diff --git a/trie/zk_trie_database.go b/trie/zk_trie_database.go
index ea4d670ab6..00b4f2f3f9 100644
--- a/trie/zk_trie_database.go
+++ b/trie/zk_trie_database.go
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ type ZktrieDatabase struct {
 }
 
 func NewZktrieDatabase(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore) *ZktrieDatabase {
-	return &ZktrieDatabase{db: NewDatabase(diskdb), prefix: []byte{}}
+	db := NewDatabase(diskdb)
+	db.Zktrie = true
+	return &ZktrieDatabase{db: db, prefix: []byte{}}
 }
 
 // adhoc wrapper...