diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index f20f70436..b8e7ac504 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -247,6 +247,18 @@ func NewTerraApp(
 	app.SetPostHandler(postHandler)
 	app.SetEndBlocker(app.EndBlocker)
 
+	// must be before Loading version
+	// requires the snapshot store to be created and registered as a BaseAppOption
+	// see cmd/wasmd/root.go: 206 - 214 approx
+	if manager := app.SnapshotManager(); manager != nil {
+		err := manager.RegisterExtensions(
+			wasmkeeper.NewWasmSnapshotter(app.CommitMultiStore(), &app.WasmKeeper),
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(fmt.Errorf("failed to register snapshot extension: %s", err))
+		}
+	}
+
 	if loadLatest {
 		if err := app.LoadLatestVersion(); err != nil {
 			tmos.Exit(err.Error())