diff --git a/lightningd/build_utxos.c b/lightningd/build_utxos.c
index 0e0f41ef0..532c607bd 100644
--- a/lightningd/build_utxos.c
+++ b/lightningd/build_utxos.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static void json_newaddr(struct command *cmd,
 	ripemd160(&p2sh, h.u.u8, sizeof(h));
 
 	ld->bip32_max_index++;
+	db_set_intvar(ld->wallet->db, "bip32_max_index", ld->bip32_max_index);
 
 	json_object_start(response, NULL);
 	json_add_string(response, "address",
diff --git a/lightningd/lightningd.c b/lightningd/lightningd.c
index 48d84d86d..cf62978c9 100644
--- a/lightningd/lightningd.c
+++ b/lightningd/lightningd.c
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* Initialize wallet, now that we are in the correct directory */
 	ld->wallet = wallet_new(ld, ld->log);
 
+	ld->bip32_max_index = db_get_intvar(ld->wallet->db, "bip32_max_index", 0);
+
 	/* Mark ourselves live. */
 	log_info(ld->log, "Hello world from %s!", version());
 
diff --git a/wallet/db.c b/wallet/db.c
index 81b3c0314..4d3223251 100644
--- a/wallet/db.c
+++ b/wallet/db.c
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 
 #include "daemon/log.h"
 #include "lightningd/lightningd.h"
+
 #include <ccan/tal/str/str.h>
 #include <ccan/tal/tal.h>
+#include <inttypes.h>
 
 #define DB_FILE "lightningd.sqlite3"
 
@@ -230,3 +232,40 @@ struct db *db_setup(const tal_t *ctx)
 	}
 	return db;
 }
+
+s64 db_get_intvar(struct db *db, char *varname, s64 defval)
+{
+	int err;
+	s64 res = defval;
+	const unsigned char *stringvar;
+	sqlite3_stmt *stmt =
+	    db_query(__func__, db,
+		     "SELECT val FROM vars WHERE name='%s' LIMIT 1", varname);
+
+	if (!stmt)
+		return defval;
+
+	err = sqlite3_step(stmt);
+	if (err == SQLITE_ROW) {
+		stringvar = sqlite3_column_text(stmt, 0);
+		res = atol((const char *)stringvar);
+	}
+	sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
+	return res;
+}
+
+bool db_set_intvar(struct db *db, char *varname, s64 val)
+{
+	/* Attempt to update */
+	db_exec(__func__, db,
+		"UPDATE vars SET val='%" PRId64 "' WHERE name='%s';", val,
+		varname);
+	if (sqlite3_changes(db->sql) > 0)
+		return true;
+	else
+		return db_exec(
+		    __func__, db,
+		    "INSERT INTO vars (name, val) VALUES ('%s', '%" PRId64
+		    "');",
+		    varname, val);
+}
diff --git a/wallet/db.h b/wallet/db.h
index d0e01d6dd..3e39efe97 100644
--- a/wallet/db.h
+++ b/wallet/db.h
@@ -57,4 +57,20 @@ bool db_commit_transaction(struct db *db);
  */
 bool db_rollback_transaction(struct db *db);
 
+/**
+ * db_set_intvar - Set an integer variable in the database
+ *
+ * Utility function to store generic integer values in the
+ * database.
+ */
+bool db_set_intvar(struct db *db, char *varname, s64 val);
+
+/**
+ * db_get_intvar - Retrieve an integer variable from the database
+ *
+ * Either returns the value in the database, or @defval if
+ * the query failed or no such variable exists.
+ */
+s64 db_get_intvar(struct db *db, char *varname, s64 defval);
+
 #endif /* WALLET_DB_H */
diff --git a/wallet/db_tests.c b/wallet/db_tests.c
index 13d946f7e..0fb57d109 100644
--- a/wallet/db_tests.c
+++ b/wallet/db_tests.c
@@ -31,11 +31,34 @@ static bool test_empty_db_migrate(void)
 	return true;
 }
 
+static bool test_vars(void)
+{
+	struct db *db = create_test_db(__func__);
+	char *varname = "testvar";
+	CHECK(db);
+	CHECK(db_migrate(db));
+
+	/* Check default behavior */
+	CHECK(db_get_intvar(db, varname, 42) == 42);
+
+	/* Check setting and getting */
+	CHECK(db_set_intvar(db, varname, 1));
+	CHECK(db_get_intvar(db, varname, 42) == 1);
+
+	/* Check updating */
+	CHECK(db_set_intvar(db, varname, 2));
+	CHECK(db_get_intvar(db, varname, 42) == 2);
+
+	tal_free(db);
+	return true;
+}
+
 int main(void)
 {
 	bool ok = true;
 
 	ok &= test_empty_db_migrate();
+	ok &= test_vars();
 
 	return !ok;
 }