diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index ba014d3adf..9a8d863a71 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -567,11 +567,6 @@ func (c *Core) Snapshots() *snapshot.Tree {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// this needs to be implemented, it is being used by a lot of modules
-func (c *Core) SetHead(number uint64) error {
-	return nil
-}
-
 func (c *Core) TxLookupLimit() uint64 {
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 383b5bca04..62651aef32 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -78,11 +78,6 @@ func (b *QuaiAPIBackend) CalcOrder(header *types.Header) (*big.Int, int, error)
 	return b.eth.core.CalcOrder(header)
 }
 
-func (b *QuaiAPIBackend) SetHead(number uint64) {
-	b.eth.handler.downloader.Cancel()
-	b.eth.core.SetHead(number)
-}
-
 func (b *QuaiAPIBackend) HeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumber) (*types.Header, error) {
 	// Pending block is only known by the miner
 	if number == rpc.PendingBlockNumber {
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index 6e917ed410..2c7b3d1b41 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ func New(stack *node.Node, config *ethconfig.Config) (*Quai, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	chainConfig, genesisHash, genesisErr := core.SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(chainDb, config.Genesis)
-	if _, ok := genesisErr.(*params.ConfigCompatError); genesisErr != nil && !ok {
+	chainConfig, _, genesisErr := core.SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(chainDb, config.Genesis)
+	if genesisErr != nil {
 		return nil, genesisErr
 	}
 
@@ -181,13 +181,6 @@ func New(stack *node.Node, config *ethconfig.Config) (*Quai, error) {
 		}
 	)
 
-	// Rewind the chain in case of an incompatible config upgrade.
-	if compat, ok := genesisErr.(*params.ConfigCompatError); ok {
-		log.Warn("Rewinding chain to upgrade configuration", "err", compat)
-		eth.core.SetHead(compat.RewindTo)
-		rawdb.WriteChainConfig(chainDb, genesisHash, chainConfig)
-	}
-
 	if config.TxPool.Journal != "" {
 		config.TxPool.Journal = stack.ResolvePath(config.TxPool.Journal)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/quaiapi/api.go b/internal/quaiapi/api.go
index 5d1ae8ea59..a51710decc 100644
--- a/internal/quaiapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/quaiapi/api.go
@@ -1518,11 +1518,6 @@ func (api *PrivateDebugAPI) ChaindbCompact() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// SetHead rewinds the head of the blockchain to a previous block.
-func (api *PrivateDebugAPI) SetHead(number hexutil.Uint64) {
-	api.b.SetHead(uint64(number))
-}
-
 // PublicNetAPI offers network related RPC methods
 type PublicNetAPI struct {
 	net            *p2p.Server
diff --git a/internal/quaiapi/backend.go b/internal/quaiapi/backend.go
index 2f3ca75316..914aa57661 100644
--- a/internal/quaiapi/backend.go
+++ b/internal/quaiapi/backend.go
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ type Backend interface {
 	RPCTxFeeCap() float64 // global tx fee cap for all transaction related APIs
 
 	// Blockchain API
-	SetHead(number uint64)
 	HeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumber) (*types.Header, error)
 	HeaderByHash(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (*types.Header, error)
 	HeaderByNumberOrHash(ctx context.Context, blockNrOrHash rpc.BlockNumberOrHash) (*types.Header, error)