diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/FullPrunedBlockStore.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/FullPrunedBlockStore.java
index a60a2e34..c613b6af 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/FullPrunedBlockStore.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/FullPrunedBlockStore.java
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ public interface FullPrunedBlockStore extends BlockStore {
     
     /**
      * Removes a {@link StoredTransactionOutput} from the list of unspent TransactionOutputs
+     * Note that the coinbase of the genesis block should NEVER be spendable and thus never in the list.
      * @throws BlockStoreException if there is an underlying storage issue, or out was not in the list.
      */
     void removeUnspentTransactionOutput(StoredTransactionOutput out) throws BlockStoreException;
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/H2FullPrunedBlockStore.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/H2FullPrunedBlockStore.java
index 79a8ef80..21396bfa 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/H2FullPrunedBlockStore.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/H2FullPrunedBlockStore.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package com.google.bitcoin.store;
 
 import com.google.bitcoin.core.*;
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -196,12 +197,10 @@ public class H2FullPrunedBlockStore implements FullPrunedBlockStore {
             // Set up the genesis block. When we start out fresh, it is by
             // definition the top of the chain.
             StoredBlock storedGenesisHeader = new StoredBlock(params.genesisBlock.cloneAsHeader(), params.genesisBlock.getWork(), 0);
-
-            LinkedList<StoredTransaction> genesisTransactions = new LinkedList<StoredTransaction>();
-            for (Transaction tx : params.genesisBlock.getTransactions())
-                genesisTransactions.add(new StoredTransaction(tx, 0));
+            // The coinbase in the genesis block is not spendable. This is because of how the reference client inits
+            // its database - the genesis transaction isn't actually in the db so its spent flags can never be updated.
+            List<StoredTransaction> genesisTransactions = Lists.newLinkedList();
             StoredUndoableBlock storedGenesis = new StoredUndoableBlock(params.genesisBlock.getHash(), genesisTransactions);
-            
             put(storedGenesisHeader, storedGenesis);
             setChainHead(storedGenesisHeader);
         } catch (VerificationException e) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/MemoryFullPrunedBlockStore.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/MemoryFullPrunedBlockStore.java
index e3a3165c..c2d1014b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/MemoryFullPrunedBlockStore.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/store/MemoryFullPrunedBlockStore.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package com.google.bitcoin.store;
 import com.google.bitcoin.core.*;
 import com.google.common.base.Objects;
 import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.*;
@@ -238,12 +239,9 @@ public class MemoryFullPrunedBlockStore implements FullPrunedBlockStore {
         // Insert the genesis block.
         try {
             StoredBlock storedGenesisHeader = new StoredBlock(params.genesisBlock.cloneAsHeader(), params.genesisBlock.getWork(), 0);
-
-            LinkedList<StoredTransaction> genesisTransactions = new LinkedList<StoredTransaction>();
-            for (Transaction tx : params.genesisBlock.getTransactions())
-                genesisTransactions.add(new StoredTransaction(tx, 0));
+            // The coinbase in the genesis block is not spendable
+            List<StoredTransaction> genesisTransactions = Lists.newLinkedList();
             StoredUndoableBlock storedGenesis = new StoredUndoableBlock(params.genesisBlock.getHash(), genesisTransactions);
-            
             put(storedGenesisHeader, storedGenesis);
             setChainHead(storedGenesisHeader);
         } catch (BlockStoreException e) {