diff --git a/src/miner.cpp b/src/miner.cpp
index 8288ebfc4..bdf10ec56 100644
--- a/src/miner.cpp
+++ b/src/miner.cpp
@@ -1065,6 +1065,8 @@ void static RandomXMiner()
                                                                            cancelSolver = true;
                                                                        }
                                                                        );
+    miningTimer.start();
+
     randomx_flags flags         = randomx_get_flags();
     // TODO: attempt to use large pages and fall back to no large pages
     // flags |= RANDOMX_FLAG_LARGE_PAGES;
@@ -1087,7 +1089,20 @@ void static RandomXMiner()
         return;
     }
 
-    miningTimer.start();
+
+    char randomxHash[RANDOMX_HASH_SIZE];
+    rxdebug("%s: created randomxHash of size %d\n", RANDOMX_HASH_SIZE);
+    char randomxKey[82]; // randomx spec says keysize of >60 bytes is implementation-specific
+    // initial randomx key is unique to every Hush Smart Chain, and has at least 9 bytes (2^9=128 bits) of entropy
+    // since magic is 4 bytes, rpc port is 4 bytes and smart chain symbol must be at least 1 character long
+    snprintf(randomxKey, 81, "%08x%s%08x", ASSETCHAINS_MAGIC, SMART_CHAIN_SYMBOL, ASSETCHAINS_RPCPORT);
+
+    // With the defaults of 1024 and 64
+    // the key block will change every ~21.3 hours with a 75s block time
+    // and every ~17 hours with the default 60s block time for HSCs
+    int randomxInterval = GetArg("-ac_randomx_interval",1024);
+    // This lag is 80 mins for 75s blocktime and 64 mins for 60s (default) blocktime for HSCs
+    int randomxBlockLag = GetArg("-ac_randomx_lag", 64);
 
     try {
         // fprintf(stderr,"RandomXMiner: mining %s with randomx\n",SMART_CHAIN_SYMBOL);
@@ -1138,19 +1153,6 @@ void static RandomXMiner()
                 Mining_start = (uint32_t)time(NULL);
             }
 
-            char randomxHash[RANDOMX_HASH_SIZE];
-            rxdebug("%s: created randomxHash of size %d\n", RANDOMX_HASH_SIZE);
-            char randomxKey[82]; // randomx spec says keysize of >60 bytes is implementation-specific
-            // initial randomx key is unique to every Hush Smart Chain, and has at least 9 bytes (2^9=128 bits) of entropy
-            // since magic is 4 bytes, rpc port is 4 bytes and smart chain symbol must be at least 1 character long
-            snprintf(randomxKey, 81, "%08x%s%08x", ASSETCHAINS_MAGIC, SMART_CHAIN_SYMBOL, ASSETCHAINS_RPCPORT);
-
-            // With the defaults of 1024 and 64
-            // the key block will change every ~21.3 hours with a 75s block time
-            // and every ~17 hours with the default 60s block time for HSCs
-            int randomxInterval = GetArg("-ac_randomx_interval",1024);
-            // This lag is 80 mins for 75s blocktime and 64 mins for 60s (default) blocktime for HSCs
-            int randomxBlockLag = GetArg("-ac_randomx_lag", 64);
 
             // fprintf(stderr,"RandomXMiner: using initial key with interval=%d and lag=%d\n", randomxInterval, randomxBlockLag);
             rxdebug("%s: using initial key, interval=%d, lag=%d, Mining_height=%u\n", randomxInterval, randomxBlockLag, Mining_height);