diff --git a/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_grpc_server.go b/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_grpc_server.go
index fdac089ce..d6c72aabb 100644
--- a/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_grpc_server.go
+++ b/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_grpc_server.go
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ func (ss *GrpcServer) SendMessageByMinBlock(_ context.Context, inreq *proto_sent
 		msgcode != eth.GetPooledTransactionsMsg {
 		return reply, fmt.Errorf("sendMessageByMinBlock not implemented for message Id: %s", inreq.Data.Id)
 	}
-	if !ss.GetStatus().PassivePeers {
+	if inreq.MaxPeers == 1 {
 		peerInfo, found := ss.findPeerByMinBlock(inreq.MinBlock)
 		if found {
 			ss.writePeer("sendMessageByMinBlock", peerInfo, msgcode, inreq.Data.Data, 30*time.Second)
diff --git a/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_multi_client.go b/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_multi_client.go
index d170f7dc5..ec8a966e1 100644
--- a/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_multi_client.go
+++ b/cmd/sentry/sentry/sentry_multi_client.go
@@ -393,15 +393,13 @@ func (cs *MultiClient) blockHeaders66(ctx context.Context, in *proto_sentry.Inbo
 
 func (cs *MultiClient) blockHeaders(ctx context.Context, pkt eth.BlockHeadersPacket, rlpStream *rlp.Stream, peerID *proto_types.H512, sentry direct.SentryClient) error {
 	if len(pkt) == 0 {
-		if cs.Hd.InitialCycle() {
-			outreq := proto_sentry.PeerUselessRequest{
-				PeerId: peerID,
-			}
-			if _, err := sentry.PeerUseless(ctx, &outreq, &grpc.EmptyCallOption{}); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("sending peer useless request: %v", err)
-			}
-			log.Debug("Requested removal of peer for empty header response", "peerId", fmt.Sprintf("%x", ConvertH512ToPeerID(peerID))[:8])
+		outreq := proto_sentry.PeerUselessRequest{
+			PeerId: peerID,
 		}
+		if _, err := sentry.PeerUseless(ctx, &outreq, &grpc.EmptyCallOption{}); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("sending peer useless request: %v", err)
+		}
+		log.Debug("Requested removal of peer for empty header response", "peerId", fmt.Sprintf("%x", ConvertH512ToPeerID(peerID))[:8])
 		// No point processing empty response
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -558,16 +556,14 @@ func (cs *MultiClient) blockBodies66(ctx context.Context, inreq *proto_sentry.In
 		return fmt.Errorf("decode BlockBodiesPacket66: %w", err)
 	}
 	txs, uncles, withdrawals := request.BlockRawBodiesPacket.Unpack()
-	if len(txs) == 0 && len(uncles) == 0 {
-		if cs.Hd.InitialCycle() {
-			outreq := proto_sentry.PeerUselessRequest{
-				PeerId: inreq.PeerId,
-			}
-			if _, err := sentry.PeerUseless(ctx, &outreq, &grpc.EmptyCallOption{}); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("sending peer useless request: %v", err)
-			}
-			log.Debug("Requested removal of peer for empty body response", "peerId", fmt.Sprintf("%x", ConvertH512ToPeerID(inreq.PeerId)))
+	if len(txs) == 0 && len(uncles) == 0 && len(withdrawals) == 0 {
+		outreq := proto_sentry.PeerUselessRequest{
+			PeerId: inreq.PeerId,
 		}
+		if _, err := sentry.PeerUseless(ctx, &outreq, &grpc.EmptyCallOption{}); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("sending peer useless request: %v", err)
+		}
+		log.Debug("Requested removal of peer for empty body response", "peerId", fmt.Sprintf("%x", ConvertH512ToPeerID(inreq.PeerId)))
 		// No point processing empty response
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go b/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go
index 208026939..b842d6f25 100644
--- a/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go
+++ b/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go
@@ -861,10 +861,6 @@ Loop:
 		if headerInserter.BestHeaderChanged() { // We do not break unless there best header changed
 			noProgressCounter = 0
 			wasProgress = true
-			if !initialCycle {
-				// if this is not an initial cycle, we need to react quickly when new headers are coming in
-				break
-			}
 			// if this is initial cycle, we want to make sure we insert all known headers (inSync)
 			if inSync {
 				break