diff --git a/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs b/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs
index d7af22926c8885..b64cbcddeb6240 100644
--- a/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs
+++ b/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs
@@ -1725,7 +1725,7 @@ fn process_next_slots(
     blockstore: &Blockstore,
     leader_schedule_cache: &LeaderScheduleCache,
     pending_slots: &mut Vec<(SlotMeta, Bank, Hash)>,
-    halt_at_slot: Option<Slot>,
+    opts: &ProcessOptions,
 ) -> result::Result<(), BlockstoreProcessorError> {
     if meta.next_slots.is_empty() {
         return Ok(());
@@ -1733,7 +1733,13 @@ fn process_next_slots(
 
     // This is a fork point if there are multiple children, create a new child bank for each fork
     for next_slot in &meta.next_slots {
-        if halt_at_slot.is_some_and(|halt_at_slot| *next_slot > halt_at_slot) {
+        if opts
+            .halt_at_slot
+            .is_some_and(|halt_at_slot| *next_slot > halt_at_slot)
+        {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if !opts.allow_dead_slots && blockstore.is_dead(*next_slot) {
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -1812,7 +1818,7 @@ fn load_frozen_forks(
         blockstore,
         leader_schedule_cache,
         &mut pending_slots,
-        opts.halt_at_slot,
+        opts,
     )?;
 
     let on_halt_store_hash_raw_data_for_debug = opts.on_halt_store_hash_raw_data_for_debug;
@@ -1991,7 +1997,7 @@ fn load_frozen_forks(
                 blockstore,
                 leader_schedule_cache,
                 &mut pending_slots,
-                opts.halt_at_slot,
+                opts,
             )?;
         }
     } else if on_halt_store_hash_raw_data_for_debug {