diff --git a/lncfg/db.go b/lncfg/db.go
index 01b0f51cd..f856396b9 100644
--- a/lncfg/db.go
+++ b/lncfg/db.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/kvdb"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/kvdb/etcd"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwallet/btcwallet"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -135,6 +136,10 @@ type DatabaseBackends struct {
 	// server data. This might be nil if the watchtower server is disabled.
 	TowerServerDB kvdb.Backend
 
+	// WalletDB is an option that instructs the wallet loader where to load
+	// the underlying wallet database from.
+	WalletDB btcwallet.LoaderOption
+
 	// Remote indicates whether the database backends are remote, possibly
 	// replicated instances or local bbolt backed databases.
 	Remote bool
@@ -185,8 +190,16 @@ func (db *DB) GetBackends(ctx context.Context, chanDBPath,
 			DecayedLogDB:  etcdBackend,
 			TowerClientDB: etcdBackend,
 			TowerServerDB: etcdBackend,
-			Remote:        true,
-			CloseFuncs:    closeFuncs,
+			// The wallet loader will attempt to use/create the
+			// wallet in the replicated remote DB if we're running
+			// in a clustered environment. This will ensure that all
+			// members of the cluster have access to the same wallet
+			// state.
+			WalletDB: btcwallet.LoaderWithExternalWalletDB(
+				etcdBackend,
+			),
+			Remote:     true,
+			CloseFuncs: closeFuncs,
 		}, nil
 	}
 
@@ -281,7 +294,13 @@ func (db *DB) GetBackends(ctx context.Context, chanDBPath,
 		DecayedLogDB:  decayedLogBackend,
 		TowerClientDB: towerClientBackend,
 		TowerServerDB: towerServerBackend,
-		CloseFuncs:    closeFuncs,
+		// When "running locally", LND will use the bbolt wallet.db to
+		// store the wallet located in the chain data dir, parametrized
+		// by the active network.
+		WalletDB: btcwallet.LoaderWithLocalWalletDB(
+			walletDBPath, !db.Bolt.SyncFreelist, db.Bolt.DBTimeout,
+		),
+		CloseFuncs: closeFuncs,
 	}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/lnd.go b/lnd.go
index 348473df2..d730fe0fe 100644
--- a/lnd.go
+++ b/lnd.go
@@ -462,25 +462,7 @@ func Main(cfg *Config, lisCfg ListenerCfg, interceptor signal.Interceptor) error
 
 	defer cleanUp()
 
-	var loaderOpt btcwallet.LoaderOption
-	if cfg.Cluster.EnableLeaderElection {
-		// The wallet loader will attempt to use/create the wallet in
-		// the replicated remote DB if we're running in a clustered
-		// environment. This will ensure that all members of the cluster
-		// have access to the same wallet state.
-		loaderOpt = btcwallet.LoaderWithExternalWalletDB(
-			dbs.chanStateDB.Backend,
-		)
-	} else {
-		// When "running locally", LND will use the bbolt wallet.db to
-		// store the wallet located in the chain data dir, parametrized
-		// by the active network.
-		loaderOpt = btcwallet.LoaderWithLocalWalletDB(
-			cfg.networkDir, !cfg.SyncFreelist, cfg.DB.Bolt.DBTimeout,
-		)
-	}
-
-	pwService.SetLoaderOpts([]btcwallet.LoaderOption{loaderOpt})
+	pwService.SetLoaderOpts([]btcwallet.LoaderOption{dbs.walletDB})
 	pwService.SetMacaroonDB(dbs.macaroonDB)
 	walletExists, err := pwService.WalletExists()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -556,7 +538,7 @@ func Main(cfg *Config, lisCfg ListenerCfg, interceptor signal.Interceptor) error
 	// over RPC.
 	default:
 		params, err := waitForWalletPassword(
-			cfg, pwService, []btcwallet.LoaderOption{loaderOpt},
+			cfg, pwService, []btcwallet.LoaderOption{dbs.walletDB},
 			interceptor.ShutdownChannel(),
 		)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -715,9 +697,7 @@ func Main(cfg *Config, lisCfg ListenerCfg, interceptor signal.Interceptor) error
 			return cfg.net.Dial("tcp", addr, cfg.ConnectionTimeout)
 		},
 		BlockCacheSize: cfg.BlockCacheSize,
-		LoaderOptions: []btcwallet.LoaderOption{
-			loaderOpt,
-		},
+		LoaderOptions:  []btcwallet.LoaderOption{dbs.walletDB},
 	}
 
 	// Parse coin selection strategy.
@@ -1584,6 +1564,7 @@ type databaseInstances struct {
 	decayedLogDB  kvdb.Backend
 	towerClientDB wtclient.DB
 	towerServerDB watchtower.DB
+	walletDB      btcwallet.LoaderOption
 }
 
 // initializeDatabases extracts the current databases that we'll use for normal
@@ -1622,6 +1603,7 @@ func initializeDatabases(ctx context.Context,
 		heightHintDB: databaseBackends.HeightHintDB,
 		macaroonDB:   databaseBackends.MacaroonDB,
 		decayedLogDB: databaseBackends.DecayedLogDB,
+		walletDB:     databaseBackends.WalletDB,
 	}
 	cleanUp := func() {
 		// We can just close the returned close functions directly. Even