diff --git a/nano/node/repcrawler.cpp b/nano/node/repcrawler.cpp
index b54eae4a50..e8caeb2918 100644
--- a/nano/node/repcrawler.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/repcrawler.cpp
@@ -269,13 +269,13 @@ std::vector<std::shared_ptr<nano::transport::channel>> nano::rep_crawler::prepar
 	return { random_peers.begin (), random_peers.end () };
 }
 
-auto nano::rep_crawler::prepare_query_target () -> std::optional<hash_root_t>
+auto nano::rep_crawler::prepare_query_target () const -> std::optional<hash_root_t>
 {
 	constexpr int max_attempts = 4;
 
 	auto transaction = node.ledger.tx_begin_read ();
 
-	std::optional<std::pair<nano::block_hash, nano::block_hash>> hash_root;
+	std::optional<std::pair<nano::block_hash, nano::root>> hash_root;
 
 	// Randomly select a block from ledger to request votes for
 	for (auto i = 0; i < max_attempts && !hash_root; ++i)
@@ -289,20 +289,10 @@ auto nano::rep_crawler::prepare_query_target () -> std::optional<hash_root_t>
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!hash_root)
+	// Special case for dev network where number of blocks might be very low: if we can't find a block to query, just pick genesis
+	if (node.network_params.network.is_dev_network () && !hash_root)
 	{
-		return std::nullopt;
-	}
-
-	// Don't send same block multiple times in tests
-	if (node.network_params.network.is_dev_network ())
-	{
-		nano::lock_guard<nano::mutex> lock{ mutex };
-
-		for (auto i = 0; queries.get<tag_hash> ().count (hash_root->first) != 0 && i < max_attempts; ++i)
-		{
-			hash_root = node.ledger.hash_root_random (transaction);
-		}
+		hash_root = std::make_pair (node.network_params.ledger.genesis->hash (), node.network_params.ledger.genesis->root ());
 	}
 
 	return hash_root;
diff --git a/nano/node/repcrawler.hpp b/nano/node/repcrawler.hpp
index cd9d680096..d99bae5593 100644
--- a/nano/node/repcrawler.hpp
+++ b/nano/node/repcrawler.hpp
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class rep_crawler final
 
 	/** Returns a list of endpoints to crawl. The total weight is passed in to avoid computing it twice. */
 	std::vector<std::shared_ptr<nano::transport::channel>> prepare_crawl_targets (bool sufficient_weight) const;
-	std::optional<hash_root_t> prepare_query_target ();
+	std::optional<hash_root_t> prepare_query_target () const;
 	bool track_rep_request (hash_root_t hash_root, std::shared_ptr<nano::transport::channel> const & channel);
 
 private:
diff --git a/nano/secure/ledger.cpp b/nano/secure/ledger.cpp
index d644741863..ca6fb91a62 100644
--- a/nano/secure/ledger.cpp
+++ b/nano/secure/ledger.cpp
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ std::string nano::ledger::block_text (nano::block_hash const & hash_a)
 	return result;
 }
 
-std::pair<nano::block_hash, nano::block_hash> nano::ledger::hash_root_random (secure::transaction const & transaction_a) const
+std::pair<nano::block_hash, nano::root> nano::ledger::hash_root_random (secure::transaction const & transaction_a) const
 {
 	nano::block_hash hash (0);
 	nano::root root (0);
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ std::pair<nano::block_hash, nano::block_hash> nano::ledger::hash_root_random (se
 			root = block->root ();
 		}
 	}
-	return std::make_pair (hash, root.as_block_hash ());
+	return std::make_pair (hash, root);
 }
 
 // Vote weight of an account
diff --git a/nano/secure/ledger.hpp b/nano/secure/ledger.hpp
index 3171e4593c..9bb6787803 100644
--- a/nano/secure/ledger.hpp
+++ b/nano/secure/ledger.hpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class ledger final
 	nano::block_hash representative_calculated (secure::transaction const &, nano::block_hash const &);
 	std::string block_text (char const *);
 	std::string block_text (nano::block_hash const &);
-	std::pair<nano::block_hash, nano::block_hash> hash_root_random (secure::transaction const &) const;
+	std::pair<nano::block_hash, nano::root> hash_root_random (secure::transaction const &) const;
 	std::optional<nano::pending_info> pending_info (secure::transaction const &, nano::pending_key const & key) const;
 	std::deque<std::shared_ptr<nano::block>> confirm (secure::write_transaction &, nano::block_hash const & hash, size_t max_blocks = 1024 * 128);
 	nano::block_status process (secure::write_transaction const &, std::shared_ptr<nano::block> block);