diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index b4541559c..90baed9ee 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -611,6 +611,12 @@ void loadServerConfigFromString(char *config) {
         goto loaderr;
     }
 
+    /* in case cluster mode is enabled dbnum must be 1 */
+    if (server.cluster_enabled && server.dbnum > 1) {
+        serverLog(LL_WARNING, "WARNING: Changing databases number from %d to 1 since we are in cluster mode", server.dbnum);
+        server.dbnum = 1;
+    }
+
     /* To ensure backward compatibility and work while hz is out of range */
     if (server.config_hz < CONFIG_MIN_HZ) server.config_hz = CONFIG_MIN_HZ;
     if (server.config_hz > CONFIG_MAX_HZ) server.config_hz = CONFIG_MAX_HZ;
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index eaad37c07..f01e7382d 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -7202,12 +7202,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         aofOpenIfNeededOnServerStart();
         aofDelHistoryFiles();
         if (server.cluster_enabled) {
-            if (verifyClusterConfigWithData() == C_ERR) {
-                serverLog(LL_WARNING,
-                    "You can't have keys in a DB different than DB 0 when in "
-                    "Cluster mode. Exiting.");
-                exit(1);
-            }
+            serverAssert(verifyClusterConfigWithData() == C_OK);
         }
 
         for (j = 0; j < CONN_TYPE_MAX; j++) {