diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
index 4b161c1e2..ad8ad88bb 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
@@ -1654,7 +1654,9 @@ PeerImp::onMessage(std::shared_ptr<protocol::TMGetLedger> const& m)
     if (m->has_ledgerseq())
     {
         auto const ledgerSeq{m->ledgerseq()};
-        if (ledgerSeq < app_.getNodeStore().earliestLedgerSeq())
+        // Verifying the network's earliest ledger only pertains to shards.
+        if (app_.getShardStore() &&
+            ledgerSeq < app_.getNodeStore().earliestLedgerSeq())
         {
             return badData(
                 "Invalid ledger sequence " + std::to_string(ledgerSeq));
@@ -1828,7 +1830,9 @@ PeerImp::onMessage(std::shared_ptr<protocol::TMLedgerData> const& m)
         }
         else
         {
-            if (ledgerSeq < app_.getNodeStore().earliestLedgerSeq())
+            // Verifying the network's earliest ledger only pertains to shards.
+            if (app_.getShardStore() &&
+                ledgerSeq < app_.getNodeStore().earliestLedgerSeq())
             {
                 return badData(
                     "Invalid ledger sequence " + std::to_string(ledgerSeq));