diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index 7c8ab3abc4..b04edf0561 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, genesis *Genesis
 		if compat.RewindToTime > 0 {
 			bc.SetHeadWithTimestamp(compat.RewindToTime)
 		} else {
-			bc.SetHead(compat.RewindToBlock)
+			bc.SetHead(uint64(compat.RewindToBlock))
 		}
 		rawdb.WriteChainConfig(db, genesisHash, chainConfig)
 	}
diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index 956ea66a89..b20187ce6c 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, triedb *triedb.Database, g
 		return newcfg, stored, errors.New("missing head header")
 	}
 	compatErr := storedcfg.CheckCompatible(newcfg, head.Number.Uint64(), head.Time)
-	if compatErr != nil && ((head.Number.Uint64() != 0 && compatErr.RewindByBlock) || (head.Time != 0 && compatErr.RewindToTime != 0)) {
+	if compatErr != nil && ((head.Number.Uint64() != 0 && compatErr.IsRewindByBlock()) || (head.Time != 0 && compatErr.RewindToTime != 0)) {
 		return newcfg, stored, compatErr
 	}
 	// Don't overwrite if the old is identical to the new
diff --git a/core/genesis_test.go b/core/genesis_test.go
index 828a99f1f2..31401e214c 100644
--- a/core/genesis_test.go
+++ b/core/genesis_test.go
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ func testSetupGenesis(t *testing.T, scheme string) {
 				What:          "Homestead fork block",
 				StoredBlock:   big.NewInt(2),
 				NewBlock:      big.NewInt(3),
-				RewindByBlock: true,
 				RewindToBlock: 1,
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/params/config.go b/params/config.go
index 59060a0966..fbb7ce3952 100644
--- a/params/config.go
+++ b/params/config.go
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ func (c *ChainConfig) CheckCompatible(newcfg *ChainConfig, height uint64, time u
 		if err.RewindToTime > 0 {
 			btime = err.RewindToTime
 		} else {
-			bhead.SetUint64(err.RewindToBlock)
+			bhead.SetUint64(uint64(err.RewindToBlock))
 		}
 	}
 	return lasterr
@@ -841,10 +841,8 @@ type ConfigCompatError struct {
 	StoredTime, NewTime *uint64
 
 	// the block number to which the local chain must be rewound to correct the error
-	RewindToBlock uint64
-
-	// the flag to tell whether it's rewinding by block or time
-	RewindByBlock bool
+	// "-1" is used as a "not used" flag to denote it's rewinding by time instead
+	RewindToBlock int64
 
 	// the timestamp to which the local chain must be rewound to correct the error
 	RewindToTime uint64
@@ -865,10 +863,9 @@ func newBlockCompatError(what string, storedblock, newblock *big.Int) *ConfigCom
 		StoredBlock:   storedblock,
 		NewBlock:      newblock,
 		RewindToBlock: 0,
-		RewindByBlock: true,
 	}
 	if rew != nil && rew.Sign() > 0 {
-		err.RewindToBlock = rew.Uint64() - 1
+		err.RewindToBlock = int64(rew.Uint64() - 1)
 	}
 	return err
 }
@@ -884,10 +881,11 @@ func newTimestampCompatError(what string, storedtime, newtime *uint64) *ConfigCo
 		rew = newtime
 	}
 	err := &ConfigCompatError{
-		What:         what,
-		StoredTime:   storedtime,
-		NewTime:      newtime,
-		RewindToTime: 0,
+		What:          what,
+		StoredTime:    storedtime,
+		NewTime:       newtime,
+		RewindToBlock: -1,
+		RewindToTime:  0,
 	}
 	if rew != nil && *rew != 0 {
 		err.RewindToTime = *rew - 1
@@ -895,6 +893,10 @@ func newTimestampCompatError(what string, storedtime, newtime *uint64) *ConfigCo
 	return err
 }
 
+func (err *ConfigCompatError) IsRewindByBlock() bool {
+	return err.RewindToBlock != -1
+}
+
 func (err *ConfigCompatError) Error() string {
 	if err.StoredBlock != nil {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("mismatching %s in database (have block %d, want block %d, rewindto block %d)", err.What, err.StoredBlock, err.NewBlock, err.RewindToBlock)
diff --git a/params/config_test.go b/params/config_test.go
index 82f872bdfb..007f61b9a2 100644
--- a/params/config_test.go
+++ b/params/config_test.go
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ func TestCheckCompatible(t *testing.T) {
 				StoredBlock:   big.NewInt(0),
 				NewBlock:      nil,
 				RewindToBlock: 0,
-				RewindByBlock: true,
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -64,7 +63,6 @@ func TestCheckCompatible(t *testing.T) {
 				StoredBlock:   big.NewInt(0),
 				NewBlock:      big.NewInt(1),
 				RewindToBlock: 0,
-				RewindByBlock: true,
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -76,7 +74,6 @@ func TestCheckCompatible(t *testing.T) {
 				StoredBlock:   big.NewInt(10),
 				NewBlock:      big.NewInt(20),
 				RewindToBlock: 9,
-				RewindByBlock: true,
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -94,7 +91,6 @@ func TestCheckCompatible(t *testing.T) {
 				StoredBlock:   nil,
 				NewBlock:      big.NewInt(31),
 				RewindToBlock: 30,
-				RewindByBlock: true,
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -108,18 +104,19 @@ func TestCheckCompatible(t *testing.T) {
 			new:           &ChainConfig{ShanghaiTime: newUint64(20)},
 			headTimestamp: 25,
 			wantErr: &ConfigCompatError{
-				What:         "Shanghai fork timestamp",
-				StoredTime:   newUint64(10),
-				NewTime:      newUint64(20),
-				RewindToTime: 9,
+				What:          "Shanghai fork timestamp",
+				StoredTime:    newUint64(10),
+				NewTime:       newUint64(20),
+				RewindToTime:  9,
+				RewindToBlock: -1,
 			},
 		},
 	}
 
-	for _, test := range tests {
+	for i, test := range tests {
 		err := test.stored.CheckCompatible(test.new, test.headBlock, test.headTimestamp)
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, test.wantErr) {
-			t.Errorf("error mismatch:\nstored: %v\nnew: %v\nheadBlock: %v\nheadTimestamp: %v\nerr: %v\nwant: %v", test.stored, test.new, test.headBlock, test.headTimestamp, err, test.wantErr)
+			t.Errorf("error mismatch:\nstored: %v\nnew: %v\nheadBlock: %v\nheadTimestamp: %v\nerr: %v\nwant: %v\nindex:%d", test.stored, test.new, test.headBlock, test.headTimestamp, err, test.wantErr, i)
 		}
 	}
 }