diff --git a/itests/kit/ensemble.go b/itests/kit/ensemble.go
index daca6d2d4..2a4bc6706 100644
--- a/itests/kit/ensemble.go
+++ b/itests/kit/ensemble.go
@@ -787,7 +787,9 @@ func (n *Ensemble) Start() *Ensemble {
 		n.t.Cleanup(func() { _ = stop(context.Background()) })
 		mCopy := m
 		n.t.Cleanup(func() {
-			mCopy.BaseAPI.(*impl.StorageMinerAPI).HarmonyDB.ITestDeleteAll()
+			if mCopy.BaseAPI.(*impl.StorageMinerAPI).HarmonyDB != nil {
+				mCopy.BaseAPI.(*impl.StorageMinerAPI).HarmonyDB.ITestDeleteAll()
+			}
 		})
 
 		m.BaseAPI = m.StorageMiner
diff --git a/node/builder_miner.go b/node/builder_miner.go
index 99d5a201f..08c71ba19 100644
--- a/node/builder_miner.go
+++ b/node/builder_miner.go
@@ -104,9 +104,6 @@ func ConfigStorageMiner(c interface{}) Option {
 			If(cfg.Subsystems.EnableSectorStorage, Error(xerrors.Errorf("sealing can only be enabled on a mining node"))),
 		),
 
-		Override(new(*harmonydb.DB), func(cfg config.HarmonyDB, id harmonydb.ITestID) (*harmonydb.DB, error) {
-			return harmonydb.NewFromConfigWithITestID(cfg)(id)
-		}),
 		If(cfg.Subsystems.EnableMining,
 			If(!cfg.Subsystems.EnableSealing, Error(xerrors.Errorf("sealing can't be disabled on a mining node yet"))),
 			If(!cfg.Subsystems.EnableSectorStorage, Error(xerrors.Errorf("sealing can't be disabled on a mining node yet"))),
@@ -139,6 +136,11 @@ func ConfigStorageMiner(c interface{}) Option {
 			If(cfg.Subsystems.EnableSectorIndexDB,
 				Override(new(*paths.DBIndex), paths.NewDBIndex),
 				Override(new(paths.SectorIndex), From(new(*paths.DBIndex))),
+
+				// sector index db is the only thing on lotus-miner that will use harmonydb
+				Override(new(*harmonydb.DB), func(cfg config.HarmonyDB, id harmonydb.ITestID) (*harmonydb.DB, error) {
+					return harmonydb.NewFromConfigWithITestID(cfg)(id)
+				}),
 			),
 			If(!cfg.Subsystems.EnableSectorIndexDB,
 				Override(new(*paths.MemIndex), paths.NewMemIndex),
diff --git a/node/impl/storminer.go b/node/impl/storminer.go
index b675772cf..2ce42c327 100644
--- a/node/impl/storminer.go
+++ b/node/impl/storminer.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ type StorageMinerAPI struct {
 	GetExpectedSealDurationFunc                 dtypes.GetExpectedSealDurationFunc                 `optional:"true"`
 	SetExpectedSealDurationFunc                 dtypes.SetExpectedSealDurationFunc                 `optional:"true"`
 
-	HarmonyDB *harmonydb.DB
+	HarmonyDB *harmonydb.DB `optional:"true"`
 }
 
 var _ api.StorageMiner = &StorageMinerAPI{}