diff --git a/src/chain.cpp b/src/chain.cpp
index 2ce98818f..e618f0568 100644
--- a/src/chain.cpp
+++ b/src/chain.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ using namespace std;
 
 /* Moved here from the header, because we need auxpow and the logic
    becomes more involved.  */
-CBlockHeader CBlockIndex::GetBlockHeader(const Consensus::Params& consensusParams) const
+CBlockHeader CBlockIndex::GetBlockHeader(const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW) const
 {
     CBlockHeader block;
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ CBlockHeader CBlockIndex::GetBlockHeader(const Consensus::Params& consensusParam
        have to read the actual *header*, not the full block.  */
     if (block.IsAuxpow())
     {
-        ReadBlockHeaderFromDisk(block, this, consensusParams);
+        ReadBlockHeaderFromDisk(block, this, consensusParams, fCheckPOW);
         return block;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/chain.h b/src/chain.h
index 7b568eebb..882fdd34d 100644
--- a/src/chain.h
+++ b/src/chain.h
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ public:
         return ret;
     }
 
-    CBlockHeader GetBlockHeader(const Consensus::Params& consensusParams) const;
+    CBlockHeader GetBlockHeader(const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW = true) const;
 
     uint256 GetBlockHash() const
     {
diff --git a/src/net_processing.cpp b/src/net_processing.cpp
index 1a918f486..1b33d529b 100644
--- a/src/net_processing.cpp
+++ b/src/net_processing.cpp
@@ -1037,7 +1037,7 @@ void static ProcessGetData(CNode* pfrom, const Consensus::Params& consensusParam
                 {
                     // Send block from disk
                     CBlock block;
-                    if (!ReadBlockFromDisk(block, (*mi).second, consensusParams))
+                    if (!ReadBlockFromDisk(block, (*mi).second, consensusParams, false))
                         assert(!"cannot load block from disk");
                     if (inv.type == MSG_BLOCK)
                         connman.PushMessage(pfrom, msgMaker.Make(SERIALIZE_TRANSACTION_NO_WITNESS, NetMsgType::BLOCK, block));
@@ -1705,7 +1705,7 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, const std::string& strCommand, CDataStr
         }
 
         CBlock block;
-        bool ret = ReadBlockFromDisk(block, it->second, chainparams.GetConsensus(it->second->nHeight));
+        bool ret = ReadBlockFromDisk(block, it->second, chainparams.GetConsensus(it->second->nHeight), false);
         assert(ret);
 
         SendBlockTransactions(block, req, pfrom, connman);
@@ -1748,7 +1748,7 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, const std::string& strCommand, CDataStr
         LogPrint("net", "getheaders %d to %s from peer=%d\n", (pindex ? pindex->nHeight : -1), hashStop.IsNull() ? "end" : hashStop.ToString(), pfrom->id);
         for (; pindex; pindex = chainActive.Next(pindex))
         {
-            vHeaders.push_back(pindex->GetBlockHeader(chainparams.GetConsensus(pindex->nHeight)));
+            vHeaders.push_back(pindex->GetBlockHeader(chainparams.GetConsensus(pindex->nHeight), false));
             if (--nLimit <= 0 || pindex->GetBlockHash() == hashStop)
                 break;
         }
@@ -2974,14 +2974,14 @@ bool SendMessages(CNode* pto, CConnman& connman, const std::atomic<bool>& interr
                     pBestIndex = pindex;
                     if (fFoundStartingHeader) {
                         // add this to the headers message
-                        vHeaders.push_back(pindex->GetBlockHeader(consensusParams));
+                        vHeaders.push_back(pindex->GetBlockHeader(consensusParams, false));
                     } else if (PeerHasHeader(&state, pindex)) {
                         continue; // keep looking for the first new block
                     } else if (pindex->pprev == NULL || PeerHasHeader(&state, pindex->pprev)) {
                         // Peer doesn't have this header but they do have the prior one.
                         // Start sending headers.
                         fFoundStartingHeader = true;
-                        vHeaders.push_back(pindex->GetBlockHeader(consensusParams));
+                        vHeaders.push_back(pindex->GetBlockHeader(consensusParams, false));
                     } else {
                         // Peer doesn't have this header or the prior one -- nothing will
                         // connect, so bail out.
@@ -3014,7 +3014,7 @@ bool SendMessages(CNode* pto, CConnman& connman, const std::atomic<bool>& interr
                     }
                     if (!fGotBlockFromCache) {
                         CBlock block;
-                        bool ret = ReadBlockFromDisk(block, pBestIndex, consensusParams);
+                        bool ret = ReadBlockFromDisk(block, pBestIndex, consensusParams, false);
                         assert(ret);
                         CBlockHeaderAndShortTxIDs cmpctblock(block, state.fWantsCmpctWitness);
                         connman.PushMessage(pto, msgMaker.Make(nSendFlags, NetMsgType::CMPCTBLOCK, cmpctblock));
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 3ddf67717..c5f00fe13 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -1142,7 +1142,7 @@ bool WriteBlockToDisk(const CBlock& block, CDiskBlockPos& pos, const CMessageHea
    both a block and its header.  */
 
 template<typename T>
-static bool ReadBlockOrHeader(T& block, const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams)
+static bool ReadBlockOrHeader(T& block, const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW)
 {
     block.SetNull();
 
@@ -1160,16 +1160,16 @@ static bool ReadBlockOrHeader(T& block, const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const Consensu
     }
 
     // Check the header
-    if (!CheckAuxPowProofOfWork(block, consensusParams))
+    if (fCheckPOW && !CheckAuxPowProofOfWork(block, consensusParams))
         return error("ReadBlockFromDisk: Errors in block header at %s", pos.ToString());
 
     return true;
 }
 
 template<typename T>
-static bool ReadBlockOrHeader(T& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams)
+static bool ReadBlockOrHeader(T& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW)
 {
-    if (!ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pindex->GetBlockPos(), consensusParams))
+    if (!ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pindex->GetBlockPos(), consensusParams, fCheckPOW))
         return false;
     if (block.GetHash() != pindex->GetBlockHash())
         return error("ReadBlockOrHeader(CBlock&, CBlockIndex*): GetHash() doesn't match index for %s at %s",
@@ -1177,19 +1177,19 @@ static bool ReadBlockOrHeader(T& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consens
     return true;
 }
 
-bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams)
+bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW)
 {
-    return ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pos, consensusParams);
+    return ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pos, consensusParams, fCheckPOW);
 }
 
-bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams)
+bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW)
 {
-    return ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pindex, consensusParams);
+    return ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pindex, consensusParams, fCheckPOW);
 }
 
-bool ReadBlockHeaderFromDisk(CBlockHeader& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams)
+bool ReadBlockHeaderFromDisk(CBlockHeader& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW)
 {
-    return ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pindex, consensusParams);
+    return ReadBlockOrHeader(block, pindex, consensusParams, fCheckPOW);
 }
 
 CAmount GetBlockSubsidy(int nHeight, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams)
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index 386979a14..9e7305492 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -476,9 +476,9 @@ public:
 
 /** Functions for disk access for blocks */
 bool WriteBlockToDisk(const CBlock& block, CDiskBlockPos& pos, const CMessageHeader::MessageStartChars& messageStart);
-bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams);
-bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams);
-bool ReadBlockHeaderFromDisk(CBlockHeader& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams);
+bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CDiskBlockPos& pos, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW = true);
+bool ReadBlockFromDisk(CBlock& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW = true);
+bool ReadBlockHeaderFromDisk(CBlockHeader& block, const CBlockIndex* pindex, const Consensus::Params& consensusParams, bool fCheckPOW = true);
 
 /** Functions for validating blocks and updating the block tree */