diff --git a/data/sql/updates/pending_db_world/remove-fake-dk-levelstats.sql b/data/sql/updates/pending_db_world/remove-fake-dk-levelstats.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a432dc681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/sql/updates/pending_db_world/remove-fake-dk-levelstats.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+DELETE FROM `player_class_stats` WHERE `class` = 6 AND `level` < 55;
+DELETE FROM `player_classlevelstats` WHERE `class` = 6 AND `level` < 55;
diff --git a/src/server/game/Globals/ObjectMgr.cpp b/src/server/game/Globals/ObjectMgr.cpp
index f95ed05ad..70cd22535 100644
--- a/src/server/game/Globals/ObjectMgr.cpp
+++ b/src/server/game/Globals/ObjectMgr.cpp
@@ -3992,7 +3992,7 @@ void ObjectMgr::LoadPlayerInfo()
             PlayerClassInfo* pClassInfo = _playerClassInfo[class_];
 
             // fatal error if no level 1 data
-            if (!pClassInfo->levelInfo || pClassInfo->levelInfo[0].basehealth == 0)
+            if (!pClassInfo->levelInfo || (pClassInfo->levelInfo[sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_START_PLAYER_LEVEL) - 1].basehealth == 0 && class_ != CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT) || (pClassInfo->levelInfo[sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_START_HEROIC_PLAYER_LEVEL) - 1].basehealth == 0 && class_ == CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT))
             {
                 LOG_ERROR("sql.sql", "Class {} Level 1 does not have health/mana data!", class_);
                 exit(1);
@@ -4001,7 +4001,7 @@ void ObjectMgr::LoadPlayerInfo()
             // fill level gaps
             for (uint8 level = 1; level < sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_MAX_PLAYER_LEVEL); ++level)
             {
-                if (pClassInfo->levelInfo[level].basehealth == 0)
+                if ((pClassInfo->levelInfo[level].basehealth == 0 && class_ != CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT) || (level >= sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_START_HEROIC_PLAYER_LEVEL) && pClassInfo->levelInfo[level].basehealth == 0 && class_ == CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT))
                 {
                     LOG_ERROR("sql.sql", "Class {} Level {} does not have health/mana data. Using stats data of level {}.", class_, level + 1, level);
                     pClassInfo->levelInfo[level] = pClassInfo->levelInfo[level - 1];
@@ -4126,16 +4126,16 @@ void ObjectMgr::LoadPlayerInfo()
                     continue;
 
                 // fatal error if no level 1 data
-                if (!info->levelInfo || info->levelInfo[0].stats[0] == 0)
+                if (!info->levelInfo || (info->levelInfo[sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_START_PLAYER_LEVEL) - 1].stats[0] == 0 && class_ != CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT) || (info->levelInfo[sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_START_HEROIC_PLAYER_LEVEL) - 1].stats[0] == 0 && class_ == CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT))
                 {
-                    LOG_ERROR("sql.sql", "Race {} Class {} Level 1 does not have stats data!", race, class_);
+                    LOG_ERROR("sql.sql", "Race {} Class {} initial level does not have stats data!", race, class_);
                     exit(1);
                 }
 
                 // fill level gaps
                 for (uint8 level = 1; level < sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_MAX_PLAYER_LEVEL); ++level)
                 {
-                    if (info->levelInfo[level].stats[0] == 0)
+                    if ((info->levelInfo[level].stats[0] == 0 && class_ != CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT) || (level >= sWorld->getIntConfig(CONFIG_START_HEROIC_PLAYER_LEVEL) && info->levelInfo[level].stats[0] == 0 && class_ == CLASS_DEATH_KNIGHT))
                     {
                         LOG_ERROR("sql.sql", "Race {} Class {} Level {} does not have stats data. Using stats data of level {}.", race, class_, level + 1, level);
                         info->levelInfo[level] = info->levelInfo[level - 1];