diff --git a/kvdb/debug.go b/kvdb/debug.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..07874bea6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kvdb/debug.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// +build dev
+
+package kvdb
+
+const (
+	// Switch on extra debug code.
+	etcdDebug = true
+)
diff --git a/kvdb/etcd/debug.go b/kvdb/etcd/debug.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5b67b0bbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kvdb/etcd/debug.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// +build dev
+
+package etcd
+
+const (
+	// Switch on extra debug code.
+	etcdDebug = true
+)
diff --git a/kvdb/etcd/nodebug.go b/kvdb/etcd/nodebug.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9494f8ccf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kvdb/etcd/nodebug.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// +build !dev
+
+package etcd
+
+const (
+	// Switch off extra debug code.
+	etcdDebug = false
+)
diff --git a/kvdb/etcd/readwrite_bucket.go b/kvdb/etcd/readwrite_bucket.go
index 0be2f88ed..7591d7f92 100644
--- a/kvdb/etcd/readwrite_bucket.go
+++ b/kvdb/etcd/readwrite_bucket.go
@@ -118,6 +118,10 @@ func (b *readWriteBucket) NestedReadWriteBucket(key []byte) walletdb.ReadWriteBu
 
 // assertNoValue checks if the value for the passed key exists.
 func (b *readWriteBucket) assertNoValue(key []byte) error {
+	if !etcdDebug {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	val, err := b.tx.stm.Get(string(makeValueKey(b.id, key)))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -130,6 +134,24 @@ func (b *readWriteBucket) assertNoValue(key []byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// assertNoBucket checks if the bucket for the passed key exists.
+func (b *readWriteBucket) assertNoBucket(key []byte) error {
+	if !etcdDebug {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	val, err := b.tx.stm.Get(string(makeBucketKey(b.id, key)))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if val != nil {
+		return walletdb.ErrIncompatibleValue
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // CreateBucket creates and returns a new nested bucket with the given
 // key. Returns ErrBucketExists if the bucket already exists,
 // ErrBucketNameRequired if the key is empty, or ErrIncompatibleValue
@@ -272,15 +294,10 @@ func (b *readWriteBucket) Put(key, value []byte) error {
 		return walletdb.ErrKeyRequired
 	}
 
-	val, err := b.tx.stm.Get(string(makeBucketKey(b.id, key)))
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := b.assertNoBucket(key); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if val != nil {
-		return walletdb.ErrIncompatibleValue
-	}
-
 	// Update the transaction with the new value.
 	b.tx.stm.Put(string(makeValueKey(b.id, key)), string(value))
 
diff --git a/kvdb/etcd_test.go b/kvdb/etcd_test.go
index fc81bb934..6d96d2849 100644
--- a/kvdb/etcd_test.go
+++ b/kvdb/etcd_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ var (
 func TestEtcd(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name       string
+		debugOnly  bool
 		test       func(*testing.T, walletdb.DB)
 		expectedDb map[string]string
 	}{
@@ -103,8 +104,9 @@ func TestEtcd(t *testing.T) {
 			test: testBucketSequence,
 		},
 		{
-			name: "key clash",
-			test: testKeyClash,
+			name:      "key clash",
+			debugOnly: true,
+			test:      testKeyClash,
 			expectedDb: map[string]string{
 				bkey("apple"):           bval("apple"),
 				bkey("apple", "banana"): bval("apple", "banana"),
@@ -137,6 +139,10 @@ func TestEtcd(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		test := test
 
+		if test.debugOnly && !etcdDebug {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Parallel()
 
diff --git a/kvdb/nodebug.go b/kvdb/nodebug.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76225182b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kvdb/nodebug.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// +build !dev
+
+package kvdb
+
+const (
+	// Switch off extra debug code.
+	etcdDebug = false
+)