diff --git a/contracts/staking/contracts/src/staking_pools/MixinStakingPoolRewards.sol b/contracts/staking/contracts/src/staking_pools/MixinStakingPoolRewards.sol
index 3b78364784..bf0af0b4b8 100644
--- a/contracts/staking/contracts/src/staking_pools/MixinStakingPoolRewards.sol
+++ b/contracts/staking/contracts/src/staking_pools/MixinStakingPoolRewards.sol
@@ -232,19 +232,13 @@ contract MixinStakingPoolRewards is
         view
         returns (uint256 reward)
     {
-        // There can be no rewards in epoch 0 because there is no delegated
-        // stake.
-        uint256 _currentEpoch = currentEpoch;
-        if (_currentEpoch == 0) {
-            return 0;
-        }
-
+        uint256 currentEpoch_ = currentEpoch;
         IStructs.StoredBalance memory delegatedStake = _delegatedStakeToPoolByOwner[member][poolId];
 
         // There can be no rewards if the last epoch when stake was stored is
         // equal to the current epoch, because all prior rewards, including
         // rewards finalized this epoch have been claimed.
-        if (delegatedStake.currentEpoch == _currentEpoch) {
+        if (delegatedStake.currentEpoch == currentEpoch_) {
             return 0;
         }
 
@@ -253,7 +247,7 @@ contract MixinStakingPoolRewards is
         // 1/3 Unfinalized rewards earned in `currentEpoch - 1`.
         reward = _computeUnfinalizedDelegatorReward(
             delegatedStake,
-            _currentEpoch,
+            currentEpoch_,
             unfinalizedMembersReward,
             unfinalizedMembersStake
         );
@@ -275,7 +269,7 @@ contract MixinStakingPoolRewards is
                 poolId,
                 delegatedStake.nextEpochBalance,
                 delegatedStakeNextEpoch,
-                _currentEpoch
+                currentEpoch_
             )
         );
 
diff --git a/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinFinalizer.sol b/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinFinalizer.sol
index 18e4465b44..f6808d72bf 100644
--- a/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinFinalizer.sol
+++ b/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinFinalizer.sol
@@ -99,12 +99,6 @@ contract MixinFinalizer is
     function finalizePool(bytes32 poolId)
         public
     {
-        // Noop on epoch 0
-        uint256 currentEpoch_ = currentEpoch;
-        if (currentEpoch_ == 0) {
-            return;
-        }
-
         // Load the finalization and pool state into memory.
         IStructs.UnfinalizedState memory state = unfinalizedState;
 
@@ -113,6 +107,7 @@ contract MixinFinalizer is
             return;
         }
 
+        uint256 currentEpoch_ = currentEpoch;
         uint256 prevEpoch = currentEpoch_.safeSub(1);
         IStructs.ActivePool memory pool = _getActivePoolFromEpoch(prevEpoch, poolId);
 
@@ -182,12 +177,10 @@ contract MixinFinalizer is
             uint256 membersStake
         )
     {
-        uint256 epoch = currentEpoch;
-        // There are no pools to finalize at epoch 0.
-        if (epoch == 0) {
-            return (0, 0);
-        }
-        IStructs.ActivePool memory pool = _getActivePoolFromEpoch(epoch - 1, poolId);
+        IStructs.ActivePool memory pool = _getActivePoolFromEpoch(
+            currentEpoch.safeSub(1),
+            poolId
+        );
         reward = _getUnfinalizedPoolRewardsFromState(pool, unfinalizedState);
         membersStake = pool.membersStake;
     }
diff --git a/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinScheduler.sol b/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinScheduler.sol
index 90f76c22f9..0c52978c03 100644
--- a/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinScheduler.sol
+++ b/contracts/staking/contracts/src/sys/MixinScheduler.sol
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ contract MixinScheduler is
 
         // solhint-disable-next-line
         currentEpochStartTimeInSeconds = block.timestamp;
+        currentEpoch = 1;
     }
 
     /// @dev Moves to the next epoch, given the current epoch period has ended.