diff --git a/test/functional/assumevalid.py b/test/functional/assumevalid.py
index 7a1980e3f..eabace102 100755
--- a/test/functional/assumevalid.py
+++ b/test/functional/assumevalid.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class AssumeValidTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         # Start node0. We don't start the other nodes yet since
         # we need to pre-mine a block with an invalid transaction
         # signature so we can pass in the block hash as assumevalid.
-        self.nodes = [start_node(0, self.options.tmpdir, ["-dip3params=9000:9000"])]
+        self.nodes = [start_node(0, self.options.tmpdir, ["-dip3params=9000:9000", "-checkblockindex=0"])]
 
     def send_blocks_until_disconnected(self, node):
         """Keep sending blocks to the node until we're disconnected."""
@@ -164,14 +164,14 @@ class AssumeValidTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         # Start node1 and node2 with assumevalid so they accept a block with a bad signature.
         self.nodes.append(start_node(1, self.options.tmpdir,
-                                     ["-assumevalid=" + hex(block102.sha256), "-dip3params=9000:9000"]))
+                                     ["-assumevalid=" + hex(block102.sha256), "-dip3params=9000:9000", "-checkblockindex=0"]))
         node1 = BaseNode()  # connects to node1
         connections.append(NodeConn('127.0.0.1', p2p_port(1), self.nodes[1], node1))
         node1.add_connection(connections[1])
         node1.wait_for_verack()
 
         self.nodes.append(start_node(2, self.options.tmpdir,
-                                     ["-assumevalid=" + hex(block102.sha256), "-dip3params=9000:9000"]))
+                                     ["-assumevalid=" + hex(block102.sha256), "-dip3params=9000:9000", "-checkblockindex=0"]))
         node2 = BaseNode()  # connects to node2
         connections.append(NodeConn('127.0.0.1', p2p_port(2), self.nodes[2], node2))
         node2.add_connection(connections[2])