diff --git a/client/src/client.rs b/client/src/client.rs
index 4cc7d45..1095dda 100644
--- a/client/src/client.rs
+++ b/client/src/client.rs
@@ -135,11 +135,17 @@ impl ClientBuilder {
         });
 
         let checkpoint = if let Some(checkpoint) = self.checkpoint {
-            checkpoint
+            Some(checkpoint)
         } else if let Some(config) = &self.config {
             config.checkpoint.clone()
         } else {
-            base_config.checkpoint
+            None
+        };
+
+        let default_checkpoint = if let Some(config) = &self.config {
+            config.default_checkpoint.clone()
+        } else {
+            base_config.default_checkpoint.clone()
         };
 
         #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
@@ -184,6 +190,7 @@ impl ClientBuilder {
             consensus_rpc,
             execution_rpc,
             checkpoint,
+            default_checkpoint,
             #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
             rpc_port,
             #[cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")]
@@ -216,8 +223,10 @@ pub struct Client<DB: Database> {
 impl<DB: Database> Client<DB> {
     fn new(mut config: Config) -> Result<Self> {
         let db = DB::new(&config)?;
-        let checkpoint = db.load_checkpoint()?;
-        config.checkpoint = checkpoint;
+        if config.checkpoint.is_none() {
+            let checkpoint = db.load_checkpoint()?;
+            config.checkpoint = Some(checkpoint);
+        }
 
         let config = Arc::new(config);
         let node = Node::new(config.clone())?;
@@ -250,7 +259,15 @@ impl<DB: Database> Client<DB> {
                     ConsensusError::CheckpointTooOld => {
                         warn!(
                             "failed to sync consensus node with checkpoint: 0x{}",
-                            hex::encode(&self.node.read().await.config.checkpoint),
+                            hex::encode(
+                                self.node
+                                    .read()
+                                    .await
+                                    .config
+                                    .checkpoint
+                                    .clone()
+                                    .unwrap_or_default()
+                            ),
                         );
 
                         let fallback = self.boot_from_fallback().await;
diff --git a/client/src/database.rs b/client/src/database.rs
index 43186c9..335ebc8 100644
--- a/client/src/database.rs
+++ b/client/src/database.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ impl Database for FileDB {
         if let Some(data_dir) = &config.data_dir {
             return Ok(FileDB {
                 data_dir: data_dir.to_path_buf(),
-                default_checkpoint: config.checkpoint.clone(),
+                default_checkpoint: config.default_checkpoint.clone(),
             });
         }
 
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ pub struct ConfigDB {
 impl Database for ConfigDB {
     fn new(config: &Config) -> Result<Self> {
         Ok(Self {
-            checkpoint: config.checkpoint.clone(),
+            checkpoint: config
+                .checkpoint
+                .clone()
+                .unwrap_or(config.default_checkpoint.clone()),
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/client/src/node.rs b/client/src/node.rs
index 5b1dd3b..93d6b41 100644
--- a/client/src/node.rs
+++ b/client/src/node.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub struct Node {
 impl Node {
     pub fn new(config: Arc<Config>) -> Result<Self, NodeError> {
         let consensus_rpc = &config.consensus_rpc;
-        let checkpoint_hash = &config.checkpoint;
+        let checkpoint_hash = &config.checkpoint.as_ref().unwrap();
         let execution_rpc = &config.execution_rpc;
 
         let consensus = ConsensusClient::new(consensus_rpc, checkpoint_hash, config.clone())
diff --git a/config/src/base.rs b/config/src/base.rs
index e89f08a..2ab2c32 100644
--- a/config/src/base.rs
+++ b/config/src/base.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ pub struct BaseConfig {
         deserialize_with = "bytes_deserialize",
         serialize_with = "bytes_serialize"
     )]
-    pub checkpoint: Vec<u8>,
+    pub default_checkpoint: Vec<u8>,
     pub chain: ChainConfig,
     pub forks: Forks,
     pub max_checkpoint_age: u64,
diff --git a/config/src/config.rs b/config/src/config.rs
index c19aee6..990cbf4 100644
--- a/config/src/config.rs
+++ b/config/src/config.rs
@@ -2,25 +2,25 @@ use figment::{
     providers::{Format, Serialized, Toml},
     Figment,
 };
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::{path::PathBuf, process::exit};
 
 use crate::base::BaseConfig;
 use crate::cli::CliConfig;
 use crate::networks;
 use crate::types::{ChainConfig, Forks};
-use crate::utils::{bytes_deserialize, bytes_serialize};
+use crate::utils::{bytes_deserialize, bytes_opt_deserialize};
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Default)]
+#[derive(Deserialize, Debug, Default)]
 pub struct Config {
     pub consensus_rpc: String,
     pub execution_rpc: String,
     pub rpc_port: Option<u16>,
-    #[serde(
-        deserialize_with = "bytes_deserialize",
-        serialize_with = "bytes_serialize"
-    )]
-    pub checkpoint: Vec<u8>,
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "bytes_deserialize")]
+    pub default_checkpoint: Vec<u8>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "bytes_opt_deserialize")]
+    pub checkpoint: Option<Vec<u8>>,
     pub data_dir: Option<PathBuf>,
     pub chain: ChainConfig,
     pub forks: Forks,
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ impl Config {
         BaseConfig {
             rpc_port: self.rpc_port.unwrap_or(8545),
             consensus_rpc: Some(self.consensus_rpc.clone()),
-            checkpoint: self.checkpoint.clone(),
+            default_checkpoint: self.default_checkpoint.clone(),
             chain: self.chain.clone(),
             forks: self.forks.clone(),
             max_checkpoint_age: self.max_checkpoint_age,
diff --git a/config/src/networks.rs b/config/src/networks.rs
index 72d8bde..ebe4f9e 100644
--- a/config/src/networks.rs
+++ b/config/src/networks.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ impl Network {
 
 pub fn mainnet() -> BaseConfig {
     BaseConfig {
-        checkpoint: hex_str_to_bytes(
+        default_checkpoint: hex_str_to_bytes(
             "0x766647f3c4e1fc91c0db9a9374032ae038778411fbff222974e11f2e3ce7dadf",
         )
         .unwrap(),
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ pub fn mainnet() -> BaseConfig {
 
 pub fn goerli() -> BaseConfig {
     BaseConfig {
-        checkpoint: hex_str_to_bytes(
+        default_checkpoint: hex_str_to_bytes(
             "0xd4344682866dbede543395ecf5adf9443a27f423a4b00f270458e7932686ced1",
         )
         .unwrap(),
diff --git a/config/src/utils.rs b/config/src/utils.rs
index 24e680f..b12773b 100644
--- a/config/src/utils.rs
+++ b/config/src/utils.rs
@@ -15,3 +15,15 @@ where
     let bytes_string = hex::encode(bytes);
     serializer.serialize_str(&bytes_string)
 }
+
+pub fn bytes_opt_deserialize<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>, D::Error>
+where
+    D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+    let bytes_opt: Option<String> = serde::Deserialize::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+    if let Some(bytes) = bytes_opt {
+        Ok(Some(hex_str_to_bytes(&bytes).unwrap()))
+    } else {
+        Ok(None)
+    }
+}