diff --git a/cmd/gaia/app/app.go b/cmd/gaia/app/app.go
index b89bcbfd48..25265a3611 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/app/app.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/app/app.go
@@ -325,8 +325,8 @@ func (app *GaiaApp) ExportAppStateAndValidators() (appState json.RawMessage, val
 }
 
 // load a particular height
-func (app *GaiaApp) LoadHeight(height int64) {
-	app.LoadVersion(height, app.keyMain)
+func (app *GaiaApp) LoadHeight(height int64) error {
+	return app.LoadVersion(height, app.keyMain)
 }
 
 //______________________________________________________________________________________________
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/cmd/gaiad/main.go b/cmd/gaia/cmd/gaiad/main.go
index 7a0fca31b2..d2385fe938 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/cmd/gaiad/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/cmd/gaiad/main.go
@@ -68,7 +68,10 @@ func exportAppStateAndTMValidators(
 ) (json.RawMessage, []tmtypes.GenesisValidator, error) {
 	gApp := app.NewGaiaApp(logger, db, traceStore)
 	if height != -1 {
-		gApp.LoadHeight(height)
+		err := gApp.LoadHeight(height)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 	return gApp.ExportAppStateAndValidators()
 }