diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 3e8a7cf520e..b5de3c74adc 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -5169,16 +5169,15 @@ void ChainstateManager::LoadExternalBlockFile(
                 }
 
                 // Activate the genesis block so normal node progress can continue
-                if (hash == params.GetConsensus().hashGenesisBlock) {
-                    bool genesis_activation_failure = false;
-                    for (auto c : GetAll()) {
-                        BlockValidationState state;
-                        if (!c->ActivateBestChain(state, nullptr)) {
-                            genesis_activation_failure = true;
-                            break;
-                        }
-                    }
-                    if (genesis_activation_failure) {
+                // During first -reindex, this will only connect Genesis since
+                // ActivateBestChain only connects blocks which are in the block tree db,
+                // which only contains blocks whose parents are in it.
+                // But do this only if genesis isn't activated yet, to avoid connecting many blocks
+                // without assumevalid in the case of a continuation of a reindex that
+                // was interrupted by the user.
+                if (hash == params.GetConsensus().hashGenesisBlock && WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, return ActiveHeight()) == -1) {
+                    BlockValidationState state;
+                    if (!ActiveChainstate().ActivateBestChain(state, nullptr)) {
                         break;
                     }
                 }