diff --git a/block/manager.go b/block/manager.go
index bb5195200..3f4f0a019 100644
--- a/block/manager.go
+++ b/block/manager.go
@@ -172,12 +172,12 @@ func (m *Manager) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("sync block manager from settlement: %w", err)
 	}
 	// check if sequencer in the middle of rotation
-	nextSeqAddr, err := m.MissingLastBatch()
+	nextSeqAddr, missing, err := m.MissingLastBatch()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("missing last batch: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("checking if missing last batch: %w", err)
 	}
 	// if sequencer is in the middle of rotation, complete rotation instead of running the main loop
-	if nextSeqAddr != "" {
+	if missing {
 		m.handleRotationReq(ctx, nextSeqAddr)
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/block/sequencers.go b/block/sequencers.go
index a3aa6a283..c7ae87e0b 100644
--- a/block/sequencers.go
+++ b/block/sequencers.go
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ func (m *Manager) MonitorSequencerRotation(ctx context.Context, rotateC chan str
 // for this case, the old proposer counts as "sequencer" as well, so he'll be able to submit the last state update.
 func (m *Manager) IsProposer() bool {
 	localProposerKey, _ := m.LocalKey.GetPublic().Raw()
-
 	l2Proposer := m.GetProposerPubKey().Bytes()
 
 	var expectedHubProposer []byte
@@ -70,22 +69,20 @@ func (m *Manager) IsProposer() bool {
 }
 
 // check rotation in progress (I'm the proposer, but needs to complete rotation)
-func (m *Manager) MissingLastBatch() (string, error) {
+func (m *Manager) MissingLastBatch() (string, bool, error) {
 	localProposerKey, _ := m.LocalKey.GetPublic().Raw()
 	next, err := m.SLClient.CheckRotationInProgress()
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+		return "", false, err
 	}
 	if next == nil {
-		return "", nil
+		return "", false, nil
 	}
 	// rotation in progress,
 	// check if we're the old proposer and needs to complete rotation
-	if !bytes.Equal(next.PublicKey.Bytes(), localProposerKey) {
-		return next.Address, nil
-	}
-
-	return "", nil
+	curr := m.SLClient.GetProposer()
+	isProposer := bytes.Equal(curr.PublicKey.Bytes(), localProposerKey)
+	return next.Address, isProposer, nil
 }
 
 // handleRotationReq completes the rotation flow once a signal is received from the SL
diff --git a/types/sequencer.go b/types/sequencer.go
index cd466c71a..776cdf9ff 100644
--- a/types/sequencer.go
+++ b/types/sequencer.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func (s *SequencerSet) SetProposer(proposer *types.Validator) {
 	s.ProposerHash = GetHash(proposer)
 
 	// Add proposer to bonded set if not already present
-	if !s.HasAddress(proposer.Address) {
+	if proposer != nil && !s.HasAddress(proposer.Address) {
 		s.Sequencers = append(s.Sequencers, proposer)
 	}
 }