ipc mining: Prevent ``Assertion `m_node.chainman' failed`` errors on early startup

diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 9d7c76a8..6a6e7a92 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1207,7 +1207,9 @@ bool AppInitLockDirectories()
 bool AppInitInterfaces(NodeContext& node)
 {
     node.chain = interfaces::MakeChain(node);
-    node.mining = interfaces::MakeMining(node);
+    // Specify wait_loaded=false so internal mining interface can be initialized
+    // on early startup and does not need to be tied to chainstate loading.
+    node.mining = interfaces::MakeMining(node, /*wait_loaded=*/false);
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/interfaces/mining.h b/src/interfaces/mining.h
index 72cc0bcb..f4c42e20 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/mining.h
+++ b/src/interfaces/mining.h
@@ -160,7 +160,11 @@ public:
 };
 
 //! Return implementation of Mining interface.
-std::unique_ptr<Mining> MakeMining(node::NodeContext& node);
+//!
+//! @param[in] wait_loaded waits for chainstate data to be loaded before
+//!                        returning. Used to prevent external clients from
+//!                        being able to crash the node during startup.
+std::unique_ptr<Mining> MakeMining(node::NodeContext& node, bool wait_loaded=true);
 
 } // namespace interfaces
 
diff --git a/src/node/interfaces.cpp b/src/node/interfaces.cpp
index afcaeb20..6c61b210 100644
--- a/src/node/interfaces.cpp
+++ b/src/node/interfaces.cpp
@@ -1017,5 +1017,17 @@ public:
 namespace interfaces {
 std::unique_ptr<Node> MakeNode(node::NodeContext& context) { return std::make_unique<node::NodeImpl>(context); }
 std::unique_ptr<Chain> MakeChain(node::NodeContext& context) { return std::make_unique<node::ChainImpl>(context); }
-std::unique_ptr<Mining> MakeMining(node::NodeContext& context) { return std::make_unique<node::MinerImpl>(context); }
+std::unique_ptr<Mining> MakeMining(node::NodeContext& context, bool wait_loaded)
+{
+    if (wait_loaded) {
+        node::KernelNotifications& kernel_notifications(*Assert(context.notifications));
+        util::SignalInterrupt& interrupt(*Assert(context.shutdown_signal));
+        WAIT_LOCK(kernel_notifications.m_tip_block_mutex, lock);
+        kernel_notifications.m_tip_block_cv.wait(lock, [&]() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(kernel_notifications.m_tip_block_mutex) {
+            return kernel_notifications.m_state.chainstate_loaded || interrupt;
+        });
+        if (interrupt) return nullptr;
+    }
+    return std::make_unique<node::MinerImpl>(context);
+}
 } // namespace interfaces
diff --git a/src/test/miner_tests.cpp b/src/test/miner_tests.cpp
index 7f05e4e9..0ae8e538 100644
--- a/src/test/miner_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/miner_tests.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ struct MinerTestingSetup : public TestingSetup {
     }
     std::unique_ptr<Mining> MakeMining()
     {
-        return interfaces::MakeMining(m_node);
+        return interfaces::MakeMining(m_node, /*wait_loaded=*/false);
     }
 };
 } // namespace miner_tests
diff --git a/src/test/testnet4_miner_tests.cpp b/src/test/testnet4_miner_tests.cpp
index 614d2fd6..d0aeebe0 100644
--- a/src/test/testnet4_miner_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/testnet4_miner_tests.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace testnet4_miner_tests {
 struct Testnet4MinerTestingSetup : public Testnet4Setup {
     std::unique_ptr<Mining> MakeMining()
     {
-        return interfaces::MakeMining(m_node);
+        return interfaces::MakeMining(m_node, /*wait_loaded=*/false);
     }
 };
 } // namespace testnet4_miner_tests
diff --git a/test/functional/interface_ipc_mining.py b/test/functional/interface_ipc_mining.py
index 5095583a..b741beeb 100755
--- a/test/functional/interface_ipc_mining.py
+++ b/test/functional/interface_ipc_mining.py
@@ -147,6 +147,34 @@ class IPCMiningTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         asyncio.run(capnp.run(async_routine()))
 
+    def run_early_startup_test(self):
+        """Make sure mining.createNewBlock safely returns on early startup as
+        soon as mining interface is available """
+        self.log.info("Running Mining interface early startup test")
+
+        node = self.nodes[0]
+        self.stop_node(node.index)
+        node.start()
+
+        async def async_routine():
+            while True:
+                try:
+                    ctx, mining = await self.make_mining_ctx()
+                    break
+                except (ConnectionRefusedError, FileNotFoundError):
+                    # Poll quickly to connect as soon as socket becomes
+                    # available but without using a lot of CPU
+                    await asyncio.sleep(0.005)
+
+            opts = self.capnp_modules['mining'].BlockCreateOptions()
+            await mining.createNewBlock(ctx, opts)
+
+        asyncio.run(capnp.run(async_routine()))
+
+        # Reconnect nodes so next tests are happy
+        node.wait_for_rpc_connection()
+        self.connect_nodes(1, 0)
+
     def run_block_template_test(self):
         """Test BlockTemplate interface methods."""
         self.log.info("Running BlockTemplate interface test")
@@ -374,6 +402,7 @@ class IPCMiningTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.miniwallet = MiniWallet(self.nodes[0])
         self.default_block_create_options = self.capnp_modules['mining'].BlockCreateOptions()
         self.run_mining_interface_test()
+        self.run_early_startup_test()
         self.run_block_template_test()
         self.run_coinbase_and_submission_test()
         self.run_ipc_option_override_test()