diff --git a/cmd/zetacored/root.go b/cmd/zetacored/root.go
index 28654f885c..65a4e447c3 100644
--- a/cmd/zetacored/root.go
+++ b/cmd/zetacored/root.go
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ func initTmConfig() *tmcfg.Config {
 		cfg.Mempool.Version = tmcfg.MempoolV1
 	}
 
+	cfg.DBBackend = "pebbledb"
+
 	return cfg
 }