diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index b789356dce7a..bd79bc64882d 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -360,7 +360,6 @@ func geth(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 // miner.
 func startNode(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node) {
 	debug.Memsize.Add("node", stack)
-
 	// Start up the node itself
 	utils.StartNode(stack)
 
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index e4f98360dbee..95dbebe873b6 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/abi/bind"
@@ -231,6 +232,15 @@ func New(ctx *node.ServiceContext, config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// Check for invalid shutdown
+	invalidShutdown, _ := chainDb.Get([]byte("unsafe-shutdown"))
+	if invalidShutdown != nil {
+		log.Error("unsafe shutdown detected", "time", string(invalidShutdown))
+	}
+	// Create an invalid shutdown in database in case the app crashed
+	if err = chainDb.Put([]byte("unsafe-shutdown"), []byte(time.Now().String())); err != nil {
+		log.Warn("Failed to record possible future unsafe shutdown", "err", err)
+	}
 	return eth, nil
 }
 
@@ -567,6 +577,9 @@ func (s *Ethereum) Stop() error {
 		s.lesServer.Stop()
 	}
 
+	if err := s.chainDb.Delete([]byte("unsafe-shutdown")); err != nil {
+		log.Error("err", err)
+	}
 	// Then stop everything else.
 	s.bloomIndexer.Close()
 	close(s.closeBloomHandler)
diff --git a/les/client.go b/les/client.go
index 34a654e22d1e..14fec7597e1e 100644
--- a/les/client.go
+++ b/les/client.go
@@ -168,6 +168,16 @@ func New(ctx *node.ServiceContext, config *eth.Config) (*LightEthereum, error) {
 		log.Warn("Ultra light client is enabled", "trustedNodes", len(leth.handler.ulc.keys), "minTrustedFraction", leth.handler.ulc.fraction)
 		leth.blockchain.DisableCheckFreq()
 	}
+
+	// Check for invalid shutdown
+	invalidShutdown, _ := chainDb.Get([]byte("unsafe-shutdown"))
+	if invalidShutdown != nil {
+		log.Error("unsafe shutdown detected", "time", string(invalidShutdown))
+	}
+	// Create an invalid shutdown in database in case the app crashed
+	if err = chainDb.Put([]byte("unsafe-shutdown"), []byte(time.Now().String())); err != nil {
+		log.Warn("Failed to record possible future unsafe shutdown", "err", err)
+	}
 	return leth, nil
 }
 
@@ -303,6 +313,11 @@ func (s *LightEthereum) Stop() error {
 	s.txPool.Stop()
 	s.engine.Close()
 	s.eventMux.Stop()
+	// Delete the unsafe shutdown from DB if shutting down safely
+	if err := s.chainDb.Delete([]byte("unsafe-shutdown")); err != nil {
+		log.Error("err", err)
+	}
+
 	s.chainDb.Close()
 	s.wg.Wait()
 	log.Info("Light ethereum stopped")