diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/forkchoice/service.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/forkchoice/service.go
index 26cac82f7..57635a984 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/forkchoice/service.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/forkchoice/service.go
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@ func (s *Store) filterBlockTree(ctx context.Context, blockRoot [32]byte, filtere
 		return false, nil
 	}
 
+
 	headState, err := s.db.State(ctx, blockRoot)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/receive_attestation.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/receive_attestation.go
index 8d21b6526..471e3a556 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/receive_attestation.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/receive_attestation.go
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ func (s *Service) processAttestation() {
 			ctx := context.Background()
 			atts := s.attPool.ForkchoiceAttestations()
 			for _, a := range atts {
+				hasState := s.beaconDB.HasState(ctx, bytesutil.ToBytes32(a.Data.BeaconBlockRoot))
+				hasBlock := s.beaconDB.HasBlock(ctx, bytesutil.ToBytes32(a.Data.BeaconBlockRoot))
+				if !(hasState && hasBlock) {
+					continue
+				}
+
 				if err := s.attPool.DeleteForkchoiceAttestation(a); err != nil {
 					log.WithError(err).Error("Could not delete fork choice attestation in pool")
 				}
diff --git a/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go b/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go
index 12bb5eac9..c5ac6f3bb 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ type Database interface {
 	SaveState(ctx context.Context, state *ethereum_beacon_p2p_v1.BeaconState, blockRoot [32]byte) error
 	DeleteState(ctx context.Context, blockRoot [32]byte) error
 	DeleteStates(ctx context.Context, blockRoots [][32]byte) error
+	HasState(ctx context.Context, blockRoot [32]byte) bool
 	// Slashing operations.
 	ProposerSlashing(ctx context.Context, slashingRoot [32]byte) (*eth.ProposerSlashing, error)
 	AttesterSlashing(ctx context.Context, slashingRoot [32]byte) (*eth.AttesterSlashing, error)
diff --git a/beacon-chain/db/kafka/passthrough.go b/beacon-chain/db/kafka/passthrough.go
index 5b1183999..70785608e 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/db/kafka/passthrough.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/db/kafka/passthrough.go
@@ -281,6 +281,11 @@ func (e Exporter) DeleteStates(ctx context.Context, blockRoots [][32]byte) error
 	return e.db.DeleteStates(ctx, blockRoots)
 }
 
+// HasState -- passthrough.
+func (e Exporter) HasState(ctx context.Context, blockRoot [32]byte) bool {
+	return e.db.HasState(ctx, blockRoot)
+}
+
 // IsFinalizedBlock -- passthrough.
 func (e Exporter) IsFinalizedBlock(ctx context.Context, blockRoot [32]byte) bool {
 	return e.db.IsFinalizedBlock(ctx, blockRoot)
diff --git a/beacon-chain/db/kv/state.go b/beacon-chain/db/kv/state.go
index df650ea3e..74b593f7b 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/db/kv/state.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/db/kv/state.go
@@ -98,6 +98,20 @@ func (k *Store) SaveState(ctx context.Context, state *pb.BeaconState, blockRoot
 	})
 }
 
+// HasState checks if a state by root exists in the db.
+func (k *Store) HasState(ctx context.Context, blockRoot [32]byte) bool {
+	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "BeaconDB.HasState")
+	defer span.End()
+	var exists bool
+	// #nosec G104. Always returns nil.
+	k.db.View(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
+		bucket := tx.Bucket(stateBucket)
+		exists = bucket.Get(blockRoot[:]) != nil
+		return nil
+	})
+	return exists
+}
+
 // DeleteState by block root.
 func (k *Store) DeleteState(ctx context.Context, blockRoot [32]byte) error {
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "BeaconDB.DeleteState")
diff --git a/beacon-chain/db/kv/state_test.go b/beacon-chain/db/kv/state_test.go
index a234b30a2..f7c009996 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/db/kv/state_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/db/kv/state_test.go
@@ -18,10 +18,18 @@ func TestState_CanSaveRetrieve(t *testing.T) {
 	s := &pb.BeaconState{Slot: 100}
 	r := [32]byte{'A'}
 
+	if db.HasState(context.Background(), r) {
+		t.Fatal("wanted false")
+	}
+
 	if err := db.SaveState(context.Background(), s, r); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	if !db.HasState(context.Background(), r) {
+		t.Fatal("wanted true")
+	}
+
 	savedS, err := db.State(context.Background(), r)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)