diff --git a/core/headerchain.go b/core/headerchain.go
index 0bf296ab5c..36b8d68385 100644
--- a/core/headerchain.go
+++ b/core/headerchain.go
@@ -272,14 +272,12 @@ func (hc *HeaderChain) Append(batch ethdb.Batch, block *types.Block, newInboundE
 	// coincident with a higher order chain. So, this check is skipped for prime
 	// nodes.
 	if nodeCtx > common.PRIME_CTX {
-		if block.ParentHash() != hc.config.GenesisHash {
-			manifest := rawdb.ReadManifest(hc.headerDb, block.ParentHash())
-			if manifest == nil {
-				return errors.New("manifest not found for parent")
-			}
-			if block.ManifestHash(nodeCtx) != types.DeriveSha(manifest, trie.NewStackTrie(nil)) {
-				return errors.New("manifest does not match hash")
-			}
+		manifest := rawdb.ReadManifest(hc.headerDb, block.ParentHash())
+		if manifest == nil {
+			return errors.New("manifest not found for parent")
+		}
+		if block.ManifestHash(nodeCtx) != types.DeriveSha(manifest, trie.NewStackTrie(nil)) {
+			return errors.New("manifest does not match hash")
 		}
 	}
 	elapsedCollectBlockManifest := common.PrettyDuration(time.Since(collectBlockManifest))
diff --git a/core/slice.go b/core/slice.go
index ca42481655..5f74cc04c8 100644
--- a/core/slice.go
+++ b/core/slice.go
@@ -645,6 +645,7 @@ func (sl *Slice) init(genesis *Genesis) error {
 		// Initialize slice state for genesis knot
 		genesisTermini := []common.Hash{genesisHash, genesisHash, genesisHash, genesisHash}
 		rawdb.WriteTermini(sl.sliceDb, genesisHash, genesisTermini)
+		rawdb.WriteManifest(sl.sliceDb, genesisHash, types.BlockManifest{genesisHash})
 
 		// Append each of the knot blocks
 		sl.bestPhKey = genesisHash