diff --git a/cmd/geth/config.go b/cmd/geth/config.go
index bb003c4c1ae43..6d2bb2bcb6226 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.
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ func makeFullNode(ctx *cli.Context) (*node.Node, ethapi.Backend) {
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error("Failed to check db for legacy receipts", "err", err)
 		} else if isLegacy {
-			log.Warn("Database has receipts with a legacy format. Please run `geth db freezer-migrate`.")
+			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 ea8a5187804f8..1e2770ae808e8 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ 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 731992ff7c219..56a3d053d6408 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/usage.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/usage.go
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ 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 4ce16ef90031f..0b28cd09f1418 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -566,6 +566,10 @@ 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",