diff --git a/blockchain/v2/reactor.go b/blockchain/v2/reactor.go
index 88ec6268d..ff89ee94c 100644
--- a/blockchain/v2/reactor.go
+++ b/blockchain/v2/reactor.go
@@ -187,12 +187,12 @@ func NewBlockchainReactor(
 
 // SetSwitch implements Reactor interface.
 func (r *BlockchainReactor) SetSwitch(sw *p2p.Switch) {
-	if sw == nil {
-		panic("set nil switch")
-	}
-
 	r.Switch = sw
-	r.io = newSwitchIo(sw)
+	if sw != nil {
+		r.io = newSwitchIo(sw)
+	} else {
+		r.io = nil
+	}
 }
 
 func (r *BlockchainReactor) setMaxPeerHeight(height int64) {
diff --git a/blockchain/v2/reactor_test.go b/blockchain/v2/reactor_test.go
index 0b5f0b388..10b1d23df 100644
--- a/blockchain/v2/reactor_test.go
+++ b/blockchain/v2/reactor_test.go
@@ -411,6 +411,22 @@ func TestReactorHelperMode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestReactorSetSwitchNil(t *testing.T) {
+	config := cfg.ResetTestRoot("blockchain_reactor_v2_test")
+	defer os.RemoveAll(config.RootDir)
+	genDoc, privVals := randGenesisDoc(config.ChainID(), 1, false, 30)
+
+	reactor := newTestReactor(testReactorParams{
+		logger:   log.TestingLogger(),
+		genDoc:   genDoc,
+		privVals: privVals,
+	})
+	reactor.SetSwitch(nil)
+
+	assert.Nil(t, reactor.Switch)
+	assert.Nil(t, reactor.io)
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------
 // utility funcs