diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index dc071725c1..c3c68b5896 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -578,8 +578,8 @@ func parseDumpConfig(ctx *cli.Context, db ethdb.Database) (*state.DumpConfig, co
 		arg := ctx.Args().First()
 		if hashish(arg) {
 			hash := common.HexToHash(arg)
-			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash); number != nil {
-				header = rawdb.ReadHeader(db, hash, *number)
+			if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash); number != rawdb.EmptyNumber {
+				header = rawdb.ReadHeader(db, hash, number)
 			} else {
 				return nil, common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("block %x not found", hash)
 			}
diff --git a/core/blockchain_reader.go b/core/blockchain_reader.go
index c54948122d..64eb6aa6f9 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_reader.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_reader.go
@@ -88,7 +88,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetHeaderByNumber(number uint64) *types.Header {
 
 // GetBlockNumber retrieves the block number associated with a block hash.
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlockNumber(hash common.Hash) *uint64 {
-	return bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
+	if num := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash); num != rawdb.EmptyNumber {
+		return &num
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // GetHeadersFrom returns a contiguous segment of headers, in rlp-form, going
@@ -105,10 +108,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBody(hash common.Hash) *types.Body {
 		return cached
 	}
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	body := rawdb.ReadBody(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	body := rawdb.ReadBody(bc.db, hash, number)
 	if body == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -125,10 +128,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBodyRLP(hash common.Hash) rlp.RawValue {
 		return cached
 	}
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	body := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	body := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(bc.db, hash, number)
 	if len(body) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -178,10 +181,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlock(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Block {
 // GetBlockByHash retrieves a block from the database by hash, caching it if found.
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlockByHash(hash common.Hash) *types.Block {
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return bc.GetBlock(hash, *number)
+	return bc.GetBlock(hash, number)
 }
 
 // GetBlockByNumber retrieves a block from the database by number, caching it
@@ -198,17 +201,17 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlockByNumber(number uint64) *types.Block {
 // [deprecated by eth/62]
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlocksFromHash(hash common.Hash, n int) (blocks []*types.Block) {
 	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-		block := bc.GetBlock(hash, *number)
+		block := bc.GetBlock(hash, number)
 		if block == nil {
 			break
 		}
 		blocks = append(blocks, block)
 		hash = block.ParentHash()
-		*number--
+		number--
 	}
 	return
 }
@@ -219,14 +222,14 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetReceiptsByHash(hash common.Hash) types.Receipts {
 		return receipts
 	}
 	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(bc.db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	header := bc.GetHeader(hash, *number)
+	header := bc.GetHeader(hash, number)
 	if header == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	receipts := rawdb.ReadReceipts(bc.db, hash, *number, header.Time, bc.chainConfig)
+	receipts := rawdb.ReadReceipts(bc.db, hash, number, header.Time, bc.chainConfig)
 	if receipts == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -246,10 +249,10 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetRawReceipts(hash common.Hash, number uint64) types.Rece
 // GetReceiptsRLP retrieves the receipts of a block.
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetReceiptsRLP(hash common.Hash) rlp.RawValue {
 	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(bc.db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return rawdb.ReadReceiptsRLP(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	return rawdb.ReadReceiptsRLP(bc.db, hash, number)
 }
 
 // GetUnclesInChain retrieves all the uncles from a given block backwards until
diff --git a/core/blockchain_test.go b/core/blockchain_test.go
index 434b494490..15d45ed9b6 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -778,13 +778,13 @@ func testFastVsFullChains(t *testing.T, scheme string) {
 		}
 
 		// Check that hash-to-number mappings are present in all databases.
-		if m := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(fastDb, hash); m == nil || *m != num {
+		if m := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(fastDb, hash); m == rawdb.EmptyNumber || m != num {
 			t.Errorf("block #%d [%x]: wrong hash-to-number mapping in fastdb: %v", num, hash, m)
 		}
-		if m := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(ancientDb, hash); m == nil || *m != num {
+		if m := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(ancientDb, hash); m == rawdb.EmptyNumber || m != num {
 			t.Errorf("block #%d [%x]: wrong hash-to-number mapping in ancientdb: %v", num, hash, m)
 		}
-		if m := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(archiveDb, hash); m == nil || *m != num {
+		if m := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(archiveDb, hash); m == rawdb.EmptyNumber || m != num {
 			t.Errorf("block #%d [%x]: wrong hash-to-number mapping in archivedb: %v", num, hash, m)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/core/headerchain.go b/core/headerchain.go
index 6e70dfa865..be814757ad 100644
--- a/core/headerchain.go
+++ b/core/headerchain.go
@@ -97,13 +97,13 @@ func NewHeaderChain(chainDb ethdb.Database, config *params.ChainConfig, engine c
 
 // GetBlockNumber retrieves the block number belonging to the given hash
 // from the cache or database
-func (hc *HeaderChain) GetBlockNumber(hash common.Hash) *uint64 {
+func (hc *HeaderChain) GetBlockNumber(hash common.Hash) uint64 {
 	if cached, ok := hc.numberCache.Get(hash); ok {
-		return &cached
+		return cached
 	}
 	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(hc.chainDb, hash)
-	if number != nil {
-		hc.numberCache.Add(hash, *number)
+	if number != rawdb.EmptyNumber {
+		hc.numberCache.Add(hash, number)
 	}
 	return number
 }
@@ -403,10 +403,10 @@ func (hc *HeaderChain) GetHeader(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Header
 // found.
 func (hc *HeaderChain) GetHeaderByHash(hash common.Hash) *types.Header {
 	number := hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return hc.GetHeader(hash, *number)
+	return hc.GetHeader(hash, number)
 }
 
 // HasHeader checks if a block header is present in the database or not.
diff --git a/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go b/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
index 2386246caf..7e1970d6ec 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
@@ -142,14 +142,16 @@ func ReadAllCanonicalHashes(db ethdb.Iteratee, from uint64, to uint64, limit int
 	return numbers, hashes
 }
 
+const EmptyNumber = ^uint64(0)
+
 // ReadHeaderNumber returns the header number assigned to a hash.
-func ReadHeaderNumber(db ethdb.KeyValueReader, hash common.Hash) *uint64 {
+func ReadHeaderNumber(db ethdb.KeyValueReader, hash common.Hash) uint64 {
 	data, _ := db.Get(headerNumberKey(hash))
 	if len(data) != 8 {
-		return nil
+		return EmptyNumber
 	}
 	number := binary.BigEndian.Uint64(data)
-	return &number
+	return number
 }
 
 // WriteHeaderNumber stores the hash->number mapping.
@@ -908,10 +910,10 @@ func ReadHeadHeader(db ethdb.Reader) *types.Header {
 		return nil
 	}
 	headHeaderNumber := ReadHeaderNumber(db, headHeaderHash)
-	if headHeaderNumber == nil {
+	if headHeaderNumber == EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return ReadHeader(db, headHeaderHash, *headHeaderNumber)
+	return ReadHeader(db, headHeaderHash, headHeaderNumber)
 }
 
 // ReadHeadBlock returns the current canonical head block.
@@ -921,8 +923,8 @@ func ReadHeadBlock(db ethdb.Reader) *types.Block {
 		return nil
 	}
 	headBlockNumber := ReadHeaderNumber(db, headBlockHash)
-	if headBlockNumber == nil {
+	if headBlockNumber == EmptyNumber {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return ReadBlock(db, headBlockHash, *headBlockNumber)
+	return ReadBlock(db, headBlockHash, headBlockNumber)
 }
diff --git a/core/rawdb/accessors_indexes.go b/core/rawdb/accessors_indexes.go
index fafde25606..fa354440bc 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/accessors_indexes.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/accessors_indexes.go
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ func DecodeTxLookupEntry(data []byte, db ethdb.Reader) *uint64 {
 	}
 	// Database v4-v5 tx lookup format just stores the hash
 	if len(data) == common.HashLength {
-		return ReadHeaderNumber(db, common.BytesToHash(data))
+		number := ReadHeaderNumber(db, common.BytesToHash(data))
+		return &number
 	}
 	// Finally try database v3 tx lookup format
 	var entry LegacyTxLookupEntry
diff --git a/core/rawdb/chain_freezer.go b/core/rawdb/chain_freezer.go
index cc7a62df32..e6d89a4d29 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/chain_freezer.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/chain_freezer.go
@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@ func (f *chainFreezer) readHeadNumber(db ethdb.KeyValueReader) uint64 {
 		return 0
 	}
 	number := ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == EmptyNumber {
 		log.Error("Number of head block is missing")
 		return 0
 	}
-	return *number
+	return number
 }
 
 // readFinalizedNumber returns the number of finalized block. 0 is returned
@@ -111,11 +111,11 @@ func (f *chainFreezer) readFinalizedNumber(db ethdb.KeyValueReader) uint64 {
 		return 0
 	}
 	number := ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == EmptyNumber {
 		log.Error("Number of finalized block is missing")
 		return 0
 	}
-	return *number
+	return number
 }
 
 // freezeThreshold returns the threshold for chain freezing. It's determined
diff --git a/core/rawdb/database.go b/core/rawdb/database.go
index a03dbafb1f..6c6bd401e0 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/database.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/database.go
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ func NewDatabaseWithFreezer(db ethdb.KeyValueStore, ancient string, namespace st
 			if kvhash, _ := db.Get(headerHashKey(frozen)); len(kvhash) == 0 {
 				// Subsequent header after the freezer limit is missing from the database.
 				// Reject startup if the database has a more recent head.
-				if head := *ReadHeaderNumber(db, ReadHeadHeaderHash(db)); head > frozen-1 {
+				if head := ReadHeaderNumber(db, ReadHeadHeaderHash(db)); head > frozen-1 {
 					// Find the smallest block stored in the key-value store
 					// in range of [frozen, head]
 					var number uint64
diff --git a/core/txindexer.go b/core/txindexer.go
index 587118ed7f..813e5641f1 100644
--- a/core/txindexer.go
+++ b/core/txindexer.go
@@ -218,10 +218,10 @@ func (indexer *txIndexer) resolveHead() uint64 {
 		return 0
 	}
 	headBlockNumber := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(indexer.db, headBlockHash)
-	if headBlockNumber == nil {
+	if headBlockNumber == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return 0
 	}
-	return *headBlockNumber
+	return headBlockNumber
 }
 
 // loop is the scheduler of the indexer, assigning indexing/unindexing tasks depending
diff --git a/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go b/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
index 85d4a33913..df80e099c1 100644
--- a/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
+++ b/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
@@ -93,17 +93,17 @@ func (b *testBackend) HeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, blockNr rpc.BlockNumbe
 	case rpc.LatestBlockNumber:
 		hash = rawdb.ReadHeadBlockHash(b.db)
 		number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
-		if number == nil {
+		if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
-		num = *number
+		num = number
 	case rpc.FinalizedBlockNumber:
 		hash = rawdb.ReadFinalizedBlockHash(b.db)
 		number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
-		if number == nil {
+		if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
-		num = *number
+		num = number
 	case rpc.SafeBlockNumber:
 		return nil, errors.New("safe block not found")
 	default:
@@ -115,10 +115,10 @@ func (b *testBackend) HeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, blockNr rpc.BlockNumbe
 
 func (b *testBackend) HeaderByHash(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (*types.Header, error) {
 	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	if number == rawdb.EmptyNumber {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
-	return rawdb.ReadHeader(b.db, hash, *number), nil
+	return rawdb.ReadHeader(b.db, hash, number), nil
 }
 
 func (b *testBackend) GetBody(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash, number rpc.BlockNumber) (*types.Body, error) {
@@ -129,9 +129,9 @@ func (b *testBackend) GetBody(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash, number rpc.
 }
 
 func (b *testBackend) GetReceipts(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (types.Receipts, error) {
-	if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash); number != nil {
-		if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(b.db, hash, *number); header != nil {
-			return rawdb.ReadReceipts(b.db, hash, *number, header.Time, params.TestChainConfig), nil
+	if number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash); number != rawdb.EmptyNumber {
+		if header := rawdb.ReadHeader(b.db, hash, number); header != nil {
+			return rawdb.ReadReceipts(b.db, hash, number, header.Time, params.TestChainConfig), nil
 		}
 	}
 	return nil, nil