diff --git a/gossipd/gossip_store.c b/gossipd/gossip_store.c
index d6b218e17c7e..aa7b8269196f 100644
--- a/gossipd/gossip_store.c
+++ b/gossipd/gossip_store.c
@@ -527,7 +527,12 @@ u64 gossip_store_set_flag(struct gossip_store *gs,
 	if (!check_msg_type(gs, offset, flag, type))
 		return offset;
 
-	assert((be16_to_cpu(hdr.beflags) & flag) == 0);
+	/* This can happen due to bugs in prior versions! */
+	if (be16_to_cpu(hdr.beflags) & flag) {
+		status_broken("gossip_store flag-%u @%"PRIu64" for %u already set!",
+			      flag, hdr_off, type);
+	}
+
 	hdr.beflags |= cpu_to_be16(flag);
 	if (pwrite(gs->fd, &hdr.beflags, sizeof(hdr.beflags), hdr_off) != sizeof(hdr.beflags))
 		status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_INTERNAL_ERROR,