diff --git a/internal/bft/controller.go b/internal/bft/controller.go
index b3af84d0..6471277e 100644
--- a/internal/bft/controller.go
+++ b/internal/bft/controller.go
@@ -468,24 +468,13 @@ func (c *Controller) ViewChanged(newViewNumber uint64, newProposalSequence uint6
 	c.viewChange <- viewInfo{proposalSeq: newProposalSequence, viewNumber: newViewNumber}
 }
 
-func (c *Controller) getNextBatch() [][]byte {
-	var validRequests [][]byte
-	for len(validRequests) == 0 { // no valid requests in this batch
-		requests := c.Batcher.NextBatch()
-		if c.stopped() || c.Batcher.Closed() {
-			return nil
-		}
-		validRequests = append(validRequests, requests...)
-	}
-	return validRequests
-}
-
 func (c *Controller) propose() {
-	nextBatch := c.getNextBatch()
-	if len(nextBatch) == 0 {
-		// If our next batch is empty,
-		// it can only be because
-		// the batcher is stopped and so are we.
+	if c.stopped() || c.Batcher.Closed() {
+		return
+	}
+	nextBatch := c.Batcher.NextBatch()
+	if len(nextBatch) == 0 { // no requests in this batch
+		c.acquireLeaderToken() // try again later
 		return
 	}
 	metadata := c.currView.GetMetadata()
diff --git a/internal/bft/controller_test.go b/internal/bft/controller_test.go
index c4a73546..e3cffcb9 100644
--- a/internal/bft/controller_test.go
+++ b/internal/bft/controller_test.go
@@ -584,6 +584,7 @@ func TestControllerLeaderRequestHandling(t *testing.T) {
 
 			batcher := &mocks.Batcher{}
 			batcher.On("Close")
+			batcher.On("Closed").Return(false)
 			batcher.On("Reset")
 			batcher.On("NextBatch").Run(func(arguments mock.Arguments) {
 				time.Sleep(time.Hour)
diff --git a/test/basic_test.go b/test/basic_test.go
index 98dc5306..69946a11 100644
--- a/test/basic_test.go
+++ b/test/basic_test.go
@@ -1249,6 +1249,70 @@ func TestLeaderModifiesPreprepare(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestLeaderCatchUpWithoutSync(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	network := NewNetwork()
+	defer network.Shutdown()
+
+	testDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", t.Name())
+	assert.NoErrorf(t, err, "generate temporary test dir")
+	defer os.RemoveAll(testDir)
+
+	numberOfNodes := 4
+	nodes := make([]*App, 0)
+	for i := 1; i <= numberOfNodes; i++ {
+		n := newNode(uint64(i), network, t.Name(), testDir, false, 0)
+		n.Consensus.Config.SyncOnStart = false
+		nodes = append(nodes, n)
+	}
+
+	restartWG := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	restartWG.Add(1)
+
+	restoredWG := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	restoredWG.Add(1)
+
+	baseLogger := nodes[0].logger.Desugar()
+	nodes[0].logger = baseLogger.WithOptions(zap.Hooks(func(entry zapcore.Entry) error {
+		if strings.Contains(entry.Message, "Processed prepares for proposal with seq 1") {
+			restartWG.Done()
+		}
+		if strings.Contains(entry.Message, "Restored proposal with sequence 1") {
+			restoredWG.Done()
+		}
+		return nil
+	})).Sugar()
+	nodes[0].Setup()
+
+	startNodes(nodes, network)
+
+	nodes[0].Submit(Request{ID: "1", ClientID: "alice"})
+
+	restartWG.Wait()
+	nodes[0].RestartSync(false)
+	restoredWG.Wait()
+
+	data := make([]*AppRecord, 0)
+	for i := 0; i < numberOfNodes; i++ {
+		d := <-nodes[i].Delivered
+		data = append(data, d)
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < numberOfNodes-1; i++ {
+		assert.Equal(t, data[i], data[i+1])
+	}
+
+	nodes[0].Submit(Request{ID: "2", ClientID: "alice"})
+
+	data = make([]*AppRecord, 0)
+	for i := 0; i < numberOfNodes; i++ {
+		d := <-nodes[i].Delivered
+		data = append(data, d)
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < numberOfNodes-1; i++ {
+		assert.Equal(t, data[i], data[i+1])
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGradualStart(t *testing.T) {
 	// Scenario: initially the network has only one node
 	// a transaction is submitted and committed with that node
diff --git a/test/test_app.go b/test/test_app.go
index 9589ec0b..ab2395ef 100644
--- a/test/test_app.go
+++ b/test/test_app.go
@@ -127,10 +127,15 @@ func (a *App) Sync() types.SyncResponse {
 
 // Restart restarts the node
 func (a *App) Restart() {
+	a.RestartSync(true)
+}
+
+func (a *App) RestartSync(sync bool) {
 	a.Consensus.Stop()
 	a.Node.Lock()
 	defer a.Node.Unlock()
 	a.Setup()
+	a.Consensus.Config.SyncOnStart = sync
 	if err := a.Consensus.Start(); err != nil {
 		a.logger.Panicf("Consensus start returned an error : %v", err)
 	}