diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index a6bb2c2d2..5663963e3 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ var (
 		ArgsUsage: "<genesisPath>",
 		Flags: flags.Merge([]cli.Flag{
 			utils.CachePreimagesFlag,
+			utils.OverrideCancun,
+			utils.OverrideVerkle,
 		}, utils.DatabaseFlags),
 		Description: `
 The init command initializes a new genesis block and definition for the network.
@@ -193,6 +195,15 @@ func initGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	stack, _ := makeConfigNode(ctx)
 	defer stack.Close()
 
+	var overrides core.ChainOverrides
+	if ctx.IsSet(utils.OverrideCancun.Name) {
+		v := ctx.Uint64(utils.OverrideCancun.Name)
+		overrides.OverrideCancun = &v
+	}
+	if ctx.IsSet(utils.OverrideVerkle.Name) {
+		v := ctx.Uint64(utils.OverrideVerkle.Name)
+		overrides.OverrideVerkle = &v
+	}
 	for _, name := range []string{"chaindata", "lightchaindata"} {
 		chaindb, err := stack.OpenDatabaseWithFreezer(name, 0, 0, ctx.String(utils.AncientFlag.Name), "", false)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -203,7 +214,7 @@ func initGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		triedb := utils.MakeTrieDatabase(ctx, chaindb, ctx.Bool(utils.CachePreimagesFlag.Name), false)
 		defer triedb.Close()
 
-		_, hash, err := core.SetupGenesisBlock(chaindb, triedb, genesis)
+		_, hash, err := core.SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(chaindb, triedb, genesis, &overrides)
 		if err != nil {
 			utils.Fatalf("Failed to write genesis block: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index 0f1e8baf4..1045815fa 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -287,11 +287,11 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, triedb *trie.Database, gen
 		} else {
 			log.Info("Writing custom genesis block")
 		}
+		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		block, err := genesis.Commit(db, triedb)
 		if err != nil {
 			return genesis.Config, common.Hash{}, err
 		}
-		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		return genesis.Config, block.Hash(), nil
 	}
 	// The genesis block is present(perhaps in ancient database) while the
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, triedb *trie.Database, gen
 		if genesis == nil {
 			genesis = DefaultGenesisBlock()
 		}
+		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		// Ensure the stored genesis matches with the given one.
 		hash := genesis.ToBlock().Hash()
 		if hash != stored {
@@ -312,11 +313,11 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, triedb *trie.Database, gen
 		if err != nil {
 			return genesis.Config, hash, err
 		}
-		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		return genesis.Config, block.Hash(), nil
 	}
 	// Check whether the genesis block is already written.
 	if genesis != nil {
+		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		hash := genesis.ToBlock().Hash()
 		if hash != stored {
 			return genesis.Config, hash, &GenesisMismatchError{stored, hash}