diff --git a/mod/beacon/blockchain/process.go b/mod/beacon/blockchain/process.go
index 8c60e33975..17b6952241 100644
--- a/mod/beacon/blockchain/process.go
+++ b/mod/beacon/blockchain/process.go
@@ -126,10 +126,9 @@ func (s *Service[
 			// of validators in their process proposal call and thus
 			// the "verification aspect" of this NewPayload call is
 			// actually irrelevant at this point.
-			SkipPayloadVerification: false,
-
-			ProposerAddress: blk.GetProposerAddress(),
-			ConsensusTime:   blk.GetConsensusTime(),
+			SkipPayloadVerification: !blk.GetConsensusSyncing(),
+			ProposerAddress:         blk.GetProposerAddress(),
+			ConsensusTime:           blk.GetConsensusTime(),
 		},
 		st,
 		blk.GetBeaconBlock(),
diff --git a/mod/beacon/blockchain/types.go b/mod/beacon/blockchain/types.go
index 0338c68f70..8de5b5cefb 100644
--- a/mod/beacon/blockchain/types.go
+++ b/mod/beacon/blockchain/types.go
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ type ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT any] interface {
 	// GetConsensusTime returns the timestamp of current consensus request.
 	// It is used to build next payload and to validate currentpayload.
 	GetConsensusTime() math.U64
+
+	// GetConsensusSyncing signals whether consensus is working normally
+	// or is still syncing. In the former case we can skip execution payload
+	// verification on finalized blocks.
+	GetConsensusSyncing() bool
 }
 
 // BeaconBlock represents a beacon block interface.
diff --git a/mod/consensus/pkg/cometbft/service/middleware/abci.go b/mod/consensus/pkg/cometbft/service/middleware/abci.go
index b31ae16189..f71ab40ba9 100644
--- a/mod/consensus/pkg/cometbft/service/middleware/abci.go
+++ b/mod/consensus/pkg/cometbft/service/middleware/abci.go
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ func (h *ABCIMiddleware[
 		blk,
 		req.GetProposerAddress(),
 		req.GetTime(),
+		false, // ProcessProposal is not called during state sync
 	)
 	blkEvent := async.NewEvent(ctx, async.BeaconBlockReceived, consensusBlk)
 	if err = h.dispatcher.Publish(blkEvent); err != nil {
@@ -346,6 +347,11 @@ func (h *ABCIMiddleware[
 		blk,
 		req.GetProposerAddress(),
 		req.GetTime(),
+
+		// Finalize may be called while syncing. In such a case
+		// we must perform payload verification since block we do
+		// not verify block with ProcessBlock.
+		req.SyncingToHeight != req.Height,
 	)
 	blkEvent := async.NewEvent(
 		ctx,
diff --git a/mod/consensus/pkg/types/consensus_block.go b/mod/consensus/pkg/types/consensus_block.go
index 1ca6dc98c2..de31a56dd0 100644
--- a/mod/consensus/pkg/types/consensus_block.go
+++ b/mod/consensus/pkg/types/consensus_block.go
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ type ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT any] struct {
 
 	// some consensus data useful to build and verify the block
 	*commonConsensusData
+
+	isConsensusSyncing bool
 }
 
 // New creates a new ConsensusBlock instance.
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ func (b *ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT]) New(
 	beaconBlock BeaconBlockT,
 	proposerAddress []byte,
 	consensusTime time.Time,
+	isConsensusSyncing bool,
 ) *ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT] {
 	b = &ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT]{
 		blk: beaconBlock,
@@ -45,6 +48,7 @@ func (b *ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT]) New(
 			proposerAddress: proposerAddress,
 			consensusTime:   math.U64(consensusTime.Unix()),
 		},
+		isConsensusSyncing: isConsensusSyncing,
 	}
 	return b
 }
@@ -52,3 +56,7 @@ func (b *ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT]) New(
 func (b *ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT]) GetBeaconBlock() BeaconBlockT {
 	return b.blk
 }
+
+func (b *ConsensusBlock[BeaconBlockT]) GetConsensusSyncing() bool {
+	return b.isConsensusSyncing
+}
diff --git a/mod/node-core/pkg/components/interfaces.go b/mod/node-core/pkg/components/interfaces.go
index a5687910ba..00e91b565f 100644
--- a/mod/node-core/pkg/components/interfaces.go
+++ b/mod/node-core/pkg/components/interfaces.go
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ type (
 		// GetConsensusTime returns the timestamp of current consensus request.
 		// It is used to build next payload and to validate currentpayload.
 		GetConsensusTime() math.U64
+
+		// GetConsensusSyncing signals whether consensus is working normally
+		// or is still syncing. In the former case we can skip execution payload
+		// verification on finalized blocks.
+		GetConsensusSyncing() bool
 	}
 
 	// BeaconBlock represents a generic interface for a beacon block.