diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 1e8564201..b1fe8e7d3 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ void ThreadImport(std::vector<fs::path> vImportFiles)
         fReindex = false;
         LogPrintf("Reindexing finished\n");
         // To avoid ending up in a situation without genesis block, re-try initializing (no-op if reindexing worked):
-        InitBlockIndex(chainparams);
+        LoadGenesisBlock(chainparams);
     }
 
     // hardcoded $DATADIR/bootstrap.dat
@@ -1419,7 +1419,7 @@ bool AppInitMain(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
                     return InitError(_("Incorrect or no genesis block found. Wrong datadir for network?"));
 
                 // Initialize the block index (no-op if non-empty database was already loaded)
-                if (!InitBlockIndex(chainparams)) {
+                if (!fReindex && !LoadGenesisBlock(chainparams)) {
                     strLoadError = _("Error initializing block database");
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
index 3ba81ed17..8ad955e7a 100644
--- a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ TestingSetup::TestingSetup(const std::string& chainName) : BasicTestingSetup(cha
         pblocktree = new CBlockTreeDB(1 << 20, true);
         pcoinsdbview = new CCoinsViewDB(1 << 23, true);
         pcoinsTip = new CCoinsViewCache(pcoinsdbview);
-        if (!InitBlockIndex(chainparams)) {
+        if (!LoadGenesisBlock(chainparams)) {
             throw std::runtime_error("InitBlockIndex failed.");
         }
         {
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index d7d880d24..ebbdb7e65 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -3864,42 +3864,55 @@ void UnloadBlockIndex()
 bool LoadBlockIndex(const CChainParams& chainparams)
 {
     // Load block index from databases
-    if (!fReindex && !LoadBlockIndexDB(chainparams))
-        return false;
+    bool needs_init = fReindex;
+    if (!fReindex) {
+        bool ret = LoadBlockIndexDB(chainparams);
+        if (!ret) return false;
+        needs_init = mapBlockIndex.empty();
+    }
+
+    if (needs_init) {
+        // Everything here is for *new* reindex/DBs. Thus, though
+        // LoadBlockIndexDB may have set fReindex if we shut down
+        // mid-reindex previously, we don't check fReindex and
+        // instead only check it prior to LoadBlockIndexDB to set
+        // needs_init.
+
+        LogPrintf("Initializing databases...\n");
+        // Use the provided setting for -txindex in the new database
+        fTxIndex = GetBoolArg("-txindex", DEFAULT_TXINDEX);
+        pblocktree->WriteFlag("txindex", fTxIndex);
+    }
     return true;
 }
 
-bool InitBlockIndex(const CChainParams& chainparams)
+bool LoadGenesisBlock(const CChainParams& chainparams)
 {
     LOCK(cs_main);
 
-    // Check whether we're already initialized
-    if (chainActive.Genesis() != NULL)
+    // Check whether we're already initialized by checking for genesis in
+    // mapBlockIndex. Note that we can't use chainActive here, since it is
+    // set based on the coins db, not the block index db, which is the only
+    // thing loaded at this point.
+    if (mapBlockIndex.count(chainparams.GenesisBlock().GetHash()))
         return true;
 
-    // Use the provided setting for -txindex in the new database
-    fTxIndex = GetBoolArg("-txindex", DEFAULT_TXINDEX);
-    pblocktree->WriteFlag("txindex", fTxIndex);
-    LogPrintf("Initializing databases...\n");
-
     // Only add the genesis block if not reindexing (in which case we reuse the one already on disk)
-    if (!fReindex) {
-        try {
-            CBlock &block = const_cast<CBlock&>(chainparams.GenesisBlock());
-            // Start new block file
-            unsigned int nBlockSize = ::GetSerializeSize(block, SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
-            CDiskBlockPos blockPos;
-            CValidationState state;
-            if (!FindBlockPos(state, blockPos, nBlockSize+8, 0, block.GetBlockTime()))
-                return error("LoadBlockIndex(): FindBlockPos failed");
-            if (!WriteBlockToDisk(block, blockPos, chainparams.MessageStart()))
-                return error("LoadBlockIndex(): writing genesis block to disk failed");
-            CBlockIndex *pindex = AddToBlockIndex(block);
-            if (!ReceivedBlockTransactions(block, state, pindex, blockPos, chainparams.GetConsensus()))
-                return error("LoadBlockIndex(): genesis block not accepted");
-        } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
-            return error("LoadBlockIndex(): failed to initialize block database: %s", e.what());
-        }
+    try {
+        CBlock &block = const_cast<CBlock&>(chainparams.GenesisBlock());
+        // Start new block file
+        unsigned int nBlockSize = ::GetSerializeSize(block, SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
+        CDiskBlockPos blockPos;
+        CValidationState state;
+        if (!FindBlockPos(state, blockPos, nBlockSize+8, 0, block.GetBlockTime()))
+            return error("%s: FindBlockPos failed", __func__);
+        if (!WriteBlockToDisk(block, blockPos, chainparams.MessageStart()))
+            return error("%s: writing genesis block to disk failed", __func__);
+        CBlockIndex *pindex = AddToBlockIndex(block);
+        if (!ReceivedBlockTransactions(block, state, pindex, blockPos, chainparams.GetConsensus()))
+            return error("%s: genesis block not accepted", __func__);
+    } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
+        return error("%s: failed to write genesis block: %s", __func__, e.what());
     }
 
     return true;
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index a9f995abb..3ce5023f0 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -256,9 +256,10 @@ FILE* OpenBlockFile(const CDiskBlockPos &pos, bool fReadOnly = false);
 fs::path GetBlockPosFilename(const CDiskBlockPos &pos, const char *prefix);
 /** Import blocks from an external file */
 bool LoadExternalBlockFile(const CChainParams& chainparams, FILE* fileIn, CDiskBlockPos *dbp = NULL);
-/** Initialize a new block tree database + block data on disk */
-bool InitBlockIndex(const CChainParams& chainparams);
-/** Load the block tree and coins database from disk */
+/** Ensures we have a genesis block in the block tree, possibly writing one to disk. */
+bool LoadGenesisBlock(const CChainParams& chainparams);
+/** Load the block tree and coins database from disk,
+ * initializing state if we're running with -reindex. */
 bool LoadBlockIndex(const CChainParams& chainparams);
 /** Update the chain tip based on database information. */
 void LoadChainTip(const CChainParams& chainparams);