diff --git a/lib/services/header/index.js b/lib/services/header/index.js
index 18369321..d1469007 100644
--- a/lib/services/header/index.js
+++ b/lib/services/header/index.js
@@ -259,7 +259,11 @@ HeaderService.prototype._onHeaders = function(headers) {
 HeaderService.prototype._detectReorg = function() {
   // is our original tip's height and hash the same after we rewound by the checkpoint amount of blocks
   // and re-imported? If so, then we've reorg'ed since we've been shut down.
-  if (this._originalTip.hash !== this._headers.getIndex(this._originalTip.height).hash) {
+
+  var headerHash = this._headers.getIndex(this._originalTip.height).hash;
+  assert(headerHash, 'Expected a header to exist at height ' + this._originalTip.height);
+
+  if (this._originalTip.hash !== headerHash) {
     return true;
   }
   return false;
@@ -285,7 +289,7 @@ HeaderService.prototype._onBestHeight = function(height) {
 
 HeaderService.prototype._startSync = function() {
 
-  this._numNeeded = this._bestHeight - this._tip.height;
+  this._numNeeded = Math.max(this._bestHeight - this._tip.height, this._checkpoint);
 
   log.info('Header Service: Gathering: ' + this._numNeeded + ' ' + 'header(s) from the peer-to-peer network.');
 
diff --git a/test/services/header/index.unit.js b/test/services/header/index.unit.js
index 8c8e211c..02951e83 100644
--- a/test/services/header/index.unit.js
+++ b/test/services/header/index.unit.js
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@ describe('Header Service', function() {
       headerService._tip = { height: 0 };
       headerService._originalTip = { height: 0, hash: header.hash };
       headerService._bestHeight = { height: 1 };
+      headerService._headers = {
+        getIndex: function() { return { hash: header.hash }; },
+        getLastIndex: sinon.stub(),
+        set: sinon.stub()
+      };
       var getChainwork = sandbox.stub(headerService, '_getChainwork').returns(new BN(1));
       var headers = [ header ];