diff --git a/lib/bcoin/chain.js b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
index df87cfe2..7a901a88 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/chain.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
@@ -413,18 +413,14 @@ Chain.prototype.getLast = function getLast(cb) {
   return cb(this.index.hashes[this.index.hashes.length - 1]);
 };
 
-Chain.prototype.getStartHeight = function getLast(cb) {
+Chain.prototype.getStartHeight = function getStartHeight() {
   if (!this.options.fullNode) {
     if (this.options.startHeight != null) {
       return this.options.startHeight;
     }
     return 0;
   }
-  for (var i = 0; i < this.index.heights.length; i++) {
-    if (this.index.heights[i + 1] !== this.index.heights[i] + 1) {
-      return this.index.heights[i];
-    }
-  }
+  return this.index.heights[this.index.heights.length - 1];
 };
 
 Chain.prototype.locatorHashes = function(index) {
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/peer.js b/lib/bcoin/peer.js
index 215ca533..8b8212c8 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/peer.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/peer.js
@@ -96,9 +96,7 @@ Peer.prototype._init = function init() {
         'Sent version (%s): height=%s',
         ip, this.pool.chain.getStartHeight());
       self.pool.emit('debug', 'version (%s): sending locator hashes', ip);
-      self.chain.on('load', function() {
-        self.loadHeaders(self.chain.locatorHashes(), 0);
-      });
+      self.loadHeaders(self.chain.locatorHashes(), 0);
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/pool.js b/lib/bcoin/pool.js
index b56b89ba..07e127e1 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/pool.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/pool.js
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ var utils = bcoin.utils;
 var assert = utils.assert;
 
 function Pool(options) {
+  var self = this;
+
   if (!(this instanceof Pool))
     return new Pool(options);
 
@@ -90,7 +92,18 @@ function Pool(options) {
   this.createConnection = options.createConnection;
   assert(this.createConnection);
 
-  this._init();
+  this.chain.on('debug', function() {
+    var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
+    self.emit.apply(self, ['debug'].concat(args));
+  });
+
+  if (!this.chain.loading) {
+    this._init();
+  } else {
+    this.chain.once('load', function() {
+      self._init();
+    });
+  }
 }
 inherits(Pool, EventEmitter);
 module.exports = Pool;
@@ -109,11 +122,6 @@ Pool.prototype._init = function _init() {
     self._scheduleRequests();
     self._loadRange(preload);
   });
-
-  this.chain.on('debug', function() {
-    var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
-    self.emit.apply(self, ['debug'].concat(args));
-  });
 };
 
 Pool.prototype._addLoader = function _addLoader() {