwnum(0,&opretbuf[3],sizeof(valuesize),&valuesize);
     iguana_rwnum(0,&opretbuf[5],sizeof(height),&height);
diff --git a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
index dbc3aab84..d4fab38cc 100644
--- a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
@@ -503,6 +503,8 @@ UniValue kvupdate(const UniValue& params, bool fHelp)
         throw runtime_error("kvupdate key value flags/passphrase");
     if (!EnsureWalletIsAvailable(fHelp))
         return 0;
+    if ( ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL[0] == 0 )
+        return(0);
     haveprivkey = 0;
     memset(&sig,0,sizeof(sig));
     memset(&privkey,0,sizeof(privkey));