diff --git a/src/chainparams.cpp b/src/chainparams.cpp
index 909721705..a7352ae16 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparams.cpp
@@ -235,12 +235,6 @@ void *chainparams_commandline(void *ptr)
         mainParams.pchMessageStart[3] = (ASSETCHAINS_MAGIC >> 24) & 0xff;
         fprintf(stderr,">>>>>>>>>> %s: p2p.%u rpc.%u magic.%08x %u %u coins\n",ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL,ASSETCHAINS_P2PPORT,ASSETCHAINS_RPCPORT,ASSETCHAINS_MAGIC,ASSETCHAINS_MAGIC,(uint32_t)ASSETCHAINS_SUPPLY);
 
-        // only require coinbase protection on Verus from the Komodo family of coins
-        if (strcmp(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL,"VRSC") == 0)
-        {
-            mainParams.consensus.fCoinbaseMustBeProtected = true;
-        }
-
         if (ASSETCHAINS_ALGO != ASSETCHAINS_EQUIHASH)
         {
             // this is only good for 60 second blocks with an averaging window of 45. for other parameters, use:
@@ -262,22 +256,38 @@ void *chainparams_commandline(void *ptr)
             mainParams.consensus.nLwmaPOSAjustedWeight = 46531;
         }
 
-        checkpointData = //(Checkpoints::CCheckpointData)
-            {
-                boost::assign::map_list_of
-                (0, mainParams.consensus.hashGenesisBlock)
-                (10000, uint256S("0xac2cd7d37177140ea4991cf630c0b9c7f94d707b84fb0351bf3a44856d2ae5dc"))
-                (20000, uint256S("0xb0e8cb9f77aaa7ff5bd90d6c08d06f4c4bf03e00c2b8a35a042e760845590c8a"))
-                (30000, uint256S("0xf2112ca577338ad7104bf905fa6a63d36b17a86f914c97b73cd31d43fcd7557c"))
-                (40000, uint256S("0x00000000008f83378dab727864b763ce91a4ea5f75d55939c0c1390cfb8c38f1"))
-                (49170, uint256S("0x2add646c0089871ec2379f02f7cd60b3af6efd9c152a6f16fc10925458c270cc")),
-                (int64_t)1529910234,    // * UNIX timestamp of last checkpoint block
-                (int64_t)63661,         // * total number of transactions between genesis and last checkpoint
-                                        //   (the tx=... number in the SetBestChain debug.log lines)
-                (double)2777            // * estimated number of transactions per day after checkpoint
-                                        //   total number of tx / (checkpoint block height / (24 * 24))
-            };
-
+        // only require coinbase protection on Verus from the Komodo family of coins
+        if (strcmp(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL,"VRSC") == 0)
+        {
+            mainParams.consensus.fCoinbaseMustBeProtected = true;
+            checkpointData = //(Checkpoints::CCheckpointData)
+                {
+                    boost::assign::map_list_of
+                    (0, mainParams.consensus.hashGenesisBlock)
+                    (10000, uint256S("0xac2cd7d37177140ea4991cf630c0b9c7f94d707b84fb0351bf3a44856d2ae5dc"))
+                    (20000, uint256S("0xb0e8cb9f77aaa7ff5bd90d6c08d06f4c4bf03e00c2b8a35a042e760845590c8a"))
+                    (30000, uint256S("0xf2112ca577338ad7104bf905fa6a63d36b17a86f914c97b73cd31d43fcd7557c"))
+                    (40000, uint256S("0x00000000008f83378dab727864b763ce91a4ea5f75d55939c0c1390cfb8c38f1"))
+                    (49170, uint256S("0x2add646c0089871ec2379f02f7cd60b3af6efd9c152a6f16fc10925458c270cc")),
+                    (int64_t)1529910234,    // * UNIX timestamp of last checkpoint block
+                    (int64_t)63661,         // * total number of transactions between genesis and last checkpoint
+                                            //   (the tx=... number in the SetBestChain debug.log lines)
+                    (double)2777            // * estimated number of transactions per day after checkpoint
+                                            //   total number of tx / (checkpoint block height / (24 * 24))
+                };
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            checkpointData = //(Checkpoints::CCheckpointData)
+                {
+                    boost::assign::map_list_of
+                    (0, mainParams.consensus.hashGenesisBlock),
+                    (int64_t)1231006505,
+                    (int64_t)1,
+                    (double)2777            // * estimated number of transactions per day after checkpoint
+                                            //   total number of tx / (checkpoint block height / (24 * 24))
+                };
+        }
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 9dbcd6dbf..babfc3da9 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1906,7 +1906,7 @@ bool IsInitialBlockDownload()
     }
     if (fCheckpointsEnabled && chainActive.Height() < Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainParams.Checkpoints()))
     {
-        //fprintf(stderr,"IsInitialBlockDownload: checkpoint -> initialdownload\n");
+        //fprintf(stderr,"IsInitialBlockDownload: checkpoint -> initialdownload - %d blocks\n", Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainParams.Checkpoints()));
         return true;
     }
     static bool lockIBDState = false;
@@ -1949,7 +1949,7 @@ bool IsInSync()
         pbi = Checkpoints::GetLastCheckpoint(chainParams.Checkpoints());
         if (fCheckpointsEnabled && pbi && (chainActive.Height() < pbi->nHeight))
         {
-            //fprintf(stderr,"IsInSync: checkpoint -> initialdownload\n");
+            //fprintf(stderr,"IsInSync: checkpoint -> initialdownload chainActive.Height().%d pbi->nHeight.%d\n", chainActive.Height(), pbi->nHeight);
             return false;
         }
     }
@@ -5948,8 +5948,9 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv,
         CAddress addrMe;
         CAddress addrFrom;
         uint64_t nNonce = 1;
-        vRecv >> pfrom->nVersion >> pfrom->nServices >> nTime >> addrMe;
-        if (pfrom->nVersion < MIN_PEER_PROTO_VERSION)
+        int nVersion;           // use temporary for version, don't set version number until validated as connected
+        vRecv >> nVersion >> pfrom->nServices >> nTime >> addrMe;
+        if (nVersion < MIN_PEER_PROTO_VERSION)
         {
             // disconnect from peers older than this proto version
             LogPrintf("peer=%d using obsolete version %i; disconnecting\n", pfrom->id, pfrom->nVersion);
@@ -5962,9 +5963,9 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv,
         // When Overwinter is active, reject incoming connections from non-Overwinter nodes
         const Consensus::Params& params = Params().GetConsensus();
         if (NetworkUpgradeActive(GetHeight(), params, Consensus::UPGRADE_OVERWINTER)
-            && pfrom->nVersion < params.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_OVERWINTER].nProtocolVersion)
+            && nVersion < params.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_OVERWINTER].nProtocolVersion)
         {
-            LogPrintf("peer=%d using obsolete version %i; disconnecting\n", pfrom->id, pfrom->nVersion);
+            LogPrintf("peer=%d using obsolete version %i; disconnecting\n", pfrom->id, nVersion);
             pfrom->PushMessage("reject", strCommand, REJECT_OBSOLETE,
                                strprintf("Version must be %d or greater",
                                          params.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_OVERWINTER].nProtocolVersion));
@@ -5972,8 +5973,8 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv,
             return false;
         }
         
-        if (pfrom->nVersion == 10300)
-            pfrom->nVersion = 300;
+        if (nVersion == 10300)
+            nVersion = 300;
         if (!vRecv.empty())
             vRecv >> addrFrom >> nNonce;
         if (!vRecv.empty()) {
@@ -5994,6 +5995,8 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv,
             pfrom->fDisconnect = true;
             return true;
         }
+
+        pfrom->nVersion = nVersion;
         
         pfrom->addrLocal = addrMe;
         if (pfrom->fInbound && addrMe.IsRoutable())
diff --git a/src/miner.cpp b/src/miner.cpp
index 85922d37f..d7a583556 100644
--- a/src/miner.cpp
+++ b/src/miner.cpp
@@ -799,7 +799,8 @@ int32_t waitForPeers(const CChainParams &chainparams)
         if (fvNodesEmpty || !IsInSync())
         {
             do {
-                MilliSleep(1000 + rand() % 4000);
+                if (fvNodesEmpty)
+                    MilliSleep(1000 + rand() % 4000);
                 {
                     LOCK(cs_vNodes);
                     fvNodesEmpty = vNodes.empty();