diff --git a/tsdb/head.go b/tsdb/head.go
index b28f5aca5..f3e0a7f6c 100644
--- a/tsdb/head.go
+++ b/tsdb/head.go
@@ -590,6 +590,7 @@ func (h *Head) Init(minValidTime int64) error {
 	snapIdx, snapOffset := -1, 0
 	refSeries := make(map[chunks.HeadSeriesRef]*memSeries)
 
+	snapshotLoaded := false
 	if h.opts.EnableMemorySnapshotOnShutdown {
 		level.Info(h.logger).Log("msg", "Chunk snapshot is enabled, replaying from the snapshot")
 		// If there are any WAL files, there should be at least one WAL file with an index that is current or newer
@@ -619,6 +620,7 @@ func (h *Head) Init(minValidTime int64) error {
 			var err error
 			snapIdx, snapOffset, refSeries, err = h.loadChunkSnapshot()
 			if err == nil {
+				snapshotLoaded = true
 				level.Info(h.logger).Log("msg", "Chunk snapshot loading time", "duration", time.Since(start).String())
 			}
 			if err != nil {
@@ -636,26 +638,36 @@ func (h *Head) Init(minValidTime int64) error {
 	}
 
 	mmapChunkReplayStart := time.Now()
-	mmappedChunks, oooMmappedChunks, lastMmapRef, err := h.loadMmappedChunks(refSeries)
-	if err != nil {
-		// TODO(codesome): clear out all m-map chunks here for refSeries.
-		level.Error(h.logger).Log("msg", "Loading on-disk chunks failed", "err", err)
-		if _, ok := errors.Cause(err).(*chunks.CorruptionErr); ok {
-			h.metrics.mmapChunkCorruptionTotal.Inc()
-		}
-
-		// Discard snapshot data since we need to replay the WAL for the missed m-map chunks data.
-		snapIdx, snapOffset = -1, 0
-
-		// If this fails, data will be recovered from WAL.
-		// Hence we wont lose any data (given WAL is not corrupt).
-		mmappedChunks, oooMmappedChunks, lastMmapRef, err = h.removeCorruptedMmappedChunks(err)
+	var (
+		mmappedChunks    map[chunks.HeadSeriesRef][]*mmappedChunk
+		oooMmappedChunks map[chunks.HeadSeriesRef][]*mmappedChunk
+		lastMmapRef      chunks.ChunkDiskMapperRef
+		err              error
+	)
+	if snapshotLoaded || h.wal != nil {
+		// If snapshot was not loaded and if there is no WAL, then m-map chunks will be discarded
+		// anyway. So we only load m-map chunks when it won't be discarded.
+		mmappedChunks, oooMmappedChunks, lastMmapRef, err = h.loadMmappedChunks(refSeries)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			// TODO(codesome): clear out all m-map chunks here for refSeries.
+			level.Error(h.logger).Log("msg", "Loading on-disk chunks failed", "err", err)
+			if _, ok := errors.Cause(err).(*chunks.CorruptionErr); ok {
+				h.metrics.mmapChunkCorruptionTotal.Inc()
+			}
+
+			// Discard snapshot data since we need to replay the WAL for the missed m-map chunks data.
+			snapIdx, snapOffset = -1, 0
+
+			// If this fails, data will be recovered from WAL.
+			// Hence we wont lose any data (given WAL is not corrupt).
+			mmappedChunks, oooMmappedChunks, lastMmapRef, err = h.removeCorruptedMmappedChunks(err)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
+		level.Info(h.logger).Log("msg", "On-disk memory mappable chunks replay completed", "duration", time.Since(mmapChunkReplayStart).String())
 	}
 
-	level.Info(h.logger).Log("msg", "On-disk memory mappable chunks replay completed", "duration", time.Since(mmapChunkReplayStart).String())
 	if h.wal == nil {
 		level.Info(h.logger).Log("msg", "WAL not found")
 		return nil