diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index c6272cc35..2d83ac89d 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -4060,11 +4060,11 @@ bool ContextualCheckBlockHeader(const CBlockHeader& block, CValidationState& sta
         // Don't accept any forks from the main chain prior to last checkpoint
         CBlockIndex* pcheckpoint = Checkpoints::GetLastCheckpoint(chainParams.Checkpoints());
         int32_t notarized_height;
-        if ( pcheckpoint && nHeight > 1 )
+        if ( nHeight > 1 )
         {
-            if (nHeight < pcheckpoint->nHeight )
+            if ( pcheckpoint != 0 && nHeight < pcheckpoint->nHeight )
                 return state.DoS(1, error("%s: forked chain older than last checkpoint (height %d) vs %d", __func__, nHeight,pcheckpoint->nHeight));
-            else if ( komodo_checkpoint(&notarized_height,nHeight,hash) < 0 )
+            if ( komodo_checkpoint(&notarized_height,nHeight,hash) < 0 )
             {
                 CBlockIndex *heightblock = chainActive[nHeight];
                 if ( heightblock != 0 && heightblock->GetBlockHash() == hash )