diff --git a/lib/bcoin/chain.js b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
index d4ac891c..2e75f790 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/chain.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
@@ -994,9 +994,18 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(initial, peer, callback, force) {
     var prevHash = block.prevBlock;
     var prevHeight, entry, checkpoint, prev, orphan;
 
-    // Special case for genesis block.
-    if (block.isGenesis())
-      return done();
+    // We already have this block. Do regular
+    // orphan resolution (won't do anything).
+    // NOTE: Wrap this in a nextTick to avoid
+    // a stack overflow if there are a lot of
+    // existing blocks.
+    if (self.db.has(hash)) {
+      self.emit('exists', block, {
+        height: entry.height,
+        hash: entry.hash
+      }, peer);
+      return utils.nextTick(handleOrphans);
+    }
 
     // Do not revalidate known invalid blocks.
     if (self.invalid[hash] || self.invalid[prevHash]) {
@@ -1027,6 +1036,10 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(initial, peer, callback, force) {
       return done();
     }
 
+    // Special case for genesis block.
+    if (block.isGenesis())
+      return done();
+
     // If the block is already known to be
     // an orphan, ignore it.
     orphan = self.orphan.map[prevHash];
@@ -1126,18 +1139,8 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(initial, peer, callback, force) {
         if (err)
           return done(err);
 
-        // We already have this block. Do regular
-        // orphan resolution (won't do anything).
-        // NOTE: Wrap this in a nextTick to avoid
-        // a stack overflow if there are a lot of
-        // existing blocks.
-        if (existing.hash === hash) {
-          self.emit('exists', block, {
-            height: entry.height,
-            hash: entry.hash
-          }, peer);
-          return utils.nextTick(handleOrphans);
-        }
+        // Shouldn't be the same by this point.
+        assert(existing.hash !== entry.hash);
 
         // A valid block with an already existing
         // height came in, that spells fork. We