diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index acd7b5c230..44e11dbf06 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -576,8 +576,8 @@ 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, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash); ok {
+				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 7626e9e30d..4894523b0e 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_reader.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_reader.go
@@ -91,7 +91,10 @@ 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, ok := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash); ok {
+		return &num
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // GetHeadersFrom returns a contiguous segment of headers, in rlp-form, going
@@ -107,11 +110,11 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBody(hash common.Hash) *types.Body {
 	if cached, ok := bc.bodyCache.Get(hash); ok {
 		return cached
 	}
-	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	number, ok := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
+	if !ok {
 		return nil
 	}
-	body := rawdb.ReadBody(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	body := rawdb.ReadBody(bc.db, hash, number)
 	if body == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -127,11 +130,11 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBodyRLP(hash common.Hash) rlp.RawValue {
 	if cached, ok := bc.bodyRLPCache.Get(hash); ok {
 		return cached
 	}
-	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	number, ok := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
+	if !ok {
 		return nil
 	}
-	body := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(bc.db, hash, *number)
+	body := rawdb.ReadBodyRLP(bc.db, hash, number)
 	if len(body) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -180,11 +183,11 @@ 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 {
+	number, ok := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
+	if !ok {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return bc.GetBlock(hash, *number)
+	return bc.GetBlock(hash, number)
 }
 
 // GetBlockByNumber retrieves a block from the database by number, caching it
@@ -200,18 +203,18 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlockByNumber(number uint64) *types.Block {
 // GetBlocksFromHash returns the block corresponding to hash and up to n-1 ancestors.
 // [deprecated by eth/62]
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlocksFromHash(hash common.Hash, n int) (blocks []*types.Block) {
-	number := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	number, ok := bc.hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
+	if !ok {
 		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
 }
@@ -259,15 +262,15 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetReceiptsByHash(hash common.Hash) types.Receipts {
 	if receipts, ok := bc.receiptsCache.Get(hash); ok {
 		return receipts
 	}
-	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(bc.db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	number, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(bc.db, hash)
+	if !ok {
 		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
 	}
@@ -286,11 +289,11 @@ 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 {
+	number, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(bc.db, hash)
+	if !ok {
 		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 5e768fccdf..b749798f9c 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -782,13 +782,13 @@ 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, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(fastDb, hash); !ok || 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, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(ancientDb, hash); !ok || 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, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(archiveDb, hash); !ok || 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..a33222e9fd 100644
--- a/core/headerchain.go
+++ b/core/headerchain.go
@@ -97,15 +97,15 @@ 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, bool) {
 	if cached, ok := hc.numberCache.Get(hash); ok {
-		return &cached
+		return cached, true
 	}
-	number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(hc.chainDb, hash)
-	if number != nil {
-		hc.numberCache.Add(hash, *number)
+	number, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(hc.chainDb, hash)
+	if ok {
+		hc.numberCache.Add(hash, number)
 	}
-	return number
+	return number, ok
 }
 
 type headerWriteResult struct {
@@ -402,11 +402,11 @@ func (hc *HeaderChain) GetHeader(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Header
 // GetHeaderByHash retrieves a block header from the database by hash, caching it if
 // found.
 func (hc *HeaderChain) GetHeaderByHash(hash common.Hash) *types.Header {
-	number := hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	number, ok := hc.GetBlockNumber(hash)
+	if !ok {
 		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 4426c6a9e7..0782a0e7da 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
@@ -143,13 +143,13 @@ func ReadAllCanonicalHashes(db ethdb.Iteratee, from uint64, to uint64, limit int
 }
 
 // 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, bool) {
 	data, _ := db.Get(headerNumberKey(hash))
 	if len(data) != 8 {
-		return nil
+		return 0, false
 	}
 	number := binary.BigEndian.Uint64(data)
-	return &number
+	return number, true
 }
 
 // WriteHeaderNumber stores the hash->number mapping.
@@ -935,11 +935,11 @@ func ReadHeadHeader(db ethdb.Reader) *types.Header {
 	if headHeaderHash == (common.Hash{}) {
 		return nil
 	}
-	headHeaderNumber := ReadHeaderNumber(db, headHeaderHash)
-	if headHeaderNumber == nil {
+	headHeaderNumber, ok := ReadHeaderNumber(db, headHeaderHash)
+	if !ok {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return ReadHeader(db, headHeaderHash, *headHeaderNumber)
+	return ReadHeader(db, headHeaderHash, headHeaderNumber)
 }
 
 // ReadHeadBlock returns the current canonical head block.
@@ -948,9 +948,9 @@ func ReadHeadBlock(db ethdb.Reader) *types.Block {
 	if headBlockHash == (common.Hash{}) {
 		return nil
 	}
-	headBlockNumber := ReadHeaderNumber(db, headBlockHash)
-	if headBlockNumber == nil {
+	headBlockNumber, ok := ReadHeaderNumber(db, headBlockHash)
+	if !ok {
 		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 f71bbb500b..a725f144d4 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/accessors_indexes.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/accessors_indexes.go
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ 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, ok := ReadHeaderNumber(db, common.BytesToHash(data))
+		if !ok {
+			return nil
+		}
+		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 3a5218c023..4834354b22 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/chain_freezer.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/chain_freezer.go
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ func (f *chainFreezer) readHeadNumber(db ethdb.KeyValueReader) uint64 {
 		log.Error("Head block is not reachable")
 		return 0
 	}
-	number := ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	number, ok := ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash)
+	if !ok {
 		log.Error("Number of head block is missing")
 		return 0
 	}
-	return *number
+	return number
 }
 
 // readFinalizedNumber returns the number of finalized block. 0 is returned
@@ -122,12 +122,12 @@ func (f *chainFreezer) readFinalizedNumber(db ethdb.KeyValueReader) uint64 {
 	if hash == (common.Hash{}) {
 		return 0
 	}
-	number := ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash)
-	if number == nil {
+	number, ok := ReadHeaderNumber(db, hash)
+	if !ok {
 		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 9681c39c58..2ebdf360b5 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/database.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/database.go
@@ -268,7 +268,12 @@ func Open(db ethdb.KeyValueStore, opts OpenOptions) (ethdb.Database, error) {
 			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 {
+				head, ok := ReadHeaderNumber(db, ReadHeadHeaderHash(db))
+				if !ok {
+					printChainMetadata(db)
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not read header number, hash %v", ReadHeadHeaderHash(db))
+				}
+				if 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..b2a94a6ead 100644
--- a/core/txindexer.go
+++ b/core/txindexer.go
@@ -217,11 +217,11 @@ func (indexer *txIndexer) resolveHead() uint64 {
 	if headBlockHash == (common.Hash{}) {
 		return 0
 	}
-	headBlockNumber := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(indexer.db, headBlockHash)
-	if headBlockNumber == nil {
+	headBlockNumber, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(indexer.db, headBlockHash)
+	if !ok {
 		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 10f82364b5..3e686ca2eb 100644
--- a/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
+++ b/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
@@ -92,18 +92,18 @@ func (b *testBackend) HeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, blockNr rpc.BlockNumbe
 	switch blockNr {
 	case rpc.LatestBlockNumber:
 		hash = rawdb.ReadHeadBlockHash(b.db)
-		number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
-		if number == nil {
+		number, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
+		if !ok {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
-		num = *number
+		num = number
 	case rpc.FinalizedBlockNumber:
 		hash = rawdb.ReadFinalizedBlockHash(b.db)
-		number := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
-		if number == nil {
+		number, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
+		if !ok {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
-		num = *number
+		num = number
 	case rpc.SafeBlockNumber:
 		return nil, errors.New("safe block not found")
 	default:
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@ 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 {
+	number, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash)
+	if !ok {
 		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, ok := rawdb.ReadHeaderNumber(b.db, hash); ok {
+		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