diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.cpp b/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.cpp
index 6c80d133..2c18ae5d 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.cpp
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.cpp
@@ -2192,6 +2192,11 @@ void BlockchainBDB::check_hard_fork_info()
 	/* FIXME: Some other time */
 }
 
+void BlockchainBDB::drop_hard_fork_info()
+{
+  /* TODO */
+}
+
 void BlockchainBDB::set_hard_fork_version(uint64_t height, uint8_t version)
 {
     LOG_PRINT_L3("BlockchainBDB::" << __func__);
diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.h b/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.h
index 8cac94f6..6db91aa1 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.h
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/berkeleydb/db_bdb.h
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ private:
   virtual void set_hard_fork_version(uint64_t height, uint8_t version);
   virtual uint8_t get_hard_fork_version(uint64_t height) const;
   virtual void check_hard_fork_info();
+  virtual void drop_hard_fork_info();
 
   /**
    * @brief convert a tx output to a blob for storage
diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h b/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h
index 1f4ee21c..4a140e5f 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/blockchain_db.h
@@ -503,6 +503,7 @@ public:
   virtual void set_hard_fork_version(uint64_t height, uint8_t version) = 0;
   virtual uint8_t get_hard_fork_version(uint64_t height) const = 0;
   virtual void check_hard_fork_info() = 0;
+  virtual void drop_hard_fork_info() = 0;
 
   virtual bool is_read_only() const = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp
index c18db772..5982b9d9 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.cpp
@@ -2450,13 +2450,32 @@ void BlockchainLMDB::check_hard_fork_info()
     throw0(DB_ERROR("Failed to query m_hf_starting_heights"));
   if (db_stat1.ms_entries != db_stat2.ms_entries)
   {
-    mdb_drop(*txn_ptr, m_hf_starting_heights, 1);
-    mdb_drop(*txn_ptr, m_hf_versions, 1);
+    // Empty, but don't delete. This allows this function to be called after
+    // startup, after the subdbs have already been created, and rest of startup
+    // can proceed. If these don't exist, hard fork's init() will fail.
+    //
+    // If these are empty, hard fork's init() will repopulate the hard fork
+    // data.
+    mdb_drop(*txn_ptr, m_hf_starting_heights, 0);
+    mdb_drop(*txn_ptr, m_hf_versions, 0);
   }
 
   TXN_POSTFIX_SUCCESS();
 }
 
+void BlockchainLMDB::drop_hard_fork_info()
+{
+  LOG_PRINT_L3("BlockchainLMDB::" << __func__);
+  check_open();
+
+  TXN_PREFIX(0);
+
+  mdb_drop(*txn_ptr, m_hf_starting_heights, 1);
+  mdb_drop(*txn_ptr, m_hf_versions, 1);
+
+  TXN_POSTFIX_SUCCESS();
+}
+
 void BlockchainLMDB::set_hard_fork_starting_height(uint8_t version, uint64_t height)
 {
   LOG_PRINT_L3("BlockchainLMDB::" << __func__);
diff --git a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h
index 48f4adb4..eb0704ab 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h
+++ b/src/blockchain_db/lmdb/db_lmdb.h
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ private:
   virtual void set_hard_fork_version(uint64_t height, uint8_t version);
   virtual uint8_t get_hard_fork_version(uint64_t height) const;
   virtual void check_hard_fork_info();
+  virtual void drop_hard_fork_info();
 
   /**
    * @brief convert a tx output to a blob for storage
diff --git a/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp b/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp
index 30090bd7..7eb493b6 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp
+++ b/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp
@@ -469,6 +469,9 @@ int import_from_file(FakeCore& simple_core, const std::string& import_file_path,
           try
           {
             simple_core.add_block(b, block_size, cumulative_difficulty, coins_generated, txs);
+            #if !defined(BLOCKCHAIN_DB) || (BLOCKCHAIN_DB == DB_LMDB)
+            simple_core.m_hardfork->add(b, h-1);
+            #endif
           }
           catch (const std::exception& e)
           {
@@ -500,7 +503,7 @@ int import_from_file(FakeCore& simple_core, const std::string& import_file_path,
     catch (const std::exception& e)
     {
       std::cout << refresh_string;
-      LOG_PRINT_RED_L0("exception while reading from file, height=" << h);
+      LOG_PRINT_RED_L0("exception while reading from file, height=" << h << ": " << e.what());
       return 2;
     }
   } // while
@@ -557,6 +560,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   const command_line::arg_descriptor<uint64_t> arg_block_stop  = {"block-stop", "Stop at block number", block_stop};
   const command_line::arg_descriptor<uint64_t> arg_batch_size  = {"batch-size", "", db_batch_size};
   const command_line::arg_descriptor<uint64_t> arg_pop_blocks  = {"pop-blocks", "Remove blocks from end of blockchain", num_blocks};
+  const command_line::arg_descriptor<bool>        arg_drop_hf  = {"drop-hard-fork", "Drop hard fork subdbs", false};
   const command_line::arg_descriptor<bool>     arg_testnet_on  = {
     "testnet"
       , "Run on testnet."
@@ -589,6 +593,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
   command_line::add_arg(desc_cmd_only, arg_count_blocks);
   command_line::add_arg(desc_cmd_only, arg_pop_blocks);
+  command_line::add_arg(desc_cmd_only, arg_drop_hf);
   command_line::add_arg(desc_cmd_only, command_line::arg_help);
 
   // call add_options() directly for these arguments since
@@ -761,6 +766,15 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     return 0;
   }
 
+#if !defined(BLOCKCHAIN_DB) || (BLOCKCHAIN_DB == DB_LMDB)
+  if (! vm["drop-hard-fork"].defaulted())
+  {
+    LOG_PRINT_L0("Dropping hard fork tables...");
+    simple_core.m_storage.get_db().drop_hard_fork_info();
+    return 0;
+  }
+#endif
+
   import_from_file(simple_core, import_file_path, block_stop);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/blockchain_utilities/fake_core.h b/src/blockchain_utilities/fake_core.h
index 245d535f..29f34026 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_utilities/fake_core.h
+++ b/src/blockchain_utilities/fake_core.h
@@ -36,12 +36,21 @@
 
 using namespace cryptonote;
 
+namespace
+{
+  // NOTE: These values should match blockchain.cpp
+  // TODO: Refactor
+  const uint64_t mainnet_hard_fork_version_1_till = 1009826;
+  const uint64_t testnet_hard_fork_version_1_till = 624633;
+}
+
 
 #if !defined(BLOCKCHAIN_DB) || BLOCKCHAIN_DB == DB_LMDB
 
 struct fake_core_lmdb
 {
   Blockchain m_storage;
+  HardFork* m_hardfork = nullptr;
   tx_memory_pool m_pool;
   bool support_batch;
   bool support_add_block;
@@ -75,7 +84,13 @@ struct fake_core_lmdb
       throw;
     }
 
-    m_storage.init(db, use_testnet);
+    db->check_hard_fork_info();
+
+    uint64_t hard_fork_version_1_till = use_testnet ? testnet_hard_fork_version_1_till : mainnet_hard_fork_version_1_till;
+    m_hardfork = new HardFork(*db, 1, hard_fork_version_1_till);
+
+    m_storage.init(db, m_hardfork, use_testnet);
+
     if (do_batch)
       m_storage.get_db().set_batch_transactions(do_batch);
     support_batch = true;
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
index afc479a4..e43875bd 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static const uint64_t testnet_hard_fork_version_1_till = 624633;
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------
 Blockchain::Blockchain(tx_memory_pool& tx_pool) :
-  m_db(), m_tx_pool(tx_pool), m_timestamps_and_difficulties_height(0), m_current_block_cumul_sz_limit(0), m_is_in_checkpoint_zone(false),
+  m_db(), m_tx_pool(tx_pool), m_hardfork(), m_timestamps_and_difficulties_height(0), m_current_block_cumul_sz_limit(0), m_is_in_checkpoint_zone(false),
   m_is_blockchain_storing(false), m_enforce_dns_checkpoints(false), m_max_prepare_blocks_threads(4), m_db_blocks_per_sync(1), m_db_sync_mode(db_async), m_fast_sync(true), m_sync_counter(0)
 {
   LOG_PRINT_L3("Blockchain::" << __func__);
@@ -271,14 +271,20 @@ bool Blockchain::init(BlockchainDB* db, const bool testnet, const bool fakechain
   m_db = db;
 
   m_testnet = testnet;
-  if (m_testnet) {
-    m_hardfork = new HardFork(*db, 1, testnet_hard_fork_version_1_till);
+  if (m_hardfork == nullptr)
+  {
+    if (m_testnet)
+      m_hardfork = new HardFork(*db, 1, testnet_hard_fork_version_1_till);
+    else
+      m_hardfork = new HardFork(*db, 1, mainnet_hard_fork_version_1_till);
+  }
+  if (m_testnet)
+  {
     for (size_t n = 0; n < sizeof(testnet_hard_forks) / sizeof(testnet_hard_forks[0]); ++n)
       m_hardfork->add_fork(testnet_hard_forks[n].version, testnet_hard_forks[n].height, testnet_hard_forks[n].threshold, testnet_hard_forks[n].time);
   }
   else
   {
-    m_hardfork = new HardFork(*db, 1, mainnet_hard_fork_version_1_till);
     for (size_t n = 0; n < sizeof(mainnet_hard_forks) / sizeof(mainnet_hard_forks[0]); ++n)
       m_hardfork->add_fork(mainnet_hard_forks[n].version, mainnet_hard_forks[n].height, mainnet_hard_forks[n].threshold, mainnet_hard_forks[n].time);
   }
@@ -340,6 +346,16 @@ bool Blockchain::init(BlockchainDB* db, const bool testnet, const bool fakechain
   return true;
 }
 //------------------------------------------------------------------
+bool Blockchain::init(BlockchainDB* db, HardFork*& hf, const bool testnet, const bool fakechain)
+{
+  if (hf != nullptr)
+    m_hardfork = hf;
+  bool res = init(db, testnet, fakechain);
+  if (hf == nullptr)
+    hf = m_hardfork;
+  return res;
+}
+//------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool Blockchain::store_blockchain()
 {
   LOG_PRINT_YELLOW("Blockchain::" << __func__, LOG_LEVEL_3);
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
index 89f623f9..5299fed9 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
     Blockchain(tx_memory_pool& tx_pool);
 
     bool init(BlockchainDB* db, const bool testnet = false, const bool fakechain = false);
+    bool init(BlockchainDB* db, HardFork*& hf, const bool testnet = false, const bool fakechain = false);
     bool deinit();
 
     void set_checkpoints(checkpoints&& chk_pts) { m_checkpoints = chk_pts; }