diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 2c7e9dc39b..19c9489345 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -2011,6 +2011,7 @@ bool CChainState::ConnectBlock(const CBlock& block, CValidationState& state, CBl
             return AbortNode(state, "Found EvoDB inconsistency, you must reindex to continue");
         }
     }
+    nBlocksTotal++;
 
     // Special case for the genesis block, skipping connection of its transactions
     // (its coinbase is unspendable)
@@ -2020,8 +2021,6 @@ bool CChainState::ConnectBlock(const CBlock& block, CValidationState& state, CBl
         return true;
     }
 
-    nBlocksTotal++;
-
     bool fScriptChecks = true;
     if (!hashAssumeValid.IsNull()) {
         // We've been configured with the hash of a block which has been externally verified to have a valid history.
@@ -2833,6 +2832,7 @@ bool CChainState::ConnectTip(CValidationState& state, const CChainParams& chainp
             return error("%s: ConnectBlock %s failed, %s", __func__, pindexNew->GetBlockHash().ToString(), FormatStateMessage(state));
         }
         nTime3 = GetTimeMicros(); nTimeConnectTotal += nTime3 - nTime2;
+        assert(nBlocksTotal > 0);
         LogPrint(BCLog::BENCHMARK, "  - Connect total: %.2fms [%.2fs (%.2fms/blk)]\n", (nTime3 - nTime2) * MILLI, nTimeConnectTotal * MICRO, nTimeConnectTotal * MILLI / nBlocksTotal);
         bool flushed = view.Flush();
         assert(flushed);