diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index d2115eca93..fad49c3a49 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -511,9 +511,6 @@ func (s *Ethereum) StartMining() error {
 			}
 			parlia.Authorize(eb, wallet.SignData, wallet.SignTx)
 		}
-		// If mining is started, we can disable the transaction rejection mechanism
-		// introduced to speed sync times.
-		s.handler.enableSyncedFeatures()
 
 		go s.miner.Start()
 	}
diff --git a/eth/handler.go b/eth/handler.go
index f4b51c574b..498021c863 100644
--- a/eth/handler.go
+++ b/eth/handler.go
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ type handler struct {
 
 	snapSync        atomic.Bool // Flag whether snap sync is enabled (gets disabled if we already have blocks)
 	synced          atomic.Bool // Flag whether we're considered synchronised (enables transaction processing)
+	acceptTxs       atomic.Bool
 	directBroadcast bool
 
 	database             ethdb.Database
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ func newHandler(config *handlerConfig) (*handler, error) {
 		return nil, errors.New("snap sync not supported with snapshots disabled")
 	}
 	// Construct the downloader (long sync)
-	h.downloader = downloader.New(config.Database, h.eventMux, h.chain, h.removePeer, h.enableSyncedFeatures)
+	h.downloader = downloader.New(config.Database, h.eventMux, h.chain, h.removePeer, nil)
 
 	// Construct the fetcher (short sync)
 	validator := func(header *types.Header) error {
@@ -978,6 +979,10 @@ func (h *handler) voteBroadcastLoop() {
 func (h *handler) enableSyncedFeatures() {
 	// Mark the local node as synced.
 	h.synced.Store(true)
+	if !h.acceptTxs.Load() {
+		h.acceptTxs.Store(true)
+		log.Info("Enable transaction acceptance when synced.")
+	}
 
 	// If we were running snap sync and it finished, disable doing another
 	// round on next sync cycle
diff --git a/eth/handler_eth.go b/eth/handler_eth.go
index 8722d97c03..dc1f3e744b 100644
--- a/eth/handler_eth.go
+++ b/eth/handler_eth.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func (h *ethHandler) PeerInfo(id enode.ID) interface{} {
 // AcceptTxs retrieves whether transaction processing is enabled on the node
 // or if inbound transactions should simply be dropped.
 func (h *ethHandler) AcceptTxs() bool {
-	return h.synced.Load()
+	return h.acceptTxs.Load()
 }
 
 // Handle is invoked from a peer's message handler when it receives a new remote
diff --git a/eth/handler_eth_test.go b/eth/handler_eth_test.go
index b4f1bd0706..0852f62bec 100644
--- a/eth/handler_eth_test.go
+++ b/eth/handler_eth_test.go
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func testRecvTransactions(t *testing.T, protocol uint) {
 	handler := newTestHandler()
 	defer handler.close()
 
-	handler.handler.synced.Store(true) // mark synced to accept transactions
+	handler.handler.acceptTxs.Store(true) // mark synced to accept transactions
 
 	txs := make(chan core.NewTxsEvent)
 	sub := handler.txpool.SubscribeTransactions(txs, false)
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ func testTransactionPropagation(t *testing.T, protocol uint) {
 		sinks[i] = newTestHandler()
 		defer sinks[i].close()
 
-		sinks[i].handler.synced.Store(true) // mark synced to accept transactions
+		sinks[i].handler.acceptTxs.Store(true) // mark synced to accept transactions
 	}
 	// Interconnect all the sink handlers with the source handler
 	for i, sink := range sinks {
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ func TestTransactionPendingReannounce(t *testing.T) {
 
 	sink := newTestHandler()
 	defer sink.close()
-	sink.handler.synced.Store(true) // mark synced to accept transactions
+	sink.handler.acceptTxs.Store(true) // mark synced to accept transactions
 
 	sourcePipe, sinkPipe := p2p.MsgPipe()
 	defer sourcePipe.Close()
diff --git a/eth/sync.go b/eth/sync.go
index f98eccb067..0b7b2232eb 100644
--- a/eth/sync.go
+++ b/eth/sync.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package eth
 
 import (
 	"math/big"
+	"math/rand"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
@@ -163,6 +164,11 @@ func (cs *chainSyncer) nextSyncOp() *chainSyncOp {
 	mode, ourTD := cs.modeAndLocalHead()
 	op := peerToSyncOp(mode, peer)
 	if op.td.Cmp(ourTD) <= 0 {
+		if !cs.handler.acceptTxs.Load() {
+			// Occurs only during a quick restart.
+			cs.handler.acceptTxs.Store(true)
+			log.Info("Enable transaction acceptance for already in sync.")
+		}
 		// We seem to be in sync according to the legacy rules. In the merge
 		// world, it can also mean we're stuck on the merge block, waiting for
 		// a beacon client. In the latter case, notify the user.
@@ -171,6 +177,13 @@ func (cs *chainSyncer) nextSyncOp() *chainSyncOp {
 			cs.warned = time.Now()
 		}
 		return nil // We're in sync
+	} else if op.td.Cmp(new(big.Int).Add(ourTD, new(big.Int).SetUint64(10*2))) > 0 {
+		if cs.handler.acceptTxs.Load() && rand.New(rand.NewSource(time.Now().UnixNano())).Int31n(10) < 1 {
+			// There is only a 1/10 probability of disabling transaction acceptance.
+			// This randomness helps protect against attacks where a malicious node falsely claims to have higher blocks.
+			cs.handler.acceptTxs.Store(false)
+			log.Info("Disable transaction acceptance randomly for the delay exceeding 10 blocks.")
+		}
 	}
 	return op
 }