diff --git a/chain/store/store.go b/chain/store/store.go
index 00a78500e..cf934f257 100644
--- a/chain/store/store.go
+++ b/chain/store/store.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ var blockValidationCacheKeyPrefix = dstore.NewKey("blockValidation")
 var DefaultTipSetCacheSize = 8192
 var DefaultMsgMetaCacheSize = 2048
 
+var ErrNotifeeDone = errors.New("notifee is done and should be removed")
+
 func init() {
 	if s := os.Getenv("LOTUS_CHAIN_TIPSET_CACHE"); s != "" {
 		tscs, err := strconv.Atoi(s)
@@ -404,11 +407,36 @@ func (cs *ChainStore) reorgWorker(ctx context.Context, initialNotifees []ReorgNo
 					apply[i], apply[opp] = apply[opp], apply[i]
 				}
 
-				for _, hcf := range notifees {
-					if err := hcf(revert, apply); err != nil {
+				var toremove map[int]struct{}
+				for i, hcf := range notifees {
+					err := hcf(revert, apply)
+
+					switch err {
+					case nil:
+
+					case ErrNotifeeDone:
+						if toremove == nil {
+							toremove = make(map[int]struct{})
+						}
+						toremove[i] = struct{}{}
+
+					default:
 						log.Error("head change func errored (BAD): ", err)
 					}
 				}
+
+				if len(toremove) > 0 {
+					newNotifees := make([]ReorgNotifee, 0, len(notifees)-len(toremove))
+					for i, hcf := range notifees {
+						_, remove := toremove[i]
+						if remove {
+							continue
+						}
+						newNotifees = append(newNotifees, hcf)
+					}
+					notifees = newNotifees
+				}
+
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return
 			}
diff --git a/node/modules/services.go b/node/modules/services.go
index e0a7c2eda..2fbd3d299 100644
--- a/node/modules/services.go
+++ b/node/modules/services.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package modules
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-datastore/namespace"
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/stmgr"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/store"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/sub"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/journal"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/lib/peermgr"
 	marketevents "github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/markets/loggers"
@@ -82,14 +84,45 @@ func RunChainExchange(h host.Host, svc exchange.Server) {
 	h.SetStreamHandler(exchange.ChainExchangeProtocolID, svc.HandleStream) // new
 }
 
+func waitForSync(stmgr *stmgr.StateManager, epochs int, subscribe func()) {
+	nearsync := uint64(epochs) * uint64(build.BlockDelaySecs) * uint64(time.Second) //nolint
+
+	// early check, are we synced at start up?
+	ts := stmgr.ChainStore().GetHeaviestTipSet()
+	timestamp := ts.MinTimestamp()
+	now := uint64(build.Clock.Now().UnixNano())
+	if timestamp > now-nearsync {
+		subscribe()
+		return
+	}
+
+	// we are not synced, subscribe to head changes and wait for sync
+	stmgr.ChainStore().SubscribeHeadChanges(func(rev, app []*types.TipSet) error {
+		if len(app) == 0 {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		latest := app[0].MinTimestamp()
+		for _, ts := range app[1:] {
+			timestamp := ts.MinTimestamp()
+			if timestamp > latest {
+				latest = timestamp
+			}
+		}
+
+		now := uint64(build.Clock.Now().UnixNano())
+		if latest > now-nearsync {
+			subscribe()
+			return store.ErrNotifeeDone
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	})
+}
+
 func HandleIncomingBlocks(mctx helpers.MetricsCtx, lc fx.Lifecycle, ps *pubsub.PubSub, s *chain.Syncer, bserv dtypes.ChainBlockService, chain *store.ChainStore, stmgr *stmgr.StateManager, h host.Host, nn dtypes.NetworkName) {
 	ctx := helpers.LifecycleCtx(mctx, lc)
 
-	blocksub, err := ps.Subscribe(build.BlocksTopic(nn)) //nolint
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-
 	v := sub.NewBlockValidator(
 		h.ID(), chain, stmgr,
 		func(p peer.ID) {
@@ -101,24 +134,43 @@ func HandleIncomingBlocks(mctx helpers.MetricsCtx, lc fx.Lifecycle, ps *pubsub.P
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	go sub.HandleIncomingBlocks(ctx, blocksub, s, bserv, h.ConnManager())
-}
+	log.Infof("subscribing to pubsub topic %s", build.BlocksTopic(nn))
 
-func HandleIncomingMessages(mctx helpers.MetricsCtx, lc fx.Lifecycle, ps *pubsub.PubSub, mpool *messagepool.MessagePool, h host.Host, nn dtypes.NetworkName) {
-	ctx := helpers.LifecycleCtx(mctx, lc)
-
-	msgsub, err := ps.Subscribe(build.MessagesTopic(nn)) //nolint:staticcheck
+	blocksub, err := ps.Subscribe(build.BlocksTopic(nn)) //nolint
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
+	go sub.HandleIncomingBlocks(ctx, blocksub, s, bserv, h.ConnManager())
+}
+
+func HandleIncomingMessages(mctx helpers.MetricsCtx, lc fx.Lifecycle, ps *pubsub.PubSub, stmgr *stmgr.StateManager, mpool *messagepool.MessagePool, h host.Host, nn dtypes.NetworkName, bootstrapper dtypes.Bootstrapper) {
+	ctx := helpers.LifecycleCtx(mctx, lc)
+
 	v := sub.NewMessageValidator(h.ID(), mpool)
 
 	if err := ps.RegisterTopicValidator(build.MessagesTopic(nn), v.Validate); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	go sub.HandleIncomingMessages(ctx, mpool, msgsub)
+	subscribe := func() {
+		log.Infof("subscribing to pubsub topic %s", build.MessagesTopic(nn))
+
+		msgsub, err := ps.Subscribe(build.MessagesTopic(nn)) //nolint
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+
+		go sub.HandleIncomingMessages(ctx, mpool, msgsub)
+	}
+
+	if bootstrapper {
+		subscribe()
+		return
+	}
+
+	// wait until we are synced within 10 epochs
+	waitForSync(stmgr, 10, subscribe)
 }
 
 func NewLocalDiscovery(lc fx.Lifecycle, ds dtypes.MetadataDS) (*discoveryimpl.Local, error) {