diff --git a/config/config.js b/config/config.js
index cdae77c..3294245 100644
--- a/config/config.js
+++ b/config/config.js
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ switch (process.env.NODE_ENV) {
 }
 
 var network = process.env.INSIGHT_NETWORK || 'testnet';
+var forceRPCsync = process.env.INSIGHT_FORCE_RPC_SYNC;
 
 var dataDir = process.env.BITCOIND_DATADIR;
 var isWin = /^win/.test(process.platform);
@@ -133,4 +134,5 @@ module.exports = {
   },
   safeConfirmations: safeConfirmations, // PLEASE NOTE THAT *FULL RESYNC* IS NEEDED TO CHANGE safeConfirmations
   ignoreCache: ignoreCache,
+  forceRPCsync: forceRPCsync,
 };
diff --git a/lib/HistoricSync.js b/lib/HistoricSync.js
index 1a17c20..717d4cf 100644
--- a/lib/HistoricSync.js
+++ b/lib/HistoricSync.js
@@ -38,29 +38,36 @@ function HistoricSync(opts) {
 
   var bitcore = require('bitcore');
 
-
   var RpcClient = bitcore.RpcClient;
 
   this.rpc = new RpcClient(config.bitcoind);
 
-  if (this.checkBitcoinCoreVersion) {
-    console.log('-------------------------------------------------------');
-    console.log('- Bitcoin Core version is greater or equal than 10.99 -');
-    console.log('-------------------------------------------------------');
-  }
+  this.getBitcoinCoreVersion(function(bitcoinVersion) {
+    if (bitcoinVersion > 100000 && !config.forceRPCsync) {
+      info('-------------------------------------------------------');
+      info('- Bitcoin Core version >0.10 only works with RPC sync -');
+      info('- Set the env variable INSIGHT_FORCE_RPC_SYNC = 1     -');
+      info('-------------------------------------------------------');
+      process.exit(1);
+    } else {
+      info('Bitcoin Core version ', bitcoinVersion);
+      info('Using RPC sync ');
+    }
+  });
+
 
   this.sync = new Sync(opts);
   this.height = 0;
 }
 
-HistoricSync.prototype.checkBitcoinCoreVersion = function() {
+HistoricSync.prototype.getBitcoinCoreVersion = function(cb) {
   var self = this;
   self.rpc.getInfo(function(err, info) {
     if (err) {
-      console.log('ERROR ', err);
+      error('ERROR ', err);
       process.exit(-1);
     };
-    return info.result.version >= 109900;
+    return cb(info.result.version);
   });
 };
 
@@ -278,6 +285,8 @@ HistoricSync.prototype.updateStartBlock = function(opts, next) {
 HistoricSync.prototype.prepareFileSync = function(opts, next) {
   var self = this;
 
+  if (config.forceRPCsync) return next();
+
   if (opts.forceRPC || !config.bitcoind.dataDir ||
     self.height > self.blockChainHeight * PERCENTAGE_TO_START_FROM_RPC) return next();