diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index db226c73d8..a9f19a3e70 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -1646,6 +1646,43 @@ func CheckExclusive(ctx *cli.Context, args ...interface{}) {
 	}
 }
 
+func validateDeveloperGenesis(genesis *core.Genesis) error {
+	checkHFIsZero := func(forkName string, hfBlockNumber *big.Int) error {
+		if hfBlockNumber == nil {
+			return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("%s: hard-fork not enabled", forkName))
+		} else if hfBlockNumber.Cmp(big.NewInt(0)) != 0 {
+			return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("%s: hard-fork not activated in block 0", forkName))
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	config := genesis.Config
+	if err := checkHFIsZero("Homestead", config.HomesteadBlock); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if config.DAOForkBlock != nil {
+		return errors.New("DAO hardfork cannot be enabled")
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("EIP150", config.EIP150Block); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("EIP155", config.EIP155Block); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("EIP158", config.EIP158Block); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("Byzantium", config.ByzantiumBlock); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("Constantinople", config.ConstantinopleBlock); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("Istanbul", config.IstanbulBlock); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("Berlin", config.BerlinBlock); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if err := checkHFIsZero("London", config.LondonBlock); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if config.TerminalTotalDifficultyPassed != true {
+		return errors.New("terminal total difficulty must be passed")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // SetEthConfig applies eth-related command line flags to the config.
 func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *ethconfig.Config) {
 	// Avoid conflicting network flags
@@ -1870,6 +1907,15 @@ func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *ethconfig.Config) {
 			chaindb := tryMakeReadOnlyDatabase(ctx, stack)
 			if rawdb.ReadCanonicalHash(chaindb, 0) != (common.Hash{}) {
 				cfg.Genesis = nil // fallback to db content
+
+				var genesis *core.Genesis
+				var err error
+				if genesis, err = core.ReadGenesis(chaindb); err != nil {
+					Fatalf("could not read genesis from database: %v", err)
+				}
+				if err = validateDeveloperGenesis(genesis); err != nil {
+					Fatalf("genesis configuration incompatible with development mode: %v", err)
+				}
 			}
 			chaindb.Close()
 		}
diff --git a/eth/catalyst/simulated_beacon.go b/eth/catalyst/simulated_beacon.go
index a9a2bb4a9a..d8b8641e6a 100644
--- a/eth/catalyst/simulated_beacon.go
+++ b/eth/catalyst/simulated_beacon.go
@@ -82,10 +82,6 @@ type SimulatedBeacon struct {
 }
 
 func NewSimulatedBeacon(period uint64, eth *eth.Ethereum) (*SimulatedBeacon, error) {
-	chainConfig := eth.APIBackend.ChainConfig()
-	if !chainConfig.IsDevMode {
-		return nil, errors.New("incompatible pre-existing chain configuration")
-	}
 	block := eth.BlockChain().CurrentBlock()
 	current := engine.ForkchoiceStateV1{
 		HeadBlockHash:      block.Hash(),
diff --git a/params/config.go b/params/config.go
index 88ff772a1d..517130f86a 100644
--- a/params/config.go
+++ b/params/config.go
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ var (
 		ShanghaiTime:                  newUint64(0),
 		TerminalTotalDifficulty:       big.NewInt(0),
 		TerminalTotalDifficultyPassed: true,
-		IsDevMode:                     true,
 	}
 
 	// AllCliqueProtocolChanges contains every protocol change (EIPs) introduced
@@ -331,7 +330,6 @@ type ChainConfig struct {
 	// Various consensus engines
 	Ethash    *EthashConfig `json:"ethash,omitempty"`
 	Clique    *CliqueConfig `json:"clique,omitempty"`
-	IsDevMode bool          `json:"isDev,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // EthashConfig is the consensus engine configs for proof-of-work based sealing.