diff --git a/blockchain/chain.go b/blockchain/chain.go
index b67c737a..40cf0434 100644
--- a/blockchain/chain.go
+++ b/blockchain/chain.go
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ type BlockChain struct {
 
 	// These fields are related to the memory block index.  They are
 	// protected by the chain lock.
-	root     *blockNode
 	bestNode *blockNode
 	index    map[wire.ShaHash]*blockNode
 	depNodes map[wire.ShaHash][]*blockNode
@@ -423,7 +422,6 @@ func (b *BlockChain) loadBlockNode(dbTx database.Tx, hash *wire.ShaHash) (*block
 		for _, childNode := range childNodes {
 			childNode.parent = node
 			node.children = append(node.children, childNode)
-			b.root = node
 		}
 
 	} else {
@@ -583,9 +581,6 @@ func (b *BlockChain) pruneBlockNodes() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Set the new root node.
-	b.root = newRootNode
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -1456,7 +1451,6 @@ func New(config *Config) (*BlockChain, error) {
 		notifications:       config.Notifications,
 		sigCache:            config.SigCache,
 		indexManager:        config.IndexManager,
-		root:                nil,
 		bestNode:            nil,
 		index:               make(map[wire.ShaHash]*blockNode),
 		depNodes:            make(map[wire.ShaHash][]*blockNode),
diff --git a/blockchain/chainio.go b/blockchain/chainio.go
index 9537f426..f8a83b3e 100644
--- a/blockchain/chainio.go
+++ b/blockchain/chainio.go
@@ -1047,14 +1047,12 @@ func dbPutBestState(dbTx database.Tx, snapshot *BestState, workSum *big.Int) err
 // genesis block.  This includes creating the necessary buckets and inserting
 // the genesis block, so it must only be called on an uninitialized database.
 func (b *BlockChain) createChainState() error {
-	// Create a new node from the genesis block and set it as both the root
-	// node and the best node.
+	// Create a new node from the genesis block and set it as the best node.
 	genesisBlock := btcutil.NewBlock(b.chainParams.GenesisBlock)
 	header := &genesisBlock.MsgBlock().Header
 	node := newBlockNode(header, genesisBlock.Sha(), 0)
 	node.inMainChain = true
 	b.bestNode = node
-	b.root = node
 
 	// Add the new node to the index which is used for faster lookups.
 	b.index[*node.hash] = node
@@ -1147,15 +1145,13 @@ func (b *BlockChain) initChainState() error {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		// Create a new node and set it as both the root node and the
-		// best node.  The preceding nodes will be loaded on demand as
-		// needed.
+		// Create a new node and set it as the best node.  The preceding
+		// nodes will be loaded on demand as needed.
 		header := &block.Header
 		node := newBlockNode(header, &state.hash, int32(state.height))
 		node.inMainChain = true
 		node.workSum = state.workSum
 		b.bestNode = node
-		b.root = node
 
 		// Add the new node to the indices for faster lookups.
 		prevHash := node.parentHash