diff --git a/client/asset/btc/btc.go b/client/asset/btc/btc.go
index 786a44972f..1d134c95ea 100644
--- a/client/asset/btc/btc.go
+++ b/client/asset/btc/btc.go
@@ -5822,6 +5822,9 @@ func (btc *intermediaryWallet) idUnknownTx(tx *ListTransactionsResult) (*asset.W
 // from the last point to which it had previously scanned to the current tip.
 func (btc *intermediaryWallet) addUnknownTransactionsToHistory(tip uint64) {
 	txHistoryDB := btc.txDB()
+	if txHistoryDB == nil {
+		return
+	}
 
 	const blockQueryBuffer = 3
 	var blockToQuery uint64