diff --git a/stackslib/src/burnchains/db.rs b/stackslib/src/burnchains/db.rs
index f7da4a0ae9..3171ec3c98 100644
--- a/stackslib/src/burnchains/db.rs
+++ b/stackslib/src/burnchains/db.rs
@@ -1123,12 +1123,16 @@ impl BurnchainDB {
         Ok(res.is_some())
     }
 
-    pub fn get_burnchain_header(
+    pub fn get_burnchain_header<B: BurnchainHeaderReader>(
         conn: &DBConn,
+        indexer: &B,
         height: u64,
     ) -> Result<Option<BurnchainBlockHeader>, BurnchainError> {
-        let qry = "SELECT * FROM burnchain_db_block_headers WHERE block_height = ?1";
-        let args = &[&u64_to_sql(height)?];
+        let Some(hdr) = indexer.read_burnchain_header(height)? else {
+            return Ok(None);
+        };
+        let qry = "SELECT * FROM burnchain_db_block_headers WHERE block_hash = ?1";
+        let args = &[&hdr.block_hash];
         let res: Option<BurnchainBlockHeader> = query_row(conn, qry, args)?;
         Ok(res)
     }
diff --git a/stackslib/src/burnchains/tests/db.rs b/stackslib/src/burnchains/tests/db.rs
index 9c3b5ee477..5a8d958f12 100644
--- a/stackslib/src/burnchains/tests/db.rs
+++ b/stackslib/src/burnchains/tests/db.rs
@@ -231,6 +231,15 @@ fn test_store_and_fetch() {
     }
     assert_eq!(&header, &non_canonical_block.header());
 
+    // when we get a block header by its height, it's canonical
+    for (height, header) in headers.iter().enumerate() {
+        let hdr = BurnchainDB::get_burnchain_header(burnchain_db.conn(), &headers, height as u64)
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(headers.iter().find(|h| **h == hdr).is_some());
+        assert_ne!(hdr, non_canonical_block.header());
+    }
+
     let looked_up_canon = burnchain_db.get_canonical_chain_tip().unwrap();
     assert_eq!(&looked_up_canon, &canonical_block.header());
 
diff --git a/stackslib/src/chainstate/coordinator/mod.rs b/stackslib/src/chainstate/coordinator/mod.rs
index e54e9f0205..96eae44641 100644
--- a/stackslib/src/chainstate/coordinator/mod.rs
+++ b/stackslib/src/chainstate/coordinator/mod.rs
@@ -1603,6 +1603,7 @@ impl<
     /// block can be re-processed in that event.
     fn undo_stacks_block_orphaning(
         burnchain_conn: &DBConn,
+        burnchain_indexer: &B,
         ic: &SortitionDBConn,
         chainstate_db_tx: &mut DBTx,
         first_invalidate_start_block: u64,
@@ -1613,8 +1614,11 @@ impl<
             first_invalidate_start_block, last_invalidate_start_block
         );
         for burn_height in first_invalidate_start_block..(last_invalidate_start_block + 1) {
-            let burn_header = match BurnchainDB::get_burnchain_header(burnchain_conn, burn_height)?
-            {
+            let burn_header = match BurnchainDB::get_burnchain_header(
+                burnchain_conn,
+                burnchain_indexer,
+                burn_height,
+            )? {
                 Some(hdr) => hdr,
                 None => {
                     continue;
@@ -1840,6 +1844,7 @@ impl<
             // sortitions
             let revalidated_burn_header = BurnchainDB::get_burnchain_header(
                 self.burnchain_blocks_db.conn(),
+                &self.burnchain_indexer,
                 first_invalidate_start_block - 1,
             )
             .expect("FATAL: failed to read burnchain DB")
@@ -1854,6 +1859,7 @@ impl<
             // invalidate all descendant sortitions, no matter what.
             let invalidated_burn_header = BurnchainDB::get_burnchain_header(
                 self.burnchain_blocks_db.conn(),
+                &self.burnchain_indexer,
                 last_invalidate_start_block - 1,
             )
             .expect("FATAL: failed to read burnchain DB")
@@ -2045,6 +2051,7 @@ impl<
             // un-orphan blocks that had been orphaned but were tied to this now-revalidated sortition history
             Self::undo_stacks_block_orphaning(
                 &self.burnchain_blocks_db.conn(),
+                &self.burnchain_indexer,
                 &ic,
                 &mut chainstate_db_tx,
                 first_invalidate_start_block,