diff --git a/abcore/scripts/init.sh b/abcore/scripts/init.sh
index bbb3fb33..13ba33cb 100644
--- a/abcore/scripts/init.sh
+++ b/abcore/scripts/init.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ GENESIS_FILE="/config/genesis.json"
 if [ -z "$(ls -A "$GETH_DATA_DIR")" ]; then
     echo "abcore: data directory is empty, initializing from genesis..."
     if [ -f "$GENESIS_FILE" ]; then
-        /abcore/bin/geth init --datadir "$GETH_DATA_DIR" "$GENESIS_FILE"
+        /abcore/bin/geth init --datadir "$GETH_DATA_DIR" --db.engine=pebble --state.scheme=path "$GENESIS_FILE"
     else
         echo "abcore: genesis file not found at $GENESIS_FILE" >&2
         exit 1