diff --git a/x/genutil/client/cli/validate_genesis.go b/x/genutil/client/cli/validate_genesis.go
index 4521d30d50da..c7f1cddeaf1b 100644
--- a/x/genutil/client/cli/validate_genesis.go
+++ b/x/genutil/client/cli/validate_genesis.go
@@ -6,10 +6,15 @@ import (
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	abci "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/types"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/db"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
 	tmtypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/cmd/gaia/app"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
 
@@ -45,6 +50,20 @@ func ValidateGenesisCmd(ctx *server.Context, cdc *codec.Codec, mbm sdk.ModuleBas
 				return fmt.Errorf("error validating genesis file %s: %s", genesis, err.Error())
 			}
 
+			// make sure initchain doesn't panic
+			db := db.NewMemDB()
+			gapp := app.NewGaiaApp(log.NewNopLogger(), db, nil, true, 0)
+			defaultGenesisBytes := cdc.MustMarshalJSON(mbm.DefaultGenesis())
+			cms := store.NewCommitMultiStore(db)
+			ctx := sdk.NewContext(cms, abci.Header{}, false, log.NewNopLogger())
+			req := abci.RequestInitChain{AppStateBytes: defaultGenesisBytes}
+			defer func() {
+				if r := recover(); r != nil {
+					err = fmt.Errorf("InitChainer panics %s", r)
+				}
+			}()
+			_ = gapp.InitChainer(ctx, req)
+
 			fmt.Printf("File at %s is a valid genesis file for gaiad\n", genesis)
 			return nil
 		},