diff --git a/blockchain/chain.go b/blockchain/chain.go
index 050e2c4a..c05ae1df 100644
--- a/blockchain/chain.go
+++ b/blockchain/chain.go
@@ -248,6 +248,11 @@ type BlockChain struct {
 	// spendPruner prunes spend journal data for disconnected blocks
 	// if there are no consumers left for it.
 	spendPruner *spendpruner.SpendJournalPruner
+
+	// bulkImportMode provides a mechanism to indicate that several validation
+	// checks can be avoided when bulk importing blocks already known to be valid.
+	// It is protected by the chain lock.
+	bulkImportMode bool
 }
 
 const (
@@ -374,6 +379,18 @@ func (p *prevScriptsSnapshot) PrevScript(prevOut *wire.OutPoint) (uint16, []byte
 	return entry.scriptVersion, entry.pkScript, true
 }
 
+// EnableBulkImportMode provides a mechanism to indicate that several validation
+// checks can be avoided when bulk importing blocks already known to be valid.
+// This must NOT be enabled in any other circumstance where blocks need to be
+// fully validated.
+//
+// This function is safe for concurrent access.
+func (b *BlockChain) EnableBulkImportMode(bulkImportMode bool) {
+	b.chainLock.Lock()
+	b.bulkImportMode = bulkImportMode
+	b.chainLock.Unlock()
+}
+
 // GetVoteInfo returns information on consensus deployment agendas and their
 // respective states at the provided hash, for the provided deployment version.
 func (b *BlockChain) GetVoteInfo(hash *chainhash.Hash, version uint32) (*VoteInfo, error) {
diff --git a/blockchain/process.go b/blockchain/process.go
index 0da5aab7..00c763d3 100644
--- a/blockchain/process.go
+++ b/blockchain/process.go
@@ -436,7 +436,9 @@ func (b *BlockChain) ProcessBlock(block *dcrutil.Block, flags BehaviorFlags) (in
 	// this package and then the ability to specify the fast add flag should be
 	// removed along with the fast add portion of this check here so that it is
 	// solely determined internally.
-	if flags&BFFastAdd == BFFastAdd || b.isKnownCheckpointAncestor(node) {
+	if flags&BFFastAdd == BFFastAdd || b.bulkImportMode ||
+		b.isKnownCheckpointAncestor(node) {
+
 		b.index.SetStatusFlags(node, statusValidated)
 		flags |= BFFastAdd
 	}