diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index 1120be015f7a..5a6c409e0169 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, triedb *trie.Database, gen
 	// We have the genesis block in database(perhaps in ancient database)
 	// but the corresponding state is missing.
 	header := rawdb.ReadHeader(db, stored, 0)
-	if _, err := state.New(header.Root, state.NewDatabaseWithNodeDB(db, triedb), nil); err != nil {
+	if header.Root != types.EmptyRootHash && !rawdb.HasLegacyTrieNode(db, header.Root) {
 		if genesis == nil {
 			genesis = DefaultGenesisBlock()
 		}