diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index 8cd12d6edb..bfc1ff0983 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -2285,11 +2285,13 @@ func MakeTrieDatabase(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, disk ethdb.Database, p
 		config.HashDB = hashdb.Defaults
 		return triedb.NewDatabase(disk, config)
 	}
+	var pathConfig pathdb.Config
 	if readOnly {
-		config.PathDB = pathdb.ReadOnly
+		pathConfig = *pathdb.ReadOnly
 	} else {
-		config.PathDB = pathdb.Defaults
+		pathConfig = *pathdb.Defaults
 	}
-	config.PathDB.JournalDirectory = stack.ResolvePath("triedb")
+	pathConfig.JournalDirectory = stack.ResolvePath("triedb")
+	config.PathDB = &pathConfig
 	return triedb.NewDatabase(disk, config)
 }