diff --git a/cmd/geth/config.go b/cmd/geth/config.go
index 980c7011b01c..6d2bb2bcb622 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/config.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/config.go
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ func makeFullNode(ctx *cli.Context) (*node.Node, ethapi.Backend) {
 	}
 	backend, eth := utils.RegisterEthService(stack, &cfg.Eth)
 	// Warn users to migrate if they have a legacy freezer format.
-	if eth != nil {
+	if eth != nil && !ctx.GlobalIsSet(utils.IgnoreLegacyReceiptsFlag.Name) {
 		firstIdx := uint64(0)
 		// Hack to speed up check for mainnet because we know
 		// the first non-empty block.
@@ -174,10 +174,10 @@ func makeFullNode(ctx *cli.Context) (*node.Node, ethapi.Backend) {
 		}
 		isLegacy, _, err := dbHasLegacyReceipts(eth.ChainDb(), firstIdx)
 		if err != nil {
-			utils.Fatalf("Failed to check db for legacy receipts: %v", err)
-		}
-		if isLegacy {
-			log.Warn("Database has receipts with a legacy format. Please run `geth db freezer-migrate`.")
+			log.Error("Failed to check db for legacy receipts", "err", err)
+		} else if isLegacy {
+			stack.Close()
+			utils.Fatalf("Database has receipts with a legacy format. Please run `geth db freezer-migrate`.")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index 493d7265b518..fd6a6fe091aa 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ var (
 		utils.GpoMaxGasPriceFlag,
 		utils.GpoIgnoreGasPriceFlag,
 		utils.MinerNotifyFullFlag,
+		utils.IgnoreLegacyReceiptsFlag,
 		configFileFlag,
 	}, utils.NetworkFlags, utils.DatabasePathFlags)
 
diff --git a/cmd/geth/usage.go b/cmd/geth/usage.go
index f01321afc98b..ee830f0c4471 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/usage.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/usage.go
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ var AppHelpFlagGroups = []flags.FlagGroup{
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
 			utils.SnapshotFlag,
 			utils.BloomFilterSizeFlag,
+			utils.IgnoreLegacyReceiptsFlag,
 			cli.HelpFlag,
 		},
 	},
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index ce854fd4fd70..671de9a8d8d3 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -579,6 +579,10 @@ var (
 		Name:  "nocompaction",
 		Usage: "Disables db compaction after import",
 	}
+	IgnoreLegacyReceiptsFlag = cli.BoolFlag{
+		Name:  "ignore-legacy-receipts",
+		Usage: "Geth will start up even if there are legacy receipts in freezer",
+	}
 	// RPC settings
 	IPCDisabledFlag = cli.BoolFlag{
 		Name:  "ipcdisable",