diff --git a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper.go b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper.go
index 9c30c8f252c..1a5cf96d7a5 100644
--- a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper.go
+++ b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper.go
@@ -649,14 +649,14 @@ func (k Keeper) SetPruningSequenceStart(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID strin
 }
 
 // GetPruningSequenceStart gets a channel's pruning sequence start from the store.
-func (k Keeper) GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID string) uint64 {
+func (k Keeper) GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID string) (uint64, bool) {
 	store := ctx.KVStore(k.storeKey)
 	bz := store.Get(host.PruningSequenceStartKey(portID, channelID))
 	if len(bz) == 0 {
-		return 0
+		return 0, false
 	}
 
-	return sdk.BigEndianToUint64(bz)
+	return sdk.BigEndianToUint64(bz), true
 }
 
 // HasPruningSequenceStart returns true if the pruning sequence start is set for the specified channel.
@@ -671,11 +671,10 @@ func (k Keeper) HasPruningSequenceStart(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID strin
 // Pruning sequence start keeps track of the packet ack/receipt that can be pruned next. When it reaches pruningSequenceEnd,
 // pruning is complete.
 func (k Keeper) PruneAcknowledgements(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID string, limit uint64) (uint64, uint64, error) {
-	if !k.HasPruningSequenceStart(ctx, portID, channelID) {
+	pruningSequenceStart, found := k.GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx, portID, channelID)
+	if !found {
 		return 0, 0, errorsmod.Wrapf(types.ErrPruningSequenceStartNotFound, "port ID (%s) channel ID (%s)", portID, channelID)
 	}
-
-	pruningSequenceStart := k.GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx, portID, channelID)
 	pruningSequenceEnd, found := k.GetPruningSequenceEnd(ctx, portID, channelID)
 	if !found {
 		return 0, 0, errorsmod.Wrapf(types.ErrPruningSequenceEndNotFound, "port ID (%s) channel ID (%s)", portID, channelID)
diff --git a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper_test.go b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper_test.go
index 93711a93065..588d1002de1 100644
--- a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper_test.go
+++ b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/keeper_test.go
@@ -559,7 +559,8 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestPruneAcknowledgements() {
 			receipts := suite.chainA.App.GetIBCKeeper().ChannelKeeper.GetAllPacketReceipts(suite.chainA.GetContext())
 			suite.Require().Len(receipts, int(expReceiptsLen))
 
-			start := suite.chainA.App.GetIBCKeeper().ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+			start, found := suite.chainA.App.GetIBCKeeper().ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+			suite.Require().True(found)
 			suite.Require().Equal(start, expPruningSequenceStart)
 		}
 	)
@@ -577,7 +578,8 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestPruneAcknowledgements() {
 			func() {},
 			func(pruned, left uint64) {
 				// Assert that PruneSequenceStart and PruneSequenceEnd are both set to 1.
-				start := suite.chainA.App.GetIBCKeeper().ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+				start, found := suite.chainA.App.GetIBCKeeper().ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+				suite.Require().True(found)
 				end, found := suite.chainA.App.GetIBCKeeper().ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceEnd(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
 				suite.Require().True(found)
 
diff --git a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go
index 5400a99e5ac..268980c8846 100644
--- a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go
+++ b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go
@@ -1515,8 +1515,8 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestWriteUpgradeOpenChannel_Ordering() {
 				suite.Require().Equal(uint64(1), seq)
 
 				// Assert that pruning sequence start has been initialized (set to 1)
-				suite.Require().True(suite.chainA.GetSimApp().IBCKeeper.ChannelKeeper.HasPruningSequenceStart(ctx, path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID))
-				pruningSeq := suite.chainA.GetSimApp().IBCKeeper.ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx, path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+				pruningSeq, found := suite.chainA.GetSimApp().IBCKeeper.ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx, path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+				suite.Require().True(found)
 				suite.Require().Equal(uint64(1), pruningSeq)
 
 				// Assert that pruning sequence end has been set correctly
@@ -1575,8 +1575,8 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestWriteUpgradeOpenChannel_Ordering() {
 				suite.Require().Equal(uint64(2), seq)
 
 				// Assert that pruning sequence start has been initialized (set to 1)
-				suite.Require().True(suite.chainA.GetSimApp().IBCKeeper.ChannelKeeper.HasPruningSequenceStart(ctx, path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID))
-				pruningSeq := suite.chainA.GetSimApp().IBCKeeper.ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx, path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+				pruningSeq, found := suite.chainA.GetSimApp().IBCKeeper.ChannelKeeper.GetPruningSequenceStart(ctx, path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
+				suite.Require().True(found)
 				suite.Require().Equal(uint64(1), pruningSeq)
 
 				// Assert that pruning sequence end has been set correctly