diff --git a/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless.go b/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless.go
index af979ff07e..7353b13f86 100644
--- a/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless.go
+++ b/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless.go
@@ -680,8 +680,7 @@ func (k Keeper) CanLaunch(ctx sdk.Context, consumerId string) (time.Time, bool)
 		return time.Time{}, false
 	}
 
-	// a chain can only launch if the spawn time is in the future
-	spawnTimeInTheFuture := initializationParameters.SpawnTime.After(ctx.BlockTime())
+	spawnTimeIsNotZero := !initializationParameters.SpawnTime.Equal(time.Time{})
 
 	genesisHashSet := initializationParameters.GenesisHash != nil
 	binaryHashSet := initializationParameters.BinaryHash != nil
@@ -690,7 +689,7 @@ func (k Keeper) CanLaunch(ctx sdk.Context, consumerId string) (time.Time, bool)
 	blocksPerDistributionTransmissionSet := initializationParameters.BlocksPerDistributionTransmission > 0
 	historicalEntriesSet := initializationParameters.HistoricalEntries > 0
 
-	return initializationParameters.SpawnTime, spawnTimeInTheFuture && genesisHashSet && binaryHashSet && consumerRedistributionFractionSet &&
+	return initializationParameters.SpawnTime, spawnTimeIsNotZero && genesisHashSet && binaryHashSet && consumerRedistributionFractionSet &&
 		blocksPerDistributionTransmissionSet && historicalEntriesSet
 }
 
diff --git a/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless_test.go b/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless_test.go
index ebd02e61d4..a18fe738cc 100644
--- a/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless_test.go
+++ b/x/ccv/provider/keeper/permissionless_test.go
@@ -704,16 +704,6 @@ func TestCanLaunch(t *testing.T) {
 	_, canLaunch = providerKeeper.CanLaunch(ctx, "consumerId")
 	require.True(t, canLaunch)
 
-	// initialized chain that has spawn time in the past cannot launch
-	ctx = ctx.WithBlockTime(initializationParameters.SpawnTime.Add(time.Second))
-	_, canLaunch = providerKeeper.CanLaunch(ctx, "consumerId")
-	require.False(t, canLaunch)
-
-	// reset block time so the chain can launch
-	ctx = ctx.WithBlockTime(initializationParameters.SpawnTime.Add(-time.Second))
-	_, canLaunch = providerKeeper.CanLaunch(ctx, "consumerId")
-	require.True(t, canLaunch)
-
 	// chain cannot launch without a genesis hash
 	initializationParameters.GenesisHash = nil
 	err = providerKeeper.SetConsumerInitializationParameters(ctx, "consumerId", initializationParameters)