diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index 321551ce0..54984d6e0 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ func importChain(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	if len(ctx.Args()) != 1 {
 		utils.Fatalf("This command requires an argument.")
 	}
+	if ctx.GlobalBool(utils.TestNetFlag.Name) {
+		state.StartingNonce = 1048576 // (2**20)
+	}
 	chain, chainDb := utils.MakeChain(ctx)
 	start := time.Now()
 	err := utils.ImportChain(chain, ctx.Args().First())
diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index a5b46d7a4..620ff3178 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/console"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/debug"
@@ -266,6 +267,10 @@ func initGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		utils.Fatalf("must supply path to genesis JSON file")
 	}
 
+	if ctx.GlobalBool(utils.TestNetFlag.Name) {
+		state.StartingNonce = 1048576 // (2**20)
+	}
+
 	chainDb, err := ethdb.NewLDBDatabase(filepath.Join(utils.MustMakeDataDir(ctx), "chaindata"), 0, 0)
 	if err != nil {
 		utils.Fatalf("could not open database: %v", err)