diff --git a/lightningd/lightningd.c b/lightningd/lightningd.c
index 2fffa15ce..7f3a81731 100644
--- a/lightningd/lightningd.c
+++ b/lightningd/lightningd.c
@@ -720,9 +720,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/*~ Initialize the transaction filter with our pubkeys. */
 	init_txfilter(ld->wallet, ld->owned_txfilter);
 
-	/*~ Pull peers, channels and HTLCs from db. */
-	load_channels_from_wallet(ld);
-
 	/*~ Get the blockheight we are currently at, UINT32_MAX is used to signal
 	 * an uninitialized wallet and that we should start off of bitcoind's
 	 * current height */
@@ -747,6 +744,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	setup_topology(ld->topology, &ld->timers,
 		       min_blockheight, max_blockheight);
 
+	/*~ Pull peers, channels and HTLCs from db. Needs to happen after the
+	 *  topology is initialized since some decisions rely on being able to
+	 *  know the blockheight. */
+	db_begin_transaction(ld->wallet->db);
+	load_channels_from_wallet(ld);
+	db_commit_transaction(ld->wallet->db);
+
 	/*~ Now create the PID file: this errors out if there's already a
 	 * daemon running, so we call before trying to create an RPC socket. */
 	pid_fd = pidfile_create(ld);