diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index d53d70673..6473a3737 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -3329,7 +3329,7 @@ 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 < pcheckpoint->nHeight || nHeight == 1 && chainActive().Height() > 1) )
+        if (pcheckpoint && (nHeight < pcheckpoint->nHeight || nHeight == 1 && chainActive().Tip() != 0 && chainActive().Tip()->nHeight > 1) )
             return state.DoS(100, 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 )
             return state.DoS(100, error("%s: forked chain %d older than last notarized (height %d) vs %d", __func__,nHeight, notarized_height));