diff --git a/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoinRPCException.java b/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoinRPCException.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..58348991
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoinRPCException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package com.sparrowwallet.sparrow.net.cormorant.bitcoind;
+
+public class BitcoinRPCException extends RuntimeException {
+    public BitcoinRPCException(String message) {
+        super(message);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClient.java b/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClient.java
index caede21d..fd5882bb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClient.java
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ public class BitcoindClient {
 
     private static final long PRUNED_RESCAN_TIMEGAP_MILLIS = 7200*1000;
 
+    //Error codes from https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/src/rpc/protocol.h
+    public static final int RPC_METHOD_NOT_FOUND = -32601;
+    public static final int RPC_WALLET_NOT_FOUND = -18;
+
+    public static final String WALLET_ALREADY_LOADING_MESSAGE = "Wallet already loading.";
+
     private final JsonRpcClient jsonRpcClient;
     private final Timer timer = new Timer(true);
     private final Store store = new Store();
@@ -140,21 +146,27 @@ public class BitcoindClient {
             tip = blockHeader.getBlockHeader();
         }
 
-        ListWalletDirResult listWalletDirResult = getBitcoindService().listWalletDir();
-        if(listWalletDirResult == null) {
-            throw new RuntimeException("Wallet support must be enabled in Bitcoin Core");
+        List<String> loadedWallets;
+        try {
+            loadedWallets = getBitcoindService().listWallets();
+            legacyWalletExists = loadedWallets.contains(Bwt.DEFAULT_CORE_WALLET);
+        } catch(JsonRpcException e) {
+            if(e.getErrorMessage().getCode() == RPC_METHOD_NOT_FOUND) {
+                throw new BitcoinRPCException("Wallet support must be enabled in Bitcoin Core");
+            } else {
+                throw e;
+            }
         }
-        boolean exists = listWalletDirResult.wallets().stream().anyMatch(walletDirResult -> walletDirResult.name().equals(CORE_WALLET_NAME));
-        legacyWalletExists = listWalletDirResult.wallets().stream().anyMatch(walletDirResult -> walletDirResult.name().equals(Bwt.DEFAULT_CORE_WALLET));
 
-        List<String> loadedWallets = getBitcoindService().listWallets();
-        boolean loaded = loadedWallets.contains(CORE_WALLET_NAME);
-
-        if(!exists && !loaded) {
-            getBitcoindService().createWallet(CORE_WALLET_NAME, true, true, "", true, true, true, false);
-        } else {
-            if(!loaded) {
+        if(!loadedWallets.contains(CORE_WALLET_NAME)) {
+            try {
                 getBitcoindService().loadWallet(CORE_WALLET_NAME, true);
+            } catch(JsonRpcException e) {
+                if(e.getErrorMessage().getCode() == RPC_WALLET_NOT_FOUND) {
+                    getBitcoindService().createWallet(CORE_WALLET_NAME, true, true, "", true, true, true, false);
+                } else if(!WALLET_ALREADY_LOADING_MESSAGE.equals(e.getErrorMessage().getMessage())) {
+                    throw e;
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -186,12 +198,24 @@ public class BitcoindClient {
                     .sorted(Comparator.comparingLong(o -> o.getBirthDate().getTime())).collect(Collectors.toList());
             if(!prePruneWallets.isEmpty()) {
                 pruneWarnedDescriptors.add(e.getDescriptor());
-                Platform.runLater(() -> EventManager.get().post(new CormorantPruneStatusEvent("Error: Wallet birthday earlier than Bitcoin Core prune date", prePruneWallets.get(0), e.getRescanSince(), e.getPrunedDate(), legacyWalletExists)));
+                if(!legacyWalletExists) {
+                    legacyWalletExists = checkLegacyWalletExists();
+                }
+                Platform.runLater(() -> EventManager.get().post(new CormorantPruneStatusEvent("Error: Wallet birthday earlier than Bitcoin Core prune date", prePruneWallets.getFirst(), e.getRescanSince(), e.getPrunedDate(), legacyWalletExists)));
             }
             throw new ImportFailedException("Wallet birthday earlier than prune date");
         }
     }
 
+    private boolean checkLegacyWalletExists() {
+        try {
+            getBitcoindService().loadWallet(Bwt.DEFAULT_CORE_WALLET);
+            return true;
+        } catch(Exception e) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     public void importWallet(Wallet wallet) throws ImportFailedException {
         //To avoid unnecessary rescans, get all related wallets
         importWallets(wallet.isMasterWallet() ? wallet.getAllWallets() : wallet.getMasterWallet().getAllWallets());
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClientService.java b/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClientService.java
index a4739103..008d3c14 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClientService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/sparrowwallet/sparrow/net/cormorant/bitcoind/BitcoindClientService.java
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ public interface BitcoindClientService {
                                         @JsonRpcParam("passphrase") String passphrase, @JsonRpcParam("avoid_reuse") boolean avoidReuse, @JsonRpcParam("descriptors") boolean descriptors,
                                         @JsonRpcParam("load_on_startup") boolean loadOnStartup, @JsonRpcParam("external_signer") boolean externalSigner);
 
+    @JsonRpcMethod("loadwallet")
+    CreateLoadWalletResult loadWallet(@JsonRpcParam("filename") String name);
+
     @JsonRpcMethod("loadwallet")
     CreateLoadWalletResult loadWallet(@JsonRpcParam("filename") String name, @JsonRpcParam("load_on_startup") boolean loadOnStartup);