diff --git a/src/checkpoints.cpp b/src/checkpoints.cpp
index 378089963..ddbf38efb 100644
--- a/src/checkpoints.cpp
+++ b/src/checkpoints.cpp
@@ -23,13 +23,8 @@ namespace Checkpoints {
      */
     static const double SIGCHECK_VERIFICATION_FACTOR = 5.0;
 
-    bool fEnabled = true;
-
     bool CheckBlock(const CCheckpointData& data, int nHeight, const uint256& hash)
     {
-        if (!fEnabled)
-            return true;
-
         const MapCheckpoints& checkpoints = data.mapCheckpoints;
 
         MapCheckpoints::const_iterator i = checkpoints.find(nHeight);
@@ -69,19 +64,16 @@ namespace Checkpoints {
 
     int GetTotalBlocksEstimate(const CCheckpointData& data)
     {
-        if (!fEnabled)
-            return 0;
-
         const MapCheckpoints& checkpoints = data.mapCheckpoints;
 
+        if (checkpoints.empty())
+            return 0;
+
         return checkpoints.rbegin()->first;
     }
 
     CBlockIndex* GetLastCheckpoint(const CCheckpointData& data)
     {
-        if (!fEnabled)
-            return NULL;
-
         const MapCheckpoints& checkpoints = data.mapCheckpoints;
 
         BOOST_REVERSE_FOREACH(const MapCheckpoints::value_type& i, checkpoints)
diff --git a/src/checkpoints.h b/src/checkpoints.h
index b6e2c5aca..07ed7032a 100644
--- a/src/checkpoints.h
+++ b/src/checkpoints.h
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ CBlockIndex* GetLastCheckpoint(const CCheckpointData& data);
 
 double GuessVerificationProgress(const CCheckpointData& data, CBlockIndex* pindex, bool fSigchecks = true);
 
-extern bool fEnabled;
-
 } //namespace Checkpoints
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_CHECKPOINTS_H
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 527254172..974b807f4 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
     // Checkmempool and checkblockindex default to true in regtest mode
     mempool.setSanityCheck(GetBoolArg("-checkmempool", chainparams.DefaultConsistencyChecks()));
     fCheckBlockIndex = GetBoolArg("-checkblockindex", chainparams.DefaultConsistencyChecks());
-    Checkpoints::fEnabled = GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", true);
+    fCheckpointsEnabled = GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", true);
 
     // -par=0 means autodetect, but nScriptCheckThreads==0 means no concurrency
     nScriptCheckThreads = GetArg("-par", DEFAULT_SCRIPTCHECK_THREADS);
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 4e26cae52..df27a7c7a 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ bool fHavePruned = false;
 bool fPruneMode = false;
 bool fIsBareMultisigStd = true;
 bool fCheckBlockIndex = false;
+bool fCheckpointsEnabled = true;
 unsigned int nCoinCacheSize = 5000;
 uint64_t nPruneTarget = 0;
 
@@ -1206,7 +1207,9 @@ bool IsInitialBlockDownload()
 {
     const CChainParams& chainParams = Params();
     LOCK(cs_main);
-    if (fImporting || fReindex || chainActive.Height() < Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainParams.Checkpoints()))
+    if (fImporting || fReindex)
+        return true;
+    if (fCheckpointsEnabled && chainActive.Height() < Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainParams.Checkpoints()))
         return true;
     static bool lockIBDState = false;
     if (lockIBDState)
@@ -1710,7 +1713,7 @@ bool ConnectBlock(const CBlock& block, CValidationState& state, CBlockIndex* pin
         return true;
     }
 
-    bool fScriptChecks = pindex->nHeight >= Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainparams.Checkpoints());
+    bool fScriptChecks = (!fCheckpointsEnabled || pindex->nHeight >= Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainparams.Checkpoints()));
 
     // Do not allow blocks that contain transactions which 'overwrite' older transactions,
     // unless those are already completely spent.
@@ -2274,7 +2277,9 @@ bool ActivateBestChain(CValidationState &state, CBlock *pblock) {
         if (!fInitialDownload) {
             uint256 hashNewTip = pindexNewTip->GetBlockHash();
             // Relay inventory, but don't relay old inventory during initial block download.
-            int nBlockEstimate = Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainParams.Checkpoints());
+            int nBlockEstimate = 0;
+            if (fCheckpointsEnabled)
+                nBlockEstimate = Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainParams.Checkpoints());
             // Don't relay blocks if pruning -- could cause a peer to try to download, resulting
             // in a stalled download if the block file is pruned before the request.
             if (nLocalServices & NODE_NETWORK) {
@@ -2624,15 +2629,18 @@ bool ContextualCheckBlockHeader(const CBlockHeader& block, CValidationState& sta
         return state.Invalid(error("%s: block's timestamp is too early", __func__),
                              REJECT_INVALID, "time-too-old");
 
-    // Check that the block chain matches the known block chain up to a checkpoint
-    if (!Checkpoints::CheckBlock(chainParams.Checkpoints(), nHeight, hash))
-        return state.DoS(100, error("%s: rejected by checkpoint lock-in at %d", __func__, nHeight),
-                         REJECT_CHECKPOINT, "checkpoint mismatch");
+    if(fCheckpointsEnabled)
+    {
+        // Check that the block chain matches the known block chain up to a checkpoint
+        if (!Checkpoints::CheckBlock(chainParams.Checkpoints(), nHeight, hash))
+            return state.DoS(100, error("%s: rejected by checkpoint lock-in at %d", __func__, nHeight),
+                             REJECT_CHECKPOINT, "checkpoint mismatch");
 
-    // Don't accept any forks from the main chain prior to last checkpoint
-    CBlockIndex* pcheckpoint = Checkpoints::GetLastCheckpoint(chainParams.Checkpoints());
-    if (pcheckpoint && nHeight < pcheckpoint->nHeight)
-        return state.DoS(100, error("%s: forked chain older than last checkpoint (height %d)", __func__, nHeight));
+        // Don't accept any forks from the main chain prior to last checkpoint
+        CBlockIndex* pcheckpoint = Checkpoints::GetLastCheckpoint(chainParams.Checkpoints());
+        if (pcheckpoint && nHeight < pcheckpoint->nHeight)
+            return state.DoS(100, error("%s: forked chain older than last checkpoint (height %d)", __func__, nHeight));
+    }
 
     // Reject block.nVersion=1 blocks when 95% (75% on testnet) of the network has upgraded:
     if (block.nVersion < 2 && IsSuperMajority(2, pindexPrev, consensusParams.nMajorityRejectBlockOutdated))
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index b0aec6662..89c2ff2e4 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ extern int nScriptCheckThreads;
 extern bool fTxIndex;
 extern bool fIsBareMultisigStd;
 extern bool fCheckBlockIndex;
+extern bool fCheckpointsEnabled;
 extern unsigned int nCoinCacheSize;
 extern CFeeRate minRelayTxFee;
 
diff --git a/src/test/miner_tests.cpp b/src/test/miner_tests.cpp
index 6ab9cb8a4..d7ea91607 100644
--- a/src/test/miner_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/miner_tests.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(CreateNewBlock_validity)
     uint256 hash;
 
     LOCK(cs_main);
-    Checkpoints::fEnabled = false;
+    fCheckpointsEnabled = false;
 
     // Simple block creation, nothing special yet:
     BOOST_CHECK(pblocktemplate = CreateNewBlock(scriptPubKey));
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(CreateNewBlock_validity)
     BOOST_FOREACH(CTransaction *tx, txFirst)
         delete tx;
 
-    Checkpoints::fEnabled = true;
+    fCheckpointsEnabled = true;
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()