diff --git a/packages/client/bin/cli.ts b/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
index 348a79f79f..c8c6299915 100755
--- a/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import * as readline from 'readline'
 
 import { EthereumClient } from '../lib/client'
 import { Config, DataDirectory, SyncMode } from '../lib/config'
+import { LevelDB } from '../lib/execution/level'
 import { getLogger } from '../lib/logging'
 import { Event } from '../lib/types'
 import { parseMultiaddrs } from '../lib/util'
@@ -424,7 +425,7 @@ async function startClient(config: Config, customGenesisState?: GenesisState) {
   if (customGenesisState !== undefined) {
     const validateConsensus = config.chainCommon.consensusAlgorithm() === ConsensusAlgorithm.Clique
     blockchain = await Blockchain.create({
-      db: dbs.chainDB as any,
+      db: new LevelDB(dbs.chainDB),
       genesisState: customGenesisState,
       common: config.chainCommon,
       hardforkByHeadBlockNumber: true,
diff --git a/packages/client/lib/blockchain/chain.ts b/packages/client/lib/blockchain/chain.ts
index 08d1362cf6..6260441e9a 100644
--- a/packages/client/lib/blockchain/chain.ts
+++ b/packages/client/lib/blockchain/chain.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { Blockchain } from '@ethereumjs/blockchain'
 import { ConsensusAlgorithm, Hardfork } from '@ethereumjs/common'
 import { equalsBytes } from 'ethereum-cryptography/utils'
 
+import { LevelDB } from '../execution/level'
 import { Event } from '../types'
 
 import type { Config } from '../config'
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ export class Chain {
     options.blockchain =
       options.blockchain ??
       new (Blockchain as any)({
-        db: options.chainDB,
+        db: new LevelDB(options.chainDB),
         common: options.config.chainCommon,
         hardforkByHeadBlockNumber: true,
         validateBlocks: true,
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ export class Chain {
    */
   async open(): Promise<boolean | void> {
     if (this.opened) return false
-    await (this.blockchain.db as any)?.open()
+    await this.blockchain.db.open()
     await (this.blockchain as any)._init()
     this.opened = true
     await this.update(false)