diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index e1d4d9d8ae..1d5e2a533c 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1453,7 +1453,8 @@ void CheckForkWarningConditionsOnNewFork(CBlockIndex* pindexNewForkTip)
         pindexBestForkBase = pfork;
     }
 
-    CheckForkWarningConditions();
+    if (chainActive.Tip())
+        CheckForkWarningConditions();
 }
 
 // Requires cs_main.
@@ -1488,7 +1489,8 @@ void static InvalidChainFound(CBlockIndex* pindexNew)
     LogPrintf("InvalidChainFound:  current best=%s  height=%d  log2_work=%.8g  date=%s\n",
       chainActive.Tip()->GetBlockHash().ToString(), chainActive.Height(), log(chainActive.Tip()->nChainWork.getdouble())/log(2.0),
       DateTimeStrFormat("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", chainActive.Tip()->GetBlockTime()));
-    CheckForkWarningConditions();
+    if (chainActive.Tip())
+        CheckForkWarningConditions();
 }
 
 void static InvalidBlockFound(CBlockIndex *pindex, const CValidationState &state) {
@@ -3029,7 +3031,7 @@ bool ProcessNewBlock(CValidationState &state, CNode* pfrom, CBlock* pblock, CDis
             return error("%s : AcceptBlock FAILED", __func__);
     }
 
-    if (!ActivateBestChain(state, pblock))
+    if (chainActive.Tip() && !ActivateBestChain(state, pblock))
         return error("%s : ActivateBestChain failed", __func__);
 
     return true;
@@ -3376,7 +3378,7 @@ bool InitBlockIndex() {
             CBlockIndex *pindex = AddToBlockIndex(block);
             if (!ReceivedBlockTransactions(block, state, pindex, blockPos))
                 return error("LoadBlockIndex() : genesis block not accepted");
-            if (!ActivateBestChain(state, &block))
+            if (chainActive.Tip() && !ActivateBestChain(state, &block))
                 return error("LoadBlockIndex() : genesis block cannot be activated");
             // Force a chainstate write so that when we VerifyDB in a moment, it doesnt check stale data
             return FlushStateToDisk(state, FLUSH_STATE_ALWAYS);