diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java
index 62a217f7214..b448f09ccb3 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerBuilder.java
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ public BesuController build() {
             ethContext,
             clock,
             metricsSystem,
-            syncState,
+            syncState::isInitialSyncPhaseDone,
             miningParameters,
             transactionPoolConfiguration);
 
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/services/BesuEventsImplTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/services/BesuEventsImplTest.java
index 93a1e75b309..969c84ba20f 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/services/BesuEventsImplTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/services/BesuEventsImplTest.java
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ public void setUp() {
             mockEthContext,
             TestClock.fixed(),
             new NoOpMetricsSystem(),
-            syncState,
+            syncState::isInitialSyncPhaseDone,
             new MiningParameters.Builder().minTransactionGasPrice(Wei.ZERO).build(),
             txPoolConfig);
 
diff --git a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/transaction/TransactionInvalidReason.java b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/transaction/TransactionInvalidReason.java
index 002e7b11391..f25a8ff5cbc 100644
--- a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/transaction/TransactionInvalidReason.java
+++ b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/transaction/TransactionInvalidReason.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public enum TransactionInvalidReason {
   INTRINSIC_GAS_EXCEEDS_GAS_LIMIT,
   EXCEEDS_BLOCK_GAS_LIMIT,
   TX_SENDER_NOT_AUTHORIZED,
+  CHAIN_HEAD_NOT_AVAILABLE,
   CHAIN_HEAD_WORLD_STATE_NOT_AVAILABLE,
   EXCEEDS_PER_TRANSACTION_GAS_LIMIT,
   INVALID_TRANSACTION_FORMAT,
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor.java
index 2f24c7f0a70..e69dbcf8943 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.manager.EthPeer;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.manager.task.BufferedGetPooledTransactionsFromPeerFetcher;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.messages.NewPooledTransactionHashesMessage;
-import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.state.SyncState;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.p2p.rlpx.wire.messages.DisconnectMessage.DisconnectReason;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.rlp.RLPException;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.metrics.BesuMetricCategory;
@@ -34,6 +33,7 @@
 import java.time.Instant;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ public class NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor {
   private final TransactionPoolConfiguration transactionPoolConfiguration;
   private final EthContext ethContext;
   private final MetricsSystem metricsSystem;
+  private final Supplier<Boolean> shouldProcessMessages;
 
   public NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor(
       final PeerTransactionTracker transactionTracker,
@@ -62,12 +63,13 @@ public NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor(
       final TransactionPoolConfiguration transactionPoolConfiguration,
       final EthContext ethContext,
       final MetricsSystem metricsSystem,
-      final SyncState syncState) {
+      final Supplier<Boolean> shouldProcessMessages) {
     this.transactionTracker = transactionTracker;
     this.transactionPool = transactionPool;
     this.transactionPoolConfiguration = transactionPoolConfiguration;
     this.ethContext = ethContext;
     this.metricsSystem = metricsSystem;
+    this.shouldProcessMessages = shouldProcessMessages;
     this.totalSkippedNewPooledTransactionHashesMessageCounter =
         new RunnableCounter(
             metricsSystem.createCounter(
@@ -108,25 +110,26 @@ private void processNewPooledTransactionHashesMessage(
           incomingTransactionHashes::size,
           incomingTransactionHashes::toString);
 
-      final BufferedGetPooledTransactionsFromPeerFetcher bufferedTask =
-          scheduledTasks.computeIfAbsent(
-              peer,
-              ethPeer -> {
-                ethContext
-                    .getScheduler()
-                    .scheduleFutureTask(
-                        new FetcherCreatorTask(peer),
-                        transactionPoolConfiguration.getEth65TrxAnnouncedBufferingPeriod());
-
-                return new BufferedGetPooledTransactionsFromPeerFetcher(
-                    ethContext, peer, transactionPool, transactionTracker, metricsSystem);
-              });
-
-      bufferedTask.addHashes(
-          incomingTransactionHashes.stream()
-              .filter(hash -> transactionPool.getTransactionByHash(hash).isEmpty())
-              .collect(Collectors.toList()));
-
+      if (shouldProcessMessages.get()) {
+        final BufferedGetPooledTransactionsFromPeerFetcher bufferedTask =
+            scheduledTasks.computeIfAbsent(
+                peer,
+                ethPeer -> {
+                  ethContext
+                      .getScheduler()
+                      .scheduleFutureTask(
+                          new FetcherCreatorTask(peer),
+                          transactionPoolConfiguration.getEth65TrxAnnouncedBufferingPeriod());
+
+                  return new BufferedGetPooledTransactionsFromPeerFetcher(
+                      ethContext, peer, transactionPool, transactionTracker, metricsSystem);
+                });
+
+        bufferedTask.addHashes(
+            incomingTransactionHashes.stream()
+                .filter(hash -> transactionPool.getTransactionByHash(hash).isEmpty())
+                .collect(Collectors.toList()));
+      }
     } catch (final RLPException ex) {
       if (peer != null) {
         LOG.debug(
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPool.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPool.java
index 8a68db9c8b1..e94d34f2c22 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPool.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPool.java
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@
 import static java.util.Collections.singletonList;
 import static java.util.Optional.ofNullable;
 import static org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.sorter.AbstractPendingTransactionsSorter.TransactionAddedStatus.ADDED;
+import static org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.transaction.TransactionInvalidReason.CHAIN_HEAD_NOT_AVAILABLE;
 import static org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.transaction.TransactionInvalidReason.CHAIN_HEAD_WORLD_STATE_NOT_AVAILABLE;
+import static org.hyperledger.besu.util.Slf4jLambdaHelper.traceLambda;
 
 import org.hyperledger.besu.datatypes.Hash;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.datatypes.Wei;
@@ -213,7 +215,16 @@ private ValidationResult<TransactionInvalidReason> validateRemoteTransaction(
 
   private ValidationResult<TransactionInvalidReason> validateTransaction(
       final Transaction transaction, final boolean isLocal) {
-    final BlockHeader chainHeadBlockHeader = getChainHeadBlockHeader();
+
+    final BlockHeader chainHeadBlockHeader = getChainHeadBlockHeader().orElse(null);
+    if (chainHeadBlockHeader == null) {
+      traceLambda(
+          LOG,
+          "rejecting transaction {} due to chain head not available yet",
+          () -> transaction.getHash());
+      return ValidationResult.invalid(CHAIN_HEAD_NOT_AVAILABLE);
+    }
+
     final FeeMarket feeMarket =
         protocolSchedule.getByBlockNumber(chainHeadBlockHeader.getNumber()).getFeeMarket();
 
@@ -291,17 +302,20 @@ public Optional<Transaction> getTransactionByHash(final Hash hash) {
     return pendingTransactions.getTransactionByHash(hash);
   }
 
-  private BlockHeader getChainHeadBlockHeader() {
+  private Optional<BlockHeader> getChainHeadBlockHeader() {
     final MutableBlockchain blockchain = protocolContext.getBlockchain();
-    return blockchain.getBlockHeader(blockchain.getChainHeadHash()).get();
+    return blockchain.getBlockHeader(blockchain.getChainHeadHash());
   }
 
   private Wei minTransactionGasPrice(final Transaction transaction) {
-    final BlockHeader chainHeadBlockHeader = getChainHeadBlockHeader();
-    return protocolSchedule
-        .getByBlockNumber(chainHeadBlockHeader.getNumber())
-        .getFeeMarket()
-        .minTransactionPriceInNextBlock(transaction, chainHeadBlockHeader::getBaseFee);
+    return getChainHeadBlockHeader()
+        .map(
+            chainHeadBlockHeader ->
+                protocolSchedule
+                    .getByBlockNumber(chainHeadBlockHeader.getNumber())
+                    .getFeeMarket()
+                    .minTransactionPriceInNextBlock(transaction, chainHeadBlockHeader::getBaseFee))
+        .orElse(Wei.ZERO);
   }
 
   public interface TransactionBatchAddedListener {
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactory.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactory.java
index 6d9b0ae6bea..876751183bf 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactory.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactory.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.manager.EthContext;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.messages.EthPV62;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.messages.EthPV65;
-import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.state.SyncState;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.sorter.AbstractPendingTransactionsSorter;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.sorter.BaseFeePendingTransactionsSorter;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.sorter.GasPricePendingTransactionsSorter;
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.plugin.services.MetricsSystem;
 
 import java.time.Clock;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
 
 public class TransactionPoolFactory {
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public static TransactionPool createTransactionPool(
       final EthContext ethContext,
       final Clock clock,
       final MetricsSystem metricsSystem,
-      final SyncState syncState,
+      final Supplier<Boolean> shouldProcessTransactions,
       final MiningParameters miningParameters,
       final TransactionPoolConfiguration transactionPoolConfiguration) {
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public static TransactionPool createTransactionPool(
         protocolContext,
         ethContext,
         metricsSystem,
-        syncState,
+        shouldProcessTransactions,
         miningParameters,
         transactionPoolConfiguration,
         pendingTransactions,
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ static TransactionPool createTransactionPool(
       final ProtocolContext protocolContext,
       final EthContext ethContext,
       final MetricsSystem metricsSystem,
-      final SyncState syncState,
+      final Supplier<Boolean> shouldProcessTransactions,
       final MiningParameters miningParameters,
       final TransactionPoolConfiguration transactionPoolConfiguration,
       final AbstractPendingTransactionsSorter pendingTransactions,
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ static TransactionPool createTransactionPool(
                 transactionPoolConfiguration,
                 ethContext,
                 metricsSystem,
-                syncState),
+                shouldProcessTransactions),
             transactionPoolConfiguration.getTxMessageKeepAliveSeconds());
     ethContext
         .getEthMessages()
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java
index 8d67d051d7a..ac75104baf7 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.messages.ReceiptsMessage;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.messages.StatusMessage;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.messages.TransactionsMessage;
-import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.state.SyncState;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPool;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPoolConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPoolFactory;
@@ -1027,7 +1026,7 @@ public void transactionMessagesGoToTheCorrectExecutor() {
           ethManager.ethContext(),
           TestClock.fixed(),
           metricsSystem,
-          mock(SyncState.class),
+          () -> true,
           new MiningParameters.Builder().minTransactionGasPrice(Wei.ZERO).build(),
           TransactionPoolConfiguration.DEFAULT);
 
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/ethtaskutils/AbstractMessageTaskTest.java b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/ethtaskutils/AbstractMessageTaskTest.java
index 67e188311fb..53168cc400a 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/ethtaskutils/AbstractMessageTaskTest.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/ethtaskutils/AbstractMessageTaskTest.java
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public void setupTest() {
             ethContext,
             TestClock.fixed(),
             metricsSystem,
-            syncState,
+            syncState::isInitialSyncPhaseDone,
             new MiningParameters.Builder().minTransactionGasPrice(Wei.ONE).build(),
             TransactionPoolConfiguration.DEFAULT);
     ethProtocolManager =
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessorTest.java b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessorTest.java
index 9c8805b7e74..3545824c0a7 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessorTest.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessorTest.java
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ public class NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessorTest {
   @Mock private TransactionPoolConfiguration transactionPoolConfiguration;
   @Mock private PeerTransactionTracker transactionTracker;
   @Mock private EthPeer peer1;
-  @Mock private SyncState syncState;
   @Mock private EthContext ethContext;
   @Mock private EthScheduler ethScheduler;
+  @Mock private SyncState syncState;
 
   private final BlockDataGenerator generator = new BlockDataGenerator();
   private final Hash hash1 = generator.transaction().getHash();
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public void setup() {
     metricsSystem = new StubMetricsSystem();
     when(transactionPoolConfiguration.getEth65TrxAnnouncedBufferingPeriod())
         .thenReturn(Duration.ofMillis(500));
-
+    when(syncState.isInitialSyncPhaseDone()).thenReturn(true);
     messageHandler =
         new NewPooledTransactionHashesMessageProcessor(
             transactionTracker,
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public void setup() {
             transactionPoolConfiguration,
             ethContext,
             metricsSystem,
-            syncState);
+            syncState::isInitialSyncPhaseDone);
     when(ethContext.getScheduler()).thenReturn(ethScheduler);
   }
 
@@ -187,4 +187,17 @@ public void shouldNotScheduleGetPooledTransactionsTaskTwice() {
     verify(ethScheduler, times(1))
         .scheduleFutureTask(any(FetcherCreatorTask.class), any(Duration.class));
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldNotAddTransactionsWhenDisabled() {
+
+    when(syncState.isInitialSyncPhaseDone()).thenReturn(false);
+    messageHandler.processNewPooledTransactionHashesMessage(
+        peer1,
+        NewPooledTransactionHashesMessage.create(asList(hash1, hash2, hash3)),
+        now(),
+        ofMinutes(1));
+
+    verifyNoInteractions(transactionPool);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TestNode.java b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TestNode.java
index 82105b5f228..3af8cc7afbc 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TestNode.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TestNode.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public TestNode(
             ethContext,
             TestClock.fixed(),
             metricsSystem,
-            syncState,
+            syncState::isInitialSyncPhaseDone,
             new MiningParameters.Builder().minTransactionGasPrice(Wei.ZERO).build(),
             TransactionPoolConfiguration.DEFAULT);
 
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactoryTest.java b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactoryTest.java
index 347659a87cd..0a8f3c1f3af 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactoryTest.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/transactions/TransactionPoolFactoryTest.java
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.manager.EthScheduler;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.manager.ForkIdManager;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.manager.RespondingEthPeer;
-import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.state.SyncState;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.sorter.GasPricePendingTransactionsSorter;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.ProtocolSchedule;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.p2p.rlpx.wire.messages.DisconnectMessage;
@@ -70,7 +69,6 @@ public void testDisconnect() {
     when(ethContext.getEthPeers()).thenReturn(ethPeers);
     final EthScheduler ethScheduler = mock(EthScheduler.class);
     when(ethContext.getScheduler()).thenReturn(ethScheduler);
-    final SyncState state = mock(SyncState.class);
     final GasPricePendingTransactionsSorter pendingTransactions =
         mock(GasPricePendingTransactionsSorter.class);
     final PeerTransactionTracker peerTransactionTracker = mock(PeerTransactionTracker.class);
@@ -85,7 +83,7 @@ public void testDisconnect() {
             context,
             ethContext,
             new NoOpMetricsSystem(),
-            state,
+            () -> true,
             new MiningParameters.Builder().minTransactionGasPrice(Wei.ONE).build(),
             ImmutableTransactionPoolConfiguration.of(
                 1,
diff --git a/ethereum/retesteth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/retesteth/RetestethContext.java b/ethereum/retesteth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/retesteth/RetestethContext.java
index 196ae5680e9..130c010f380 100644
--- a/ethereum/retesteth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/retesteth/RetestethContext.java
+++ b/ethereum/retesteth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/retesteth/RetestethContext.java
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ private boolean buildContext(
             ethContext,
             retestethClock,
             metricsSystem,
-            syncState,
+            syncState::isInitialSyncPhaseDone,
             new MiningParameters.Builder().minTransactionGasPrice(Wei.ZERO).build(),
             transactionPoolConfiguration);