diff --git a/docs/protocol-methods.rst b/docs/protocol-methods.rst
index bbfda31..a37e19f 100644
--- a/docs/protocol-methods.rst
+++ b/docs/protocol-methods.rst
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Return the block header at the given height.
 
 **Example Result**
 
-With *cp_height* zero:
+With *height* 5 and *cp_height* 0 on the Bitcoin Cash chain:
 
 ::
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ With *cp_height* zero:
 
 .. _cp_height example:
 
-With *cp_height* 8 on the Bitcoin Cash chain::
+With *cp_height* 8::
 
   {
     "branch": [
diff --git a/electrumx/lib/merkle.py b/electrumx/lib/merkle.py
index d8e5971..439e0a7 100644
--- a/electrumx/lib/merkle.py
+++ b/electrumx/lib/merkle.py
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 from math import ceil, log
 
+from aiorpcx import Event
+
 from electrumx.lib.hash import double_sha256
 
 
@@ -168,6 +170,7 @@ class MerkleCache(object):
         self.source_func = source_func
         self.length = 0
         self.depth_higher = 0
+        self.initialized = Event()
 
     def _segment_length(self):
         return 1 << self.depth_higher
@@ -210,6 +213,7 @@ class MerkleCache(object):
         self.length = length
         self.depth_higher = self.merkle.tree_depth(length) // 2
         self.level = self._level(await self.source_func(0, length))
+        self.initialized.set()
 
     def truncate(self, length):
         '''Truncate the cache so it covers no more than length underlying
@@ -238,6 +242,7 @@ class MerkleCache(object):
             raise ValueError('length must be positive')
         if index >= length:
             raise ValueError('index must be less than length')
+        await self.initialized.wait()
         await self._extend_to(length)
         leaf_start = self._leaf_start(index)
         count = min(self._segment_length(), length - leaf_start)
diff --git a/electrumx/server/block_processor.py b/electrumx/server/block_processor.py
index 18b697a..b7d0f6f 100644
--- a/electrumx/server/block_processor.py
+++ b/electrumx/server/block_processor.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ from aiorpcx import TaskGroup, run_in_thread
 import electrumx
 from electrumx.server.daemon import DaemonError
 from electrumx.lib.hash import hash_to_hex_str, HASHX_LEN
-from electrumx.lib.merkle import Merkle, MerkleCache
 from electrumx.lib.util import chunks, formatted_time, class_logger
 import electrumx.server.db
 
@@ -166,10 +165,6 @@ class BlockProcessor(electrumx.server.db.DB):
         self.touched = set()
         self.reorg_count = 0
 
-        # Header merkle cache
-        self.merkle = Merkle()
-        self.header_mc = MerkleCache(self.merkle, self.fs_block_hashes)
-
         # Caches of unflushed items.
         self.headers = []
         self.tx_hashes = []
@@ -268,8 +263,6 @@ class BlockProcessor(electrumx.server.db.DB):
             await self.run_in_thread_with_lock(self.backup_blocks, raw_blocks)
             await self.backup_flush()
             last -= len(raw_blocks)
-        # Truncate header_mc: header count is 1 more than the height.
-        self.header_mc.truncate(self.height + 1)
         await self.prefetcher.reset_height(self.height)
 
     async def reorg_hashes(self, count):
@@ -429,9 +422,7 @@ class BlockProcessor(electrumx.server.db.DB):
         '''
         flush_start = time.time()
 
-        # Backup FS (just move the pointers back)
-        self.fs_height = self.height
-        self.fs_tx_count = self.tx_count
+        self.backup_fs(self.height, self.tx_count)
 
         # Backup history.  self.touched can include other addresses
         # which is harmless, but remove None.
@@ -776,10 +767,6 @@ class BlockProcessor(electrumx.server.db.DB):
         await self.notifications.on_block(set(), self.height)
         # Reopen for serving
         await self.open_for_serving()
-        # Populate the header merkle cache
-        length = max(1, self.height - self.env.reorg_limit)
-        await self.header_mc.initialize(length)
-        self.logger.info('populated header merkle cache')
 
     async def _first_open_dbs(self):
         await self.open_for_sync()
diff --git a/electrumx/server/chain_state.py b/electrumx/server/chain_state.py
index 18ee7d7..8e33830 100644
--- a/electrumx/server/chain_state.py
+++ b/electrumx/server/chain_state.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class ChainState(object):
         self.read_headers = self._bp.read_headers
         self.all_utxos = self._bp.all_utxos
         self.limited_history = self._bp.limited_history
+        self.header_branch_and_root = self._bp.header_branch_and_root
 
     async def broadcast_transaction(self, raw_tx):
         return await self._daemon.sendrawtransaction([raw_tx])
@@ -43,9 +44,6 @@ class ChainState(object):
             'db_height': self.db_height(),
         }
 
-    async def header_branch_and_root(self, length, height):
-        return self._bp.header_mc.branch_and_root(length, height)
-
     async def raw_header(self, height):
         '''Return the binary header at the given height.'''
         header, n = await self.read_headers(height, 1)
diff --git a/electrumx/server/controller.py b/electrumx/server/controller.py
index 6424d0e..a43ee95 100644
--- a/electrumx/server/controller.py
+++ b/electrumx/server/controller.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ class Controller(ServerBase):
             await group.spawn(session_mgr.serve(serve_externally_event))
             await group.spawn(bp.fetch_and_process_blocks(caught_up_event))
             await caught_up_event.wait()
+            await group.spawn(bp.populate_header_merkle_cache())
             await group.spawn(mempool.keep_synchronized(synchronized_event))
             await synchronized_event.wait()
             serve_externally_event.set()
diff --git a/electrumx/server/db.py b/electrumx/server/db.py
index a6177a3..b23f87c 100644
--- a/electrumx/server/db.py
+++ b/electrumx/server/db.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import array
 import ast
 import os
+import time
 from bisect import bisect_right
 from collections import namedtuple
 from glob import glob
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ from aiorpcx import run_in_thread
 
 import electrumx.lib.util as util
 from electrumx.lib.hash import hash_to_hex_str, HASHX_LEN
+from electrumx.lib.merkle import Merkle, MerkleCache
 from electrumx.server.storage import db_class
 from electrumx.server.history import History
 
@@ -63,6 +65,10 @@ class DB(object):
 
         self.logger.info(f'using {self.env.db_engine} for DB backend')
 
+        # Header merkle cache
+        self.merkle = Merkle()
+        self.header_mc = MerkleCache(self.merkle, self.fs_block_hashes)
+
         self.headers_file = util.LogicalFile('meta/headers', 2, 16000000)
         self.tx_counts_file = util.LogicalFile('meta/txcounts', 2, 2000000)
         self.hashes_file = util.LogicalFile('meta/hashes', 4, 16000000)
@@ -130,6 +136,19 @@ class DB(object):
             self.utxo_db = None
         await self._open_dbs(False)
 
+    # Header merkle cache
+
+    async def populate_header_merkle_cache(self):
+        self.logger.info('populating header merkle cache...')
+        length = max(1, self.height - self.env.reorg_limit)
+        start = time.time()
+        await self.header_mc.initialize(length)
+        elapsed = time.time() - start
+        self.logger.info(f'header merkle cache populated in {elapsed:.1f}s')
+
+    async def header_branch_and_root(self, length, height):
+        return await self.header_mc.branch_and_root(length, height)
+
     def fs_update_header_offsets(self, offset_start, height_start, headers):
         if self.coin.STATIC_BLOCK_HEADERS:
             return
@@ -152,6 +171,13 @@ class DB(object):
         return self.dynamic_header_offset(height + 1)\
                - self.dynamic_header_offset(height)
 
+    def backup_fs(self, height, tx_count):
+        '''Back up during a reorg.  This just updates our pointers.'''
+        self.fs_height = height
+        self.fs_tx_count = tx_count
+        # Truncate header_mc: header count is 1 more than the height.
+        self.header_mc.truncate(height + 1)
+
     def fs_update(self, fs_height, headers, block_tx_hashes):
         '''Write headers, the tx_count array and block tx hashes to disk.