diff --git a/src/checkpoints.cpp b/src/checkpoints.cpp
index 9e8e0f702..7643ec5df 100644
--- a/src/checkpoints.cpp
+++ b/src/checkpoints.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ namespace Checkpoints
         double fTransactionsPerDay;
     };
 
+    bool fEnabled = true;
+
     // What makes a good checkpoint block?
     // + Is surrounded by blocks with reasonable timestamps
     //   (no blocks before with a timestamp after, none after with
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ namespace Checkpoints
 
     bool CheckBlock(int nHeight, const uint256& hash)
     {
-        if (!GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", true))
+        if (!fEnabled)
             return true;
 
         const MapCheckpoints& checkpoints = *Checkpoints().mapCheckpoints;
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ namespace Checkpoints
 
     int GetTotalBlocksEstimate()
     {
-        if (!GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", true))
+        if (!fEnabled)
             return 0;
 
         const MapCheckpoints& checkpoints = *Checkpoints().mapCheckpoints;
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ namespace Checkpoints
 
     CBlockIndex* GetLastCheckpoint(const std::map<uint256, CBlockIndex*>& mapBlockIndex)
     {
-        if (!GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", true))
+        if (!fEnabled)
             return NULL;
 
         const MapCheckpoints& checkpoints = *Checkpoints().mapCheckpoints;
diff --git a/src/checkpoints.h b/src/checkpoints.h
index 3d5688555..a49a908a3 100644
--- a/src/checkpoints.h
+++ b/src/checkpoints.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ namespace Checkpoints
     CBlockIndex* GetLastCheckpoint(const std::map<uint256, CBlockIndex*>& mapBlockIndex);
 
     double GuessVerificationProgress(CBlockIndex *pindex);
+
+    extern bool fEnabled;
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index ebd9dee7b..6dafcc4af 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "init.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "ui_interface.h"
+#include "checkpoints.h"
 
 #include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem/fstream.hpp>
@@ -493,6 +494,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
     // ********************************************************* Step 2: parameter interactions
 
     fTestNet = GetBoolArg("-testnet");
+    Checkpoints::fEnabled = GetBoolArg("-checkpoints", true);
 
     if (mapArgs.count("-bind")) {
         // when specifying an explicit binding address, you want to listen on it