diff --git a/lib/services/db/index.js b/lib/services/db/index.js
index 03d9647e..ded34296 100644
--- a/lib/services/db/index.js
+++ b/lib/services/db/index.js
@@ -299,20 +299,18 @@ DB.prototype.loadTips = function(callback) {
         return next(err);
       }
 
-      var height, hash;
+      var hash;
       //genesis block, set to -1 because we have no yet processed the blocks
       if (!tipData) {
-        height = -1;
         hash = new Array(65).join('0');
         self[tip] = {
-          height: height,
+          height: -1,
           hash: hash,
-          '__height': height
+          '__height': -1
         };
         return next();
       }
 
-      height = tipData.readUInt32BE(32);
       hash = tipData.slice(0, 32).toString('hex');
 
       self.bitcoind.getBlock(hash, function(err, block) {
@@ -321,10 +319,18 @@ DB.prototype.loadTips = function(callback) {
           return next(err);
         }
 
-        block.__height = height;
-        self[tip] = block;
-        next();
+        self.bitcoind.getBlockHeader(hash, function(err, header) {
 
+          if(err) {
+            return next(err);
+          }
+
+          block.__height = header.height;
+          self[tip] = block;
+          log.info('loaded tip, hash: ' + block.hash + ' height: ' + block.__height);
+          next();
+
+        });
       });
     });