diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/kits/WalletAppKit.java b/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/kits/WalletAppKit.java
index ac5c21aa6..15818437d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/kits/WalletAppKit.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/kits/WalletAppKit.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public class WalletAppKit extends AbstractIdleService {
     protected final KeyChainGroupStructure structure;
     protected final String filePrefix;
     protected volatile BlockChain vChain;
-    protected volatile BlockStore vStore;
+    protected volatile SPVBlockStore vStore;
     protected volatile Wallet vWallet;
     protected volatile PeerGroup vPeerGroup;
 
@@ -245,13 +245,6 @@ public class WalletAppKit extends AbstractIdleService {
         return ImmutableList.of();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Override this to use a {@link BlockStore} that isn't the default of {@link SPVBlockStore}.
-     */
-    protected BlockStore provideBlockStore(File file) throws BlockStoreException {
-        return new SPVBlockStore(params, file);
-    }
-
     /**
      * This method is invoked on a background thread after all objects are initialised, but before the peer group
      * or block chain download is started. You can tweak the objects configuration here.
@@ -301,7 +294,7 @@ public class WalletAppKit extends AbstractIdleService {
             vWallet = createOrLoadWallet(shouldReplayWallet);
 
             // Initiate Bitcoin network objects (block store, blockchain and peer group)
-            vStore = provideBlockStore(chainFile);
+            vStore = new SPVBlockStore(params, chainFile);
             if (!chainFileExists || restoreFromSeed != null || restoreFromKey != null) {
                 if (checkpoints == null && !Utils.isAndroidRuntime()) {
                     checkpoints = CheckpointManager.openStream(params);
@@ -313,20 +306,14 @@ public class WalletAppKit extends AbstractIdleService {
                     if (restoreFromSeed != null) {
                         time = restoreFromSeed.getCreationTimeSeconds();
                         if (chainFileExists) {
-                            log.info("Deleting the chain file in preparation from restore.");
-                            vStore.close();
-                            if (!chainFile.delete())
-                                throw new IOException("Failed to delete chain file in preparation for restore.");
-                            vStore = provideBlockStore(chainFile);
+                            log.info("Clearing the chain file in preparation for restore.");
+                            vStore.clear();
                         }
                     } else if (restoreFromKey != null) {
                         time = restoreFromKey.getCreationTimeSeconds();
                         if (chainFileExists) {
-                            log.info("Deleting the chain file in preparation from restore.");
-                            vStore.close();
-                            if (!chainFile.delete())
-                                throw new IOException("Failed to delete chain file in preparation for restore.");
-                            vStore = provideBlockStore(chainFile);
+                            log.info("Clearing the chain file in preparation for restore.");
+                            vStore.clear();
                         }
                     }
                     else
@@ -338,11 +325,8 @@ public class WalletAppKit extends AbstractIdleService {
                     else
                         log.warn("Creating a new uncheckpointed block store due to a wallet with a creation time of zero: this will result in a very slow chain sync");
                 } else if (chainFileExists) {
-                    log.info("Deleting the chain file in preparation from restore.");
-                    vStore.close();
-                    if (!chainFile.delete())
-                        throw new IOException("Failed to delete chain file in preparation for restore.");
-                    vStore = provideBlockStore(chainFile);
+                    log.info("Clearing the chain file in preparation for restore.");
+                    vStore.clear();
                 }
             }
             vChain = new BlockChain(params, vStore);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStore.java b/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStore.java
index f53ddc244..1dab81743 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStore.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStore.java
@@ -326,4 +326,22 @@ public class SPVBlockStore implements BlockStore {
         checkArgument(newCursor >= 0);
         buffer.putInt(4, newCursor);
     }
+
+    public void clear() throws Exception {
+        lock.lock();
+        try {
+            // Clear caches
+            blockCache.clear();
+            notFoundCache.clear();
+            // Clear file content
+            buffer.position(0);
+            long fileLength = randomAccessFile.length();
+            for (int i = 0; i < fileLength; i++) {
+                buffer.put((byte)0);
+            }
+            // Initialize store again
+            buffer.position(0);
+            initNewStore(params);
+        } finally { lock.unlock(); }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStoreTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStoreTest.java
index d38846c5d..70f51db20 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStoreTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/bitcoinj/store/SPVBlockStoreTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package org.bitcoinj.store;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.math.BigInteger;
@@ -146,4 +147,21 @@ public class SPVBlockStoreTest {
                 watch.elapsed(TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS) < THRESHOLD_MS);
         store.close();
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void clear() throws Exception {
+        SPVBlockStore store = new SPVBlockStore(UNITTEST, blockStoreFile);
+
+        // Build a new block.
+        Address to = LegacyAddress.fromKey(UNITTEST, new ECKey());
+        StoredBlock genesis = store.getChainHead();
+        StoredBlock b1 = genesis.build(genesis.getHeader().createNextBlock(to).cloneAsHeader());
+        store.put(b1);
+        store.setChainHead(b1);
+        assertEquals(b1.getHeader().getHash(), store.getChainHead().getHeader().getHash());
+        store.clear();
+        assertNull(store.get(b1.getHeader().getHash()));
+        assertEquals(UNITTEST.getGenesisBlock().getHash(), store.getChainHead().getHeader().getHash());
+        store.close();
+    }
 }