diff --git a/hive_integration/nodocker/consensus/consensus_sim.nim b/hive_integration/nodocker/consensus/consensus_sim.nim
index 83e0c72df..979581dba 100644
--- a/hive_integration/nodocker/consensus/consensus_sim.nim
+++ b/hive_integration/nodocker/consensus/consensus_sim.nim
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ proc processChainData(cd: ChainData): TestStatus =
       cd.params
     )
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
-
   for bytes in cd.blocksRlp:
     # ignore return value here
     # because good blocks maybe interleaved with
diff --git a/hive_integration/nodocker/engine/engine_env.nim b/hive_integration/nodocker/engine/engine_env.nim
index b8eed0276..fb8b58bef 100644
--- a/hive_integration/nodocker/engine/engine_env.nim
+++ b/hive_integration/nodocker/engine/engine_env.nim
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ proc newEngineEnv*(conf: var NimbusConf, chainFile: string, enableAuth: bool): E
     com   = makeCom(conf)
     chain = newChain(com)
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
   let txPool = TxPoolRef.new(com)
 
   node.addEthHandlerCapability(
diff --git a/hive_integration/nodocker/graphql/graphql_sim.nim b/hive_integration/nodocker/graphql/graphql_sim.nim
index ba2c919d2..969221c2d 100644
--- a/hive_integration/nodocker/graphql/graphql_sim.nim
+++ b/hive_integration/nodocker/graphql/graphql_sim.nim
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ proc main() =
       conf.networkParams
     )
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
   let txPool = TxPoolRef.new(com)
   discard importRlpBlock(blocksFile, com)
   let ctx = setupGraphqlContext(com, ethNode, txPool)
diff --git a/hive_integration/nodocker/rpc/test_env.nim b/hive_integration/nodocker/rpc/test_env.nim
index 631fcd876..6e8ab3a93 100644
--- a/hive_integration/nodocker/rpc/test_env.nim
+++ b/hive_integration/nodocker/rpc/test_env.nim
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ proc setupEnv*(): TestEnv =
     )
 
   manageAccounts(ethCtx, conf)
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
 
   let chainRef = newChain(com)
   let txPool = TxPoolRef.new(com)
diff --git a/nimbus/common/common.nim b/nimbus/common/common.nim
index ba7edf442..a0452cd78 100644
--- a/nimbus/common/common.nim
+++ b/nimbus/common/common.nim
@@ -119,6 +119,50 @@ func daoCheck(conf: ChainConfig) =
   if conf.daoForkSupport and conf.daoForkBlock.isNone:
     conf.daoForkBlock = conf.homesteadBlock
 
+proc initializeDb(com: CommonRef) =
+  let kvt = com.db.ctx.getKvt()
+  proc contains(kvt: CoreDbKvtRef; key: openArray[byte]): bool =
+    kvt.hasKey(key).expect "valid bool"
+  if canonicalHeadHashKey().toOpenArray notin kvt:
+    info "Writing genesis to DB"
+    doAssert(com.genesisHeader.number == 0.BlockNumber,
+      "can't commit genesis block with number > 0")
+    doAssert(com.db.persistHeader(com.genesisHeader,
+      com.consensusType == ConsensusType.POS,
+      startOfHistory=com.genesisHeader.parentHash),
+      "can persist genesis header")
+    doAssert(canonicalHeadHashKey().toOpenArray in kvt)
+
+  # The database must at least contain the base and head pointers - the base
+  # is implicitly considered finalized
+  let
+    baseNum = com.db.getSavedStateBlockNumber()
+    base =
+      try:
+        com.db.getBlockHeader(baseNum)
+      except BlockNotFound as exc:
+        fatal "Cannot load base block header",
+          baseNum, err = exc.msg
+        quit 1
+    finalized =
+      try:
+        com.db.finalizedHeader()
+      except BlockNotFound as exc:
+        debug "No finalized block stored in database, reverting to base"
+        base
+    head =
+      try:
+        com.db.getCanonicalHead()
+      except EVMError as exc:
+        fatal "Cannot load canonical block header",
+          err = exc.msg
+        quit 1
+
+  info "Database initialized",
+    base = (base.blockHash, base.number),
+    finalized = (finalized.blockHash, finalized.number),
+    head = (head.blockHash, head.number)
+
 proc init(com         : CommonRef,
           db          : CoreDbRef,
           networkId   : NetworkId,
@@ -174,6 +218,8 @@ proc init(com         : CommonRef,
   # By default, history begins at genesis.
   com.startOfHistory = GENESIS_PARENT_HASH
 
+  com.initializeDb()
+
 proc getTd(com: CommonRef, blockHash: Hash256): Opt[DifficultyInt] =
   var td: DifficultyInt
   if not com.db.getTd(blockHash, td):
@@ -345,20 +391,6 @@ proc consensus*(com: CommonRef, header: BlockHeader): ConsensusType =
 
   return com.config.consensusType
 
-proc initializeEmptyDb*(com: CommonRef) =
-  let kvt = com.db.ctx.getKvt()
-  proc contains(kvt: CoreDbKvtRef; key: openArray[byte]): bool =
-    kvt.hasKey(key).expect "valid bool"
-  if canonicalHeadHashKey().toOpenArray notin kvt:
-    info "Writing genesis to DB"
-    doAssert(com.genesisHeader.number == 0.BlockNumber,
-      "can't commit genesis block with number > 0")
-    doAssert(com.db.persistHeader(com.genesisHeader,
-      com.consensusType == ConsensusType.POS,
-      startOfHistory=com.genesisHeader.parentHash),
-      "can persist genesis header")
-    doAssert(canonicalHeadHashKey().toOpenArray in kvt)
-
 proc syncReqNewHead*(com: CommonRef; header: BlockHeader)
     {.gcsafe, raises: [].} =
   ## Used by RPC to update the beacon head for snap sync
diff --git a/nimbus/nimbus.nim b/nimbus/nimbus.nim
index 62f205dad..ac562ae7b 100644
--- a/nimbus/nimbus.nim
+++ b/nimbus/nimbus.nim
@@ -243,8 +243,6 @@ proc run(nimbus: NimbusNode, conf: NimbusConf) =
   defer:
     com.db.finish()
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
-
   case conf.cmd
   of NimbusCmd.`import`:
     importBlocks(conf, com)
diff --git a/premix/persist.nim b/premix/persist.nim
index 9fae27d74..7033882c1 100644
--- a/premix/persist.nim
+++ b/premix/persist.nim
@@ -67,11 +67,6 @@ proc main() {.used.} =
     discard com.db.setHead(parentBlock.header)
 
   let kvt = com.db.ctx.getKvt()
-  if canonicalHeadHashKey().toOpenArray notin kvt:
-    persistToDb(com.db):
-      com.initializeEmptyDb()
-    doAssert(canonicalHeadHashKey().toOpenArray in kvt)
-
   var head = com.db.getCanonicalHead()
   var blockNumber = head.number + 1
   var chain = newChain(com)
diff --git a/tests/macro_assembler.nim b/tests/macro_assembler.nim
index f370bb9e5..b936aac7d 100644
--- a/tests/macro_assembler.nim
+++ b/tests/macro_assembler.nim
@@ -280,7 +280,6 @@ proc initVMEnv*(network: string): BaseVMState =
       gasLimit: 100_000
     )
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
   BaseVMState.new(parent, header, com)
 
 proc verifyAsmResult(vmState: BaseVMState, boa: Assembler, asmResult: CallResult): bool =
diff --git a/tests/test_beacon/setup_env.nim b/tests/test_beacon/setup_env.nim
index 09982f356..d8003803b 100644
--- a/tests/test_beacon/setup_env.nim
+++ b/tests/test_beacon/setup_env.nim
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ proc setupEnv*(extraValidation: bool = false, ccm: CCModify = nil): TestEnv =
     )
     chain = newChain(com, extraValidation)
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
   TestEnv(
     conf : conf,
     chain: chain,
diff --git a/tests/test_coredb.nim b/tests/test_coredb.nim
index acd5f1085..613f2d091 100644
--- a/tests/test_coredb.nim
+++ b/tests/test_coredb.nim
@@ -185,8 +185,6 @@ proc initRunnerDB(
     params = params,
     pruneHistory = pruneHistory)
 
-  result.initializeEmptyDb
-
   setErrorLevel()
   when CoreDbEnableApiTracking:
     coreDB.trackCoreDbApi = false
diff --git a/tests/test_forked_chain.nim b/tests/test_forked_chain.nim
index d0e48961b..a1a25d395 100644
--- a/tests/test_forked_chain.nim
+++ b/tests/test_forked_chain.nim
@@ -34,16 +34,12 @@ proc setupEnv(): TestEnv =
   TestEnv(conf: conf)
 
 proc newCom(env: TestEnv): CommonRef =
-  let
-    com = CommonRef.new(
+  CommonRef.new(
       newCoreDbRef DefaultDbMemory,
       env.conf.networkId,
       env.conf.networkParams
     )
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
-  com
-
 proc makeBlk(com: CommonRef, number: BlockNumber, parentBlk: EthBlock): EthBlock =
   template parent(): BlockHeader =
     parentBlk.header
diff --git a/tests/test_graphql.nim b/tests/test_graphql.nim
index f1a847ce5..ef1a026ad 100644
--- a/tests/test_graphql.nim
+++ b/tests/test_graphql.nim
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ proc setupChain(): CommonRef =
     CustomNet,
     customNetwork
   )
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
 
   let blocks = jn["blocks"]
   var headers: seq[BlockHeader]
diff --git a/tests/test_ledger.nim b/tests/test_ledger.nim
index 8a5f61c33..5308f8804 100644
--- a/tests/test_ledger.nim
+++ b/tests/test_ledger.nim
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ proc initEnv(): TestEnv =
       conf.networkId,
       conf.networkParams
     )
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
 
   TestEnv(
     com     : com,
diff --git a/tests/test_merge.nim b/tests/test_merge.nim
index 28df17f86..a2a425d3f 100644
--- a/tests/test_merge.nim
+++ b/tests/test_merge.nim
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ proc runTest(steps: Steps) =
     )
     chainRef = newChain(com)
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
-
   var
     rpcServer = newRpcSocketServer(["127.0.0.1:0"])
     client = newRpcSocketClient()
diff --git a/tests/test_rpc.nim b/tests/test_rpc.nim
index 0c4f0b31d..b721fced0 100644
--- a/tests/test_rpc.nim
+++ b/tests/test_rpc.nim
@@ -238,7 +238,6 @@ proc rpcMain*() =
       debugEcho unlock.error
     doAssert(unlock.isOk)
 
-    com.initializeEmptyDb()
     let env = setupEnv(com, signer, ks2, ctx)
 
     # Create Ethereum RPCs
diff --git a/tests/test_rpc_getproofs_track_state_changes.nim b/tests/test_rpc_getproofs_track_state_changes.nim
index ee32952a2..e6dda6730 100644
--- a/tests/test_rpc_getproofs_track_state_changes.nim
+++ b/tests/test_rpc_getproofs_track_state_changes.nim
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@ proc rpcGetProofsTrackStateChangesMain*() =
 
       let com = CommonRef.new(newCoreDbRef(
         DefaultDbPersistent, DATABASE_PATH, DbOptions.init()))
-      com.initializeEmptyDb()
 
       let
         blockHeader = waitFor client.eth_getBlockByNumber(blockId(START_BLOCK), false)
diff --git a/tests/test_txpool/setup.nim b/tests/test_txpool/setup.nim
index 8068a9ad1..f3ea80820 100644
--- a/tests/test_txpool/setup.nim
+++ b/tests/test_txpool/setup.nim
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ proc setupTxPool*(getStatus: proc(): TxItemStatus): (CommonRef, TxPoolRef, int)
     conf.networkParams
   )
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
   let txPool = TxPoolRef.new(com)
 
   for n, tx in txEnv.txs:
diff --git a/tests/test_txpool2.nim b/tests/test_txpool2.nim
index e001620c7..6682d1deb 100644
--- a/tests/test_txpool2.nim
+++ b/tests/test_txpool2.nim
@@ -110,8 +110,6 @@ proc initEnv(envFork: HardFork): TestEnv =
     )
     chain = newChain(com)
 
-  com.initializeEmptyDb()
-
   result = TestEnv(
     conf: conf,
     com: com,