diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
index 77d0a395c93..5ff8abf3077 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
@@ -4010,10 +4010,9 @@ util::Result<void> CWallet::ApplyMigrationData(WalletBatch& local_wallet_batch,
     }
 
     // Get best block locator so that we can copy it to the watchonly and solvables
+    // Note: The best block locator was introduced in #152 so ancient wallets do not have it
     CBlockLocator best_block_locator;
-    if (!local_wallet_batch.ReadBestBlock(best_block_locator)) {
-        return util::Error{_("Error: Unable to read wallet's best block locator record")};
-    }
+    (void)local_wallet_batch.ReadBestBlock(best_block_locator);
 
     // Update m_txos to match the descriptors remaining in this wallet
     m_txos.clear();
@@ -4030,7 +4029,7 @@ util::Result<void> CWallet::ApplyMigrationData(WalletBatch& local_wallet_batch,
         LOCK(data.watchonly_wallet->cs_wallet);
         data.watchonly_wallet->nOrderPosNext = nOrderPosNext;
         watchonly_batch->WriteOrderPosNext(data.watchonly_wallet->nOrderPosNext);
-        // Write the best block locator to avoid rescanning on reload
+        // Write the locator record. An empty locator is valid and triggers rescan on load.
         if (!watchonly_batch->WriteBestBlock(best_block_locator)) {
             return util::Error{_("Error: Unable to write watchonly wallet best block locator record")};
         }
@@ -4039,7 +4038,7 @@ util::Result<void> CWallet::ApplyMigrationData(WalletBatch& local_wallet_batch,
     if (data.solvable_wallet) {
         solvables_batch = std::make_unique<WalletBatch>(data.solvable_wallet->GetDatabase());
         if (!solvables_batch->TxnBegin()) return util::Error{strprintf(_("Error: database transaction cannot be executed for wallet %s"), data.solvable_wallet->GetName())};
-        // Write the best block locator to avoid rescanning on reload
+        // Write the locator record. An empty locator is valid and triggers rescan on load.
         if (!solvables_batch->WriteBestBlock(best_block_locator)) {
             return util::Error{_("Error: Unable to write solvable wallet best block locator record")};
         }
diff --git a/test/functional/wallet_migration.py b/test/functional/wallet_migration.py
index 42b2a47b3b0..5492938be9f 100755
--- a/test/functional/wallet_migration.py
+++ b/test/functional/wallet_migration.py
@@ -1573,6 +1573,36 @@ class WalletMigrationTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         self.clear_default_wallet(backup_path)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def erase_bdb_record(wallet_dat_path, key):
+        data = bytearray(wallet_dat_path.read_bytes())
+        idx = data.find(key)
+        assert idx != -1, f"{key!r} not found in wallet.dat"
+
+        for i in range(idx, idx + len(key)):
+            data[i] = 0
+
+        wallet_dat_path.write_bytes(data)
+
+    def test_missing_bestblock(self):
+        self.log.info("Test migrating legacy BDB wallet without bestblock record")
+        wallet_name = "nobestblock"
+        wallet = self.create_legacy_wallet(wallet_name)
+        wallet.unloadwallet()
+
+        # Erase block locator records like if this would be a pre-#152 wallet
+        self.erase_bdb_record(self.old_node.wallets_path / wallet_name / "wallet.dat", b"bestblock_nomerkle")
+        self.erase_bdb_record(self.old_node.wallets_path / wallet_name / "wallet.dat", b"bestblock")
+
+        shutil.copytree(self.old_node.wallets_path / wallet_name, self.master_node.wallets_path / wallet_name, dirs_exist_ok=True)
+        # Migrate, checking that rescan occurs
+        with self.master_node.assert_debug_log(expected_msgs=["Rescanning"], unexpected_msgs=[]):
+            self.master_node.migratewallet(wallet_name)
+
+        wallet = self.master_node.get_wallet_rpc(wallet_name)
+        info = wallet.getwalletinfo()
+        assert_equal(info["descriptors"], True)
+        assert_equal(info["format"], "sqlite")
 
     def run_test(self):
         self.master_node = self.nodes[0]
@@ -1619,6 +1649,7 @@ class WalletMigrationTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.test_taproot()
         self.test_solvable_no_privs()
         self.test_loading_failure_after_migration()
+        self.test_missing_bestblock()
 
         # Note: After this test the first 250 blocks of 'master_node' are pruned
         self.unsynced_wallet_on_pruned_node_fails()