diff --git a/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/BUILD.bazel b/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/BUILD.bazel
index 32b2ba169..6031cee5a 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/BUILD.bazel
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ go_test(
         "//beacon-chain/forkchoice/types:go_default_library",
         "//beacon-chain/state:go_default_library",
         "//beacon-chain/state/v3:go_default_library",
+        "//config/features:go_default_library",
         "//config/params:go_default_library",
         "//consensus-types/blocks:go_default_library",
         "//consensus-types/primitives:go_default_library",
diff --git a/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store.go b/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store.go
index cffa6170a..9ba3b317b 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store.go
@@ -885,6 +885,15 @@ func (s *Store) viableForHead(node *Node) bool {
 	// It's also viable if we are in genesis epoch.
 	justified := s.justifiedCheckpoint.Epoch == node.justifiedEpoch || s.justifiedCheckpoint.Epoch == 0
 	finalized := s.finalizedCheckpoint.Epoch == node.finalizedEpoch || s.finalizedCheckpoint.Epoch == 0
+	if features.Get().EnableDefensivePull {
+		currentEpoch := slots.EpochsSinceGenesis(time.Unix(int64(s.genesisTime), 0))
+		if !justified && s.justifiedCheckpoint.Epoch+1 == currentEpoch {
+			if node.unrealizedJustifiedEpoch+1 >= currentEpoch {
+				justified = true
+				finalized = true
+			}
+		}
+	}
 
 	return justified && finalized
 }
diff --git a/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store_test.go b/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store_test.go
index 657b187e6..f0ba515e6 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/forkchoice/protoarray/store_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/v3/beacon-chain/forkchoice"
 	forkchoicetypes "github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/v3/beacon-chain/forkchoice/types"
+	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/v3/config/features"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/v3/config/params"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/v3/consensus-types/blocks"
 	types "github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/v3/consensus-types/primitives"
@@ -887,6 +888,43 @@ func TestStore_ViableForHead(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestStore_ViableForHead_DefensivePull(t *testing.T) {
+	resetCfg := features.InitWithReset(&features.Flags{
+		EnableDefensivePull: true,
+	})
+	defer resetCfg()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		n              *Node
+		justifiedEpoch types.Epoch
+		finalizedEpoch types.Epoch
+		currentEpoch   types.Epoch
+		want           bool
+	}{
+		{&Node{}, 0, 0, 0, true},
+		{&Node{}, 1, 0, 1, false},
+		{&Node{}, 0, 1, 1, false},
+		{&Node{finalizedEpoch: 1, justifiedEpoch: 1}, 1, 1, 1, true},
+		{&Node{finalizedEpoch: 1, justifiedEpoch: 1}, 2, 2, 2, false},
+		{&Node{finalizedEpoch: 3, justifiedEpoch: 4}, 4, 3, 3, true},
+		{&Node{unrealizedFinalizedEpoch: 3, unrealizedJustifiedEpoch: 4}, 3, 2, 4, true},
+		{&Node{unrealizedFinalizedEpoch: 2, unrealizedJustifiedEpoch: 3}, 3, 2, 4, true},
+		{&Node{unrealizedFinalizedEpoch: 1, unrealizedJustifiedEpoch: 2}, 3, 2, 4, false},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		jc := &forkchoicetypes.Checkpoint{Epoch: tc.justifiedEpoch}
+		fc := &forkchoicetypes.Checkpoint{Epoch: tc.finalizedEpoch}
+		currentTime := uint64(time.Now().Unix())
+		driftSeconds := uint64(params.BeaconConfig().SlotsPerEpoch) * params.BeaconConfig().SecondsPerSlot
+		s := &Store{
+			justifiedCheckpoint: jc,
+			finalizedCheckpoint: fc,
+			genesisTime:         currentTime - driftSeconds*uint64(tc.currentEpoch),
+		}
+		assert.Equal(t, tc.want, s.viableForHead(tc.n))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStore_HasParent(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		m    map[[32]byte]uint64