diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
index de787ae4212..3d989d90f87 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
@@ -1526,16 +1526,20 @@ bool CWallet::LoadWalletFlags(uint64_t flags)
     return true;
 }
 
-bool CWallet::AddWalletFlags(uint64_t flags)
+void CWallet::InitWalletFlags(uint64_t flags)
 {
     LOCK(cs_wallet);
+
     // We should never be writing unknown non-tolerable wallet flags
     assert(((flags & KNOWN_WALLET_FLAGS) >> 32) == (flags >> 32));
+    // This should only be used once, when creating a new wallet - so current flags are expected to be blank
+    assert(m_wallet_flags == 0);
+
     if (!WalletBatch(GetDatabase()).WriteWalletFlags(flags)) {
         throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__func__) + ": writing wallet flags failed");
     }
 
-    return LoadWalletFlags(flags);
+    if (!LoadWalletFlags(flags)) assert(false);
 }
 
 // Helper for producing a max-sized low-S low-R signature (eg 71 bytes)
@@ -2832,7 +2836,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<CWallet> CWallet::Create(WalletContext& context, const std::stri
         // ensure this wallet.dat can only be opened by clients supporting HD with chain split and expects no default key
         walletInstance->SetMinVersion(FEATURE_LATEST);
 
-        walletInstance->AddWalletFlags(wallet_creation_flags);
+        walletInstance->InitWalletFlags(wallet_creation_flags);
 
         // Only create LegacyScriptPubKeyMan when not descriptor wallet
         if (!walletInstance->IsWalletFlagSet(WALLET_FLAG_DESCRIPTORS)) {
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.h b/src/wallet/wallet.h
index 3a46d0a9878..934811dee15 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.h
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.h
@@ -806,8 +806,9 @@ public:
     bool IsWalletFlagSet(uint64_t flag) const override;
 
     /** overwrite all flags by the given uint64_t
-       returns false if unknown, non-tolerable flags are present */
-    bool AddWalletFlags(uint64_t flags);
+       flags must be uninitialised (or 0)
+       only known flags may be present */
+    void InitWalletFlags(uint64_t flags);
     /** Loads the flags into the wallet. (used by LoadWallet) */
     bool LoadWalletFlags(uint64_t flags);
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallettool.cpp b/src/wallet/wallettool.cpp
index 769175b5a85..e991bc0814b 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallettool.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallettool.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static void WalletCreate(CWallet* wallet_instance, uint64_t wallet_creation_flag
     LOCK(wallet_instance->cs_wallet);
 
     wallet_instance->SetMinVersion(FEATURE_LATEST);
-    wallet_instance->AddWalletFlags(wallet_creation_flags);
+    wallet_instance->InitWalletFlags(wallet_creation_flags);
 
     if (!wallet_instance->IsWalletFlagSet(WALLET_FLAG_DESCRIPTORS)) {
         auto spk_man = wallet_instance->GetOrCreateLegacyScriptPubKeyMan();