diff --git a/lib/bcoin/chain.js b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
index 14660d8d..15239eb2 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/chain.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
@@ -1131,67 +1131,27 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(initial, peer, callback, force) {
 
     // Lookup previous entry.
     // We can do this synchronously:
-    // it is already cached.
-    prev = self.db.getSync(prevHeight);
+    // This will be cached in 99.9% of cases.
+    if (!self.db.isCached(prevHeight))
+      utils.debug('Warning: height %d is not cached.', prevHeight);
+
+    try {
+      prev = self.db.getSync(prevHeight);
+    } catch (e) {
+      return done(e);
+    }
+
     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) {
+      var existing;
+
       if (err)
         return done(err);
 
-      // Real fork resolution would just be this.
-      // if (entry.chainwork.cmp(self.tip.chainwork) > 0)
-      //   return self.setBestChain(entry);
-      // return done();
-
-      // See if the entry already exists.
-      if (self.db.has(entry.height)) {
-        return self.db.getAsync(entry.height, function(err, existing) {
-          if (err)
-            return done(err);
-
-          // 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
-          // don't store by hash so we can't compare
-          // chainworks. We reset the chain, find a
-          // new peer, and wait to see who wins.
-          assert(self.db.getHeight(entry.hash) === -1);
-
-          // The tip has more chainwork, it is a
-          // higher height than the entry. This is
-          // not an alternate tip. Ignore it.
-          if (existing.chainwork.cmp(entry.chainwork) > 0)
-            return done();
-
-          // The block has equal chainwork (an
-          // alternate tip). Reset the chain, find
-          // a new peer, and wait to see who wins.
-          // self.revertHeight(existing.height - 1, function(err) {
-          self._revertLast(existing, function(err, existingBlock) {
-            if (err)
-              return done(err);
-
-            self.emit('fork', block, {
-              height: existing.height,
-              expected: existing.hash,
-              received: entry.hash,
-              checkpoint: false
-            }, peer);
-
-            return done();
-          }, true);
-        });
-      }
-
-      // Add entry if we do not have it.
-      assert(self.db.getHeight(entry.hash) === -1);
-
       if (!verified) {
         self.invalid[entry.hash] = true;
         self.emit('invalid', block, {
@@ -1203,6 +1163,62 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(initial, peer, callback, force) {
         return done();
       }
 
+      // Real fork resolution would just be this.
+      // if (entry.chainwork.cmp(self.tip.chainwork) > 0)
+      //   return self.setBestChain(entry);
+      // return done();
+
+      // See if the height already exists (fork).
+      // Do this synchronously: This will
+      // be cached in 99.9% of cases.
+      if (self.db.has(entry.height)) {
+        if (!self.db.isCached(entry.height))
+          utils.debug('Warning: height %d is not cached.', entry.height);
+
+        try {
+          existing = self.db.getSync(entry.height);
+        } catch (e) {
+          return done(e);
+        }
+
+        // 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
+        // don't store by hash so we can't compare
+        // chainworks. We reset the chain, find a
+        // new peer, and wait to see who wins.
+        assert(self.db.getHeight(entry.hash) === -1);
+
+        // The tip has more chainwork, it is a
+        // higher height than the entry. This is
+        // not an alternate tip. Ignore it.
+        if (existing.chainwork.cmp(entry.chainwork) > 0)
+          return done();
+
+        // The block has equal chainwork (an
+        // alternate tip). Reset the chain, find
+        // a new peer, and wait to see who wins.
+        // return self.revertHeight(existing.height - 1, function(err) {
+        return self._revertLast(existing, function(err, existingBlock) {
+          if (err)
+            return done(err);
+
+          self.emit('fork', block, {
+            height: existing.height,
+            expected: existing.hash,
+            received: entry.hash,
+            checkpoint: false
+          }, peer);
+
+          return done();
+        }, true);
+      }
+
+      // Add entry if we do not have it.
+      assert(self.db.getHeight(entry.hash) === -1);
+
       // Update the block height
       block.height = entry.height;
       block.txs.forEach(function(tx) {
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/chaindb.js b/lib/bcoin/chaindb.js
index 1d573ce6..098f9a9b 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/chaindb.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/chaindb.js
@@ -243,6 +243,16 @@ ChainDB.prototype._cache = function _cache(entry) {
   }
 };
 
+ChainDB.prototype.isCached = function isCached(height) {
+  if (this.queue[height] != null)
+    return true;
+
+  if (this.cache[height] != null)
+    return true;
+
+  return false;
+};
+
 ChainDB.prototype.getHeight = function getHeight(hash) {
   var height = this.heightLookup[hash];