diff --git a/trie/secure_trie.go b/trie/secure_trie.go
index 901e5c09cf..9d391d8ec6 100644
--- a/trie/secure_trie.go
+++ b/trie/secure_trie.go
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ type preimageStore interface {
 
 	// InsertPreimage commits a set of preimages along with their hashes.
 	InsertPreimage(preimages map[common.Hash][]byte)
+
+	// PreimageEnabled returns true if the preimage store is enabled.
+	PreimageEnabled() bool
 }
 
 // SecureTrie is the old name of StateTrie.
@@ -84,8 +87,7 @@ func NewStateTrie(id *ID, db database.NodeDatabase) (*StateTrie, error) {
 	tr := &StateTrie{trie: *trie, db: db}
 
 	// link the preimage store if it's supported
-	preimages, ok := db.(preimageStore)
-	if ok {
+	if preimages, ok := db.(preimageStore); ok && preimages.PreimageEnabled() {
 		tr.preimages = preimages
 	}
 	return tr, nil
diff --git a/triedb/database.go b/triedb/database.go
index 18e24cd176..1c9d49b245 100644
--- a/triedb/database.go
+++ b/triedb/database.go
@@ -213,6 +213,11 @@ func (db *Database) InsertPreimage(preimages map[common.Hash][]byte) {
 	db.preimages.insertPreimage(preimages)
 }
 
+// PreimageEnabled returns the indicator if the pre-image store is enabled.
+func (db *Database) PreimageEnabled() bool {
+	return db.preimages != nil
+}
+
 // Cap iteratively flushes old but still referenced trie nodes until the total
 // memory usage goes below the given threshold. The held pre-images accumulated
 // up to this point will be flushed in case the size exceeds the threshold.