diff --git a/lib/bcoin/chain.js b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
index 65691abb..70891e73 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/chain.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(block, peer, callback) {
   var self = this;
   var initial = block;
   var code = Chain.codes.unchanged;
-  var hash, prevHash, prevHeight, entry, tip, existing, checkpoint;
+  var hash, prevHash, prevHeight, entry, tip, existing, checkpoint, prev;
   var total = 0;
 
   callback = utils.asyncify(callback);
@@ -815,11 +815,14 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(block, peer, callback) {
         }
       }
 
-      // self._verifyContext(block, prev, function(err, verified) {
+      // Lookup previous entry.
+      prev = self.db.get(prevHeight);
+      assert(prev);
 
       // Do "contextual" verification on our block
       // now that we're certain its previous
       // block is in the chain.
+      // self._verifyContext(block, prev, function(err, verified) {
       if (!block.verifyContext(prev)) {
         code = Chain.codes.invalid;
         self.emit('invalid', {