diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go
index 28cc53014..fb1d935d1 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ func (s *Service) fillInForkChoiceMissingBlocks(ctx context.Context, blk interfa
 	if len(pendingNodes) == 1 {
 		return nil
 	}
-	if root != s.ensureRootNotZeros(finalized.Root) {
+	if root != s.ensureRootNotZeros(finalized.Root) && !s.ForkChoicer().HasNode(root) {
 		return errNotDescendantOfFinalized
 	}
 	return s.cfg.ForkChoiceStore.InsertOptimisticChain(ctx, pendingNodes)