assumeutxo: Get rid of faked nTx and nChainTx values

The `PopulateAndValidateSnapshot` function introduced in
f6e2da5fb7c6406c37612c838c998078ea8d2252 from #19806 has been setting fake
`nTx` and `nChainTx` values that can show up in RPC results (see #29328) and
make `CBlockIndex` state hard to reason about, because it is difficult to know
whether the values are real or fake.

Revert to previous behavior of setting `nTx` and `nChainTx` to 0 when the
values are unknown, instead of faking them.

This commit fixes at least two assert failures in the (pindex->nChainTx ==
pindex->nTx + prev_chain_tx) check that would happen previously. Tests for
these failures are added separately in the next two commits.

Compatibility note: This change could result in -checkblockindex failures if a
snapshot was loaded by a previous version of Bitcoin Core and not fully
validated, because fake nTx values will have been saved to the block index. It
would be pretty easy to avoid these failures by adding some compatibility code
to `LoadBlockIndex` and changing `nTx` values from 1 to 0 when they are fake
(when `(pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_VALID_MASK) < BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS`), but a
little simpler not to worry about being compatible in this case.

5 files changed, 118 insertions, 87 deletions

diff --git a/src/chain.h b/src/chain.h
index fa165a4aa7..7faeb25088 100644
--- a/src/chain.h
+++ b/src/chain.h
@@ -98,16 +98,20 @@ enum BlockStatus : uint32_t {
 
     /**
      * Only first tx is coinbase, 2 <= coinbase input script length <= 100, transactions valid, no duplicate txids,
-     * sigops, size, merkle root. Implies all parents are at least TREE but not necessarily TRANSACTIONS. When all
-     * parent blocks also have TRANSACTIONS, CBlockIndex::nChainTx will be set.
+     * sigops, size, merkle root. Implies all parents are at least TREE but not necessarily TRANSACTIONS.
+     *
+     * If a block's validity is at least VALID_TRANSACTIONS, CBlockIndex::nTx will be set. If a block and all previous
+     * blocks back to the genesis block or an assumeutxo snapshot block are at least VALID_TRANSACTIONS,
+     * CBlockIndex::nChainTx will be set.
      */
     BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS =    3,
 
     //! Outputs do not overspend inputs, no double spends, coinbase output ok, no immature coinbase spends, BIP30.
-    //! Implies all parents are either at least VALID_CHAIN, or are ASSUMED_VALID
+    //! Implies all previous blocks back to the genesis block or an assumeutxo snapshot block are at least VALID_CHAIN.
     BLOCK_VALID_CHAIN        =    4,
 
-    //! Scripts & signatures ok. Implies all parents are either at least VALID_SCRIPTS, or are ASSUMED_VALID.
+    //! Scripts & signatures ok. Implies all previous blocks back to the genesis block or an assumeutxo snapshot block
+    //! are at least VALID_SCRIPTS.
     BLOCK_VALID_SCRIPTS      =    5,
 
     //! All validity bits.
@@ -173,21 +177,16 @@ public:
     //! (memory only) Total amount of work (expected number of hashes) in the chain up to and including this block
     arith_uint256 nChainWork{};
 
-    //! Number of transactions in this block.
+    //! Number of transactions in this block. This will be nonzero if the block
+    //! reached the VALID_TRANSACTIONS level, and zero otherwise.
     //! Note: in a potential headers-first mode, this number cannot be relied upon
-    //! Note: this value is faked during UTXO snapshot load to ensure that
-    //! LoadBlockIndex() will load index entries for blocks that we lack data for.
-    //! @sa ActivateSnapshot
     unsigned int nTx{0};
 
     //! (memory only) Number of transactions in the chain up to and including this block.
-    //! This value will be non-zero only if and only if transactions for this block and all its parents are available.
+    //! This value will be non-zero if this block and all previous blocks back
+    //! to the genesis block or an assumeutxo snapshot block have reached the
+    //! VALID_TRANSACTIONS level.
     //! Change to 64-bit type before 2024 (assuming worst case of 60 byte transactions).
-    //!
-    //! Note: this value is faked during use of a UTXO snapshot because we don't
-    //! have the underlying block data available during snapshot load.
-    //! @sa AssumeutxoData
-    //! @sa ActivateSnapshot
     unsigned int nChainTx{0};
 
     //! Verification status of this block. See enum BlockStatus
@@ -262,15 +261,14 @@ public:
     }
 
     /**
-     * Check whether this block's and all previous blocks' transactions have been
-     * downloaded (and stored to disk) at some point.
+     * Check whether this block and all previous blocks back to the genesis block or an assumeutxo snapshot block have
+     * reached VALID_TRANSACTIONS and had transactions downloaded (and stored to disk) at some point.
      *
      * Does not imply the transactions are consensus-valid (ConnectTip might fail)
      * Does not imply the transactions are still stored on disk. (IsBlockPruned might return true)
      *
-     * Note that this will be true for the snapshot base block, if one is loaded (and
-     * all subsequent assumed-valid blocks) since its nChainTx value will have been set
-     * manually based on the related AssumeutxoData entry.
+     * Note that this will be true for the snapshot base block, if one is loaded, since its nChainTx value will have
+     * been set manually based on the related AssumeutxoData entry.
      */
     bool HaveNumChainTxs() const { return nChainTx != 0; }
 
diff --git a/src/test/util/chainstate.h b/src/test/util/chainstate.h
index e2a88eacdd..ff95e64b7e 100644
--- a/src/test/util/chainstate.h
+++ b/src/test/util/chainstate.h
@@ -91,13 +91,16 @@ CreateAndActivateUTXOSnapshot(
             // these blocks instead
             CBlockIndex *pindex = orig_tip;
             while (pindex && pindex != chain.m_chain.Tip()) {
-                pindex->nStatus &= ~BLOCK_HAVE_DATA;
-                pindex->nStatus &= ~BLOCK_HAVE_UNDO;
-                // We have to set the ASSUMED_VALID flag, because otherwise it
-                // would not be possible to have a block index entry without HAVE_DATA
-                // and with nTx > 0 (since we aren't setting the pruned flag);
-                // see CheckBlockIndex().
-                pindex->nStatus |= BLOCK_ASSUMED_VALID;
+                // Remove all data and validity flags by just setting
+                // BLOCK_VALID_TREE. Also reset transaction counts and sequence
+                // ids that are set when blocks are received, to make test setup
+                // more realistic and satisfy consistency checks in
+                // CheckBlockIndex().
+                assert(pindex->IsValid(BlockStatus::BLOCK_VALID_TREE));
+                pindex->nStatus = BlockStatus::BLOCK_VALID_TREE;
+                pindex->nTx = 0;
+                pindex->nChainTx = 0;
+                pindex->nSequenceId = 0;
                 pindex = pindex->pprev;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/test/validation_chainstatemanager_tests.cpp b/src/test/validation_chainstatemanager_tests.cpp
index 4bbab1cdcd..26f9ab59a6 100644
--- a/src/test/validation_chainstatemanager_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/validation_chainstatemanager_tests.cpp
@@ -464,6 +464,8 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(chainstatemanager_loadblockindex, TestChain100Setup)
         // Blocks with heights in range [91, 110] are marked ASSUMED_VALID
         if (i < last_assumed_valid_idx && i >= assumed_valid_start_idx) {
             index->nStatus = BlockStatus::BLOCK_VALID_TREE | BlockStatus::BLOCK_ASSUMED_VALID;
+            index->nTx = 0;
+            index->nChainTx = 0;
         }
 
         ++num_indexes;
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 4cb004c7cc..f27f47aea0 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -3660,7 +3660,18 @@ void ChainstateManager::ReceivedBlockTransactions(const CBlock& block, CBlockInd
 {
     AssertLockHeld(cs_main);
     pindexNew->nTx = block.vtx.size();
-    pindexNew->nChainTx = 0;
+    // Typically nChainTx will be 0 at this point, but it can be nonzero if this
+    // is a pruned block which is being downloaded again, or if this is an
+    // assumeutxo snapshot block which has a hardcoded nChainTx value from the
+    // snapshot metadata. If the pindex is not the snapshot block and the
+    // nChainTx value is not zero, assert that value is actually correct.
+    auto prev_tx_sum = [](CBlockIndex& block) { return block.nTx + (block.pprev ? block.pprev->nChainTx : 0); };
+    if (!Assume(pindexNew->nChainTx == 0 || pindexNew->nChainTx == prev_tx_sum(*pindexNew) ||
+                pindexNew == GetSnapshotBaseBlock())) {
+        LogWarning("Internal bug detected: block %d has unexpected nChainTx %i that should be %i (%s %s). Please report this issue here: %s\n",
+            pindexNew->nHeight, pindexNew->nChainTx, prev_tx_sum(*pindexNew), PACKAGE_NAME, FormatFullVersion(), PACKAGE_BUGREPORT);
+        pindexNew->nChainTx = 0;
+    }
     pindexNew->nFile = pos.nFile;
     pindexNew->nDataPos = pos.nPos;
     pindexNew->nUndoPos = 0;
@@ -3680,7 +3691,15 @@ void ChainstateManager::ReceivedBlockTransactions(const CBlock& block, CBlockInd
         while (!queue.empty()) {
             CBlockIndex *pindex = queue.front();
             queue.pop_front();
-            pindex->nChainTx = (pindex->pprev ? pindex->pprev->nChainTx : 0) + pindex->nTx;
+            // Before setting nChainTx, assert that it is 0 or already set to
+            // the correct value. This assert will fail after receiving the
+            // assumeutxo snapshot block if assumeutxo snapshot metadata has an
+            // incorrect hardcoded AssumeutxoData::nChainTx value.
+            if (!Assume(pindex->nChainTx == 0 || pindex->nChainTx == prev_tx_sum(*pindex))) {
+                LogWarning("Internal bug detected: block %d has unexpected nChainTx %i that should be %i (%s %s). Please report this issue here: %s\n",
+                   pindex->nHeight, pindex->nChainTx, prev_tx_sum(*pindex), PACKAGE_NAME, FormatFullVersion(), PACKAGE_BUGREPORT);
+            }
+            pindex->nChainTx = prev_tx_sum(*pindex);
             pindex->nSequenceId = nBlockSequenceId++;
             for (Chainstate *c : GetAll()) {
                 c->TryAddBlockIndexCandidate(pindex);
@@ -5023,13 +5042,30 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
     size_t nNodes = 0;
     int nHeight = 0;
     CBlockIndex* pindexFirstInvalid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which is invalid.
-    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstMissing = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_HAVE_DATA.
-    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNeverProcessed = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex for which nTx == 0.
+    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstMissing = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_HAVE_DATA, since assumeutxo snapshot if used.
+    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNeverProcessed = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex for which nTx == 0, since assumeutxo snapshot if used.
     CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNotTreeValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_VALID_TREE (regardless of being valid or not).
-    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNotTransactionsValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS (regardless of being valid or not).
-    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNotChainValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_VALID_CHAIN (regardless of being valid or not).
-    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNotScriptsValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_VALID_SCRIPTS (regardless of being valid or not).
+    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNotTransactionsValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS (regardless of being valid or not), since assumeutxo snapshot if used.
+    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNotChainValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_VALID_CHAIN (regardless of being valid or not), since assumeutxo snapshot if used.
+    CBlockIndex* pindexFirstNotScriptsValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which does not have BLOCK_VALID_SCRIPTS (regardless of being valid or not), since assumeutxo snapshot if used.
     CBlockIndex* pindexFirstAssumeValid = nullptr; // Oldest ancestor of pindex which has BLOCK_ASSUMED_VALID
+
+    // After checking an assumeutxo snapshot block, reset pindexFirst pointers
+    // to earlier blocks that have not been downloaded or validated yet, so
+    // checks for later blocks can assume the earlier blocks were validated and
+    // be stricter, testing for more requirements.
+    const CBlockIndex* snap_base{GetSnapshotBaseBlock()};
+    CBlockIndex *snap_first_missing{}, *snap_first_notx{}, *snap_first_notv{}, *snap_first_nocv{}, *snap_first_nosv{};
+    auto snap_update_firsts = [&] {
+        if (pindex == snap_base) {
+            std::swap(snap_first_missing, pindexFirstMissing);
+            std::swap(snap_first_notx, pindexFirstNeverProcessed);
+            std::swap(snap_first_notv, pindexFirstNotTransactionsValid);
+            std::swap(snap_first_nocv, pindexFirstNotChainValid);
+            std::swap(snap_first_nosv, pindexFirstNotScriptsValid);
+        }
+    };
+
     while (pindex != nullptr) {
         nNodes++;
         if (pindexFirstAssumeValid == nullptr && pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_ASSUMED_VALID) pindexFirstAssumeValid = pindex;
@@ -5040,10 +5076,7 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
         if (pindexFirstNeverProcessed == nullptr && pindex->nTx == 0) pindexFirstNeverProcessed = pindex;
         if (pindex->pprev != nullptr && pindexFirstNotTreeValid == nullptr && (pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_VALID_MASK) < BLOCK_VALID_TREE) pindexFirstNotTreeValid = pindex;
 
-        if (pindex->pprev != nullptr && !pindex->IsAssumedValid()) {
-            // Skip validity flag checks for BLOCK_ASSUMED_VALID index entries, since these
-            // *_VALID_MASK flags will not be present for index entries we are temporarily assuming
-            // valid.
+        if (pindex->pprev != nullptr) {
             if (pindexFirstNotTransactionsValid == nullptr &&
                     (pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_VALID_MASK) < BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS) {
                 pindexFirstNotTransactionsValid = pindex;
@@ -5073,36 +5106,26 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
         if (!pindex->HaveNumChainTxs()) assert(pindex->nSequenceId <= 0); // nSequenceId can't be set positive for blocks that aren't linked (negative is used for preciousblock)
         // VALID_TRANSACTIONS is equivalent to nTx > 0 for all nodes (whether or not pruning has occurred).
         // HAVE_DATA is only equivalent to nTx > 0 (or VALID_TRANSACTIONS) if no pruning has occurred.
-        // Unless these indexes are assumed valid and pending block download on a
-        // background chainstate.
-        if (!m_blockman.m_have_pruned && !pindex->IsAssumedValid()) {
+        if (!m_blockman.m_have_pruned) {
             // If we've never pruned, then HAVE_DATA should be equivalent to nTx > 0
             assert(!(pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_HAVE_DATA) == (pindex->nTx == 0));
-            if (pindexFirstAssumeValid == nullptr) {
-                // If we've got some assume valid blocks, then we might have
-                // missing blocks (not HAVE_DATA) but still treat them as
-                // having been processed (with a fake nTx value). Otherwise, we
-                // can assert that these are the same.
-                assert(pindexFirstMissing == pindexFirstNeverProcessed);
-            }
+            assert(pindexFirstMissing == pindexFirstNeverProcessed);
         } else {
             // If we have pruned, then we can only say that HAVE_DATA implies nTx > 0
             if (pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_HAVE_DATA) assert(pindex->nTx > 0);
         }
         if (pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_HAVE_UNDO) assert(pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_HAVE_DATA);
         if (pindex->IsAssumedValid()) {
-            // Assumed-valid blocks should have some nTx value.
-            assert(pindex->nTx > 0);
             // Assumed-valid blocks should connect to the main chain.
             assert((pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_VALID_MASK) >= BLOCK_VALID_TREE);
-        } else {
-            // Otherwise there should only be an nTx value if we have
-            // actually seen a block's transactions.
-            assert(((pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_VALID_MASK) >= BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS) == (pindex->nTx > 0)); // This is pruning-independent.
         }
+        // There should only be an nTx value if we have
+        // actually seen a block's transactions.
+        assert(((pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_VALID_MASK) >= BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS) == (pindex->nTx > 0)); // This is pruning-independent.
         // All parents having had data (at some point) is equivalent to all parents being VALID_TRANSACTIONS, which is equivalent to HaveNumChainTxs().
-        assert((pindexFirstNeverProcessed == nullptr) == pindex->HaveNumChainTxs());
-        assert((pindexFirstNotTransactionsValid == nullptr) == pindex->HaveNumChainTxs());
+        // HaveNumChainTxs will also be set in the assumeutxo snapshot block from snapshot metadata.
+        assert((pindexFirstNeverProcessed == nullptr || pindex == snap_base) == pindex->HaveNumChainTxs());
+        assert((pindexFirstNotTransactionsValid == nullptr || pindex == snap_base) == pindex->HaveNumChainTxs());
         assert(pindex->nHeight == nHeight); // nHeight must be consistent.
         assert(pindex->pprev == nullptr || pindex->nChainWork >= pindex->pprev->nChainWork); // For every block except the genesis block, the chainwork must be larger than the parent's.
         assert(nHeight < 2 || (pindex->pskip && (pindex->pskip->nHeight < nHeight))); // The pskip pointer must point back for all but the first 2 blocks.
@@ -5115,14 +5138,18 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
             assert((pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_MASK) == 0); // The failed mask cannot be set for blocks without invalid parents.
         }
         // Make sure nChainTx sum is correctly computed.
-        unsigned int prev_chain_tx = pindex->pprev ? pindex->pprev->nChainTx : 0;
-        assert((pindex->nChainTx == pindex->nTx + prev_chain_tx)
-               // Transaction may be completely unset - happens if only the header was accepted but the block hasn't been processed.
-               || (pindex->nChainTx == 0 && pindex->nTx == 0)
-               // nChainTx may be unset, but nTx set (if a block has been accepted, but one of its predecessors hasn't been processed yet)
-               || (pindex->nChainTx == 0 && prev_chain_tx == 0 && pindex->pprev)
-               // Transaction counts prior to snapshot are unknown.
-               || pindex->IsAssumedValid());
+        if (!pindex->pprev) {
+            // If no previous block, nTx and nChainTx must be the same.
+            assert(pindex->nChainTx == pindex->nTx);
+        } else if (pindex->pprev->nChainTx > 0 && pindex->nTx > 0) {
+            // If previous nChainTx is set and number of transactions in block is known, sum must be set.
+            assert(pindex->nChainTx == pindex->nTx + pindex->pprev->nChainTx);
+        } else {
+            // Otherwise nChainTx should only be set if this is a snapshot
+            // block, and must be set if it is.
+            assert((pindex->nChainTx != 0) == (pindex == snap_base));
+        }
+
         // Chainstate-specific checks on setBlockIndexCandidates
         for (auto c : GetAll()) {
             if (c->m_chain.Tip() == nullptr) continue;
@@ -5133,16 +5160,19 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
             //   candidate, and this will be asserted below. Otherwise it is a
             //   potential candidate.
             //
-            // - If pindex or one of its parent blocks never downloaded
-            //   transactions (pindexFirstNeverProcessed is non-null), it should
-            //   not be a candidate, and this will be asserted below. Otherwise
-            //   it is a potential candidate.
-            if (!CBlockIndexWorkComparator()(pindex, c->m_chain.Tip()) && pindexFirstNeverProcessed == nullptr) {
+            // - If pindex or one of its parent blocks back to the genesis block
+            //   or an assumeutxo snapshot never downloaded transactions
+            //   (pindexFirstNeverProcessed is non-null), it should not be a
+            //   candidate, and this will be asserted below. The only exception
+            //   is if pindex itself is an assumeutxo snapshot block. Then it is
+            //   also a potential candidate.
+            if (!CBlockIndexWorkComparator()(pindex, c->m_chain.Tip()) && (pindexFirstNeverProcessed == nullptr || pindex == snap_base)) {
                 // If pindex was detected as invalid (pindexFirstInvalid is
                 // non-null), it is not required to be in
                 // setBlockIndexCandidates.
                 if (pindexFirstInvalid == nullptr) {
-                    // If pindex and all its parents downloaded transactions,
+                    // If pindex and all its parents back to the genesis block
+                    // or an assumeutxo snapshot block downloaded transactions,
                     // and the transactions were not pruned (pindexFirstMissing
                     // is null), it is a potential candidate. The check
                     // excludes pruned blocks, because if any blocks were
@@ -5155,13 +5185,17 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
                     //
                     // If pindex is the chain tip, it also is a potential
                     // candidate.
-                    if ((pindexFirstMissing == nullptr || pindex == c->m_chain.Tip())) {
+                    //
+                    // If the chainstate was loaded from a snapshot and pindex
+                    // is the base of the snapshot, pindex is also a potential
+                    // candidate.
+                    if (pindexFirstMissing == nullptr || pindex == c->m_chain.Tip() || pindex == c->SnapshotBase()) {
                         // If this chainstate is the active chainstate, pindex
                         // must be in setBlockIndexCandidates. Otherwise, this
                         // chainstate is a background validation chainstate, and
                         // pindex only needs to be added if it is an ancestor of
                         // the snapshot that is being validated.
-                        if (c == &ActiveChainstate() || GetSnapshotBaseBlock()->GetAncestor(pindex->nHeight) == pindex) {
+                        if (c == &ActiveChainstate() || snap_base->GetAncestor(pindex->nHeight) == pindex) {
                             assert(c->setBlockIndexCandidates.count(pindex));
                         }
                     }
@@ -5192,7 +5226,7 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
         if (pindexFirstMissing == nullptr) assert(!foundInUnlinked); // We aren't missing data for any parent -- cannot be in m_blocks_unlinked.
         if (pindex->pprev && (pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_HAVE_DATA) && pindexFirstNeverProcessed == nullptr && pindexFirstMissing != nullptr) {
             // We HAVE_DATA for this block, have received data for all parents at some point, but we're currently missing data for some parent.
-            assert(m_blockman.m_have_pruned || pindexFirstAssumeValid != nullptr); // We must have pruned, or else we're using a snapshot (causing us to have faked the received data for some parent(s)).
+            assert(m_blockman.m_have_pruned);
             // This block may have entered m_blocks_unlinked if:
             //  - it has a descendant that at some point had more work than the
             //    tip, and
@@ -5205,7 +5239,7 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
                 const bool is_active = c == &ActiveChainstate();
                 if (!CBlockIndexWorkComparator()(pindex, c->m_chain.Tip()) && c->setBlockIndexCandidates.count(pindex) == 0) {
                     if (pindexFirstInvalid == nullptr) {
-                        if (is_active || GetSnapshotBaseBlock()->GetAncestor(pindex->nHeight) == pindex) {
+                        if (is_active || snap_base->GetAncestor(pindex->nHeight) == pindex) {
                             assert(foundInUnlinked);
                         }
                     }
@@ -5216,6 +5250,7 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
         // End: actual consistency checks.
 
         // Try descending into the first subnode.
+        snap_update_firsts();
         std::pair<std::multimap<CBlockIndex*,CBlockIndex*>::iterator,std::multimap<CBlockIndex*,CBlockIndex*>::iterator> range = forward.equal_range(pindex);
         if (range.first != range.second) {
             // A subnode was found.
@@ -5227,6 +5262,7 @@ void ChainstateManager::CheckBlockIndex()
         // Move upwards until we reach a node of which we have not yet visited the last child.
         while (pindex) {
             // We are going to either move to a parent or a sibling of pindex.
+            snap_update_firsts();
             // If pindex was the first with a certain property, unset the corresponding variable.
             if (pindex == pindexFirstInvalid) pindexFirstInvalid = nullptr;
             if (pindex == pindexFirstMissing) pindexFirstMissing = nullptr;
@@ -5730,14 +5766,6 @@ bool ChainstateManager::PopulateAndValidateSnapshot(
     for (int i = AFTER_GENESIS_START; i <= snapshot_chainstate.m_chain.Height(); ++i) {
         index = snapshot_chainstate.m_chain[i];
 
-        // Fake nTx so that LoadBlockIndex() loads assumed-valid CBlockIndex
-        // entries (among other things)
-        if (!index->nTx) {
-            index->nTx = 1;
-        }
-        // Fake nChainTx so that GuessVerificationProgress reports accurately
-        index->nChainTx = index->pprev->nChainTx + index->nTx;
-
         // Mark unvalidated block index entries beneath the snapshot base block as assumed-valid.
         if (!index->IsValid(BLOCK_VALID_SCRIPTS)) {
             // This flag will be removed once the block is fully validated by a
@@ -5760,6 +5788,7 @@ bool ChainstateManager::PopulateAndValidateSnapshot(
     }
 
     assert(index);
+    assert(index == snapshot_start_block);
     index->nChainTx = au_data.nChainTx;
     snapshot_chainstate.setBlockIndexCandidates.insert(snapshot_start_block);
 
diff --git a/test/functional/feature_assumeutxo.py b/test/functional/feature_assumeutxo.py
index a29ee8be8b..27910c3909 100755
--- a/test/functional/feature_assumeutxo.py
+++ b/test/functional/feature_assumeutxo.py
@@ -244,20 +244,19 @@ class AssumeutxoTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
                 tx = n1.getblockheader(block.hash)["nTx"]
                 chain_tx = n1.getchaintxstats(nblocks=1, blockhash=block.hash)["txcount"]
 
-                # Intermediate nTx of the starting block should be real, but nTx of
-                # later blocks should be fake 1 values set by snapshot loading code.
+                # Intermediate nTx of the starting block should be set, but nTx of
+                # later blocks should be 0 before they are downloaded.
                 if final or height == START_HEIGHT:
                     assert_equal(tx, block.tx)
                 else:
-                    assert_equal(tx, 1)
+                    assert_equal(tx, 0)
 
                 # Intermediate nChainTx of the starting block and snapshot block
-                # should be real, but others will be fake values set by snapshot
-                # loading code.
+                # should be set, but others should be 0 until they are downloaded.
                 if final or height in (START_HEIGHT, SNAPSHOT_BASE_HEIGHT):
                     assert_equal(chain_tx, block.chain_tx)
                 else:
-                    assert_equal(chain_tx, height + 1)
+                    assert_equal(chain_tx, 0)
 
         check_tx_counts(final=False)