diff --git a/src/db.cpp b/src/db.cpp
index 06e5543b2..5ca9ea2c3 100644
--- a/src/db.cpp
+++ b/src/db.cpp
@@ -636,7 +636,6 @@ bool LoadBlockIndex(CChainDB &chaindb)
     {
         if (pindexGenesisBlock == NULL)
             return true;
-        return error("CTxDB::LoadBlockIndex() : hashBestChain not loaded");
     }
     hashBestChain = pindexBest->GetBlockHash();
     nBestHeight = pindexBest->nHeight;
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index b05d57abf..85aa4f600 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -780,6 +780,40 @@ bool AppInit2()
 
     // ********************************************************* Step 9: import blocks
 
+    // scan for better chains in the block chain database, that are not yet connected in the active best chain
+    CBlockIndex *pindexFoundBest = pindexBest;
+    for (std::map<uint256,CBlockIndex*>::iterator it = mapBlockIndex.begin(); it != mapBlockIndex.end(); it++) {
+        CBlockIndex *pindex = it->second;
+        if (pindexFoundBest==NULL || pindex->bnChainWork > pindexFoundBest->bnChainWork)
+            pindexFoundBest = pindex;
+    }
+    if (pindexFoundBest != pindexBest) {
+        uiInterface.InitMessage(_("Importing blocks from block database..."));
+        uint64 nTxs = 0;
+        uint64 nBlocks = 0;
+        std::vector<CBlockIndex*> vAttach;
+        vAttach.reserve(pindexFoundBest->nHeight - (pindexBest==NULL ? 0 : pindexBest->nHeight));
+        while (pindexFoundBest && pindexFoundBest->bnChainWork > (pindexBest==NULL ? 0 : pindexBest->bnChainWork)) {
+            vAttach.push_back(pindexFoundBest);
+            pindexFoundBest = pindexFoundBest->pprev;
+        }
+        for (std::vector<CBlockIndex*>::reverse_iterator it = vAttach.rbegin(); it != vAttach.rend(); it++) {
+            CBlockIndex *pindex = *it;
+            CBlock block;
+            if (!block.ReadFromDisk(pindex))
+                break;
+            nTxs += block.vtx.size();
+            nBlocks++;
+            if (pindex->nHeight == 0 || nTxs + nBlocks*3 > 500) {
+                nTxs=0;
+                nBlocks=0;
+                block.SetBestChain(pindex);
+            }
+            if (fRequestShutdown)
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+
     std::vector<boost::filesystem::path> *vPath = new std::vector<boost::filesystem::path>();
     if (mapArgs.count("-loadblock"))
     {