diff --git a/internal/fakechain/fakechain.go b/internal/fakechain/fakechain.go
index 243a31109..0054d246b 100644
--- a/internal/fakechain/fakechain.go
+++ b/internal/fakechain/fakechain.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ type FakeChain struct {
 type FakeStateSync struct {
 	IsActiveFlag      uatomic.Bool
 	IsInitializedFlag uatomic.Bool
+	RequestHeaders    uatomic.Bool
 	InitFunc          func(h uint32) error
 	TraverseFunc      func(root util.Uint256, process func(node mpt.Node, nodeBytes []byte) bool) error
 	AddMPTNodesFunc   func(nodes [][]byte) error
@@ -503,7 +504,7 @@ func (s *FakeStateSync) Init(currChainHeight uint32) error {
 }
 
 // NeedHeaders implements StateSync interface.
-func (s *FakeStateSync) NeedHeaders() bool { return false }
+func (s *FakeStateSync) NeedHeaders() bool { return s.RequestHeaders.Load() }
 
 // NeedMPTNodes implements StateSync interface.
 func (s *FakeStateSync) NeedMPTNodes() bool {
diff --git a/pkg/network/server.go b/pkg/network/server.go
index 16a6a46f5..9ec819978 100644
--- a/pkg/network/server.go
+++ b/pkg/network/server.go
@@ -84,8 +84,10 @@ type (
 		lock  sync.RWMutex
 		peers map[Peer]bool
 
-		// lastRequestedHeight contains last requested height.
-		lastRequestedHeight atomic.Uint32
+		// lastRequestedBlock contains a height of the last requested block.
+		lastRequestedBlock atomic.Uint32
+		// lastRequestedHeader contains a height of the last requested header.
+		lastRequestedHeader atomic.Uint32
 
 		register   chan Peer
 		unregister chan peerDrop
@@ -694,11 +696,8 @@ func (s *Server) requestBlocksOrHeaders(p Peer) error {
 
 // requestHeaders sends a CMDGetHeaders message to the peer to sync up in headers.
 func (s *Server) requestHeaders(p Peer) error {
-	// TODO: optimize
-	currHeight := s.chain.HeaderHeight()
-	needHeight := currHeight + 1
-	payload := payload.NewGetBlockByIndex(needHeight, -1)
-	return p.EnqueueP2PMessage(NewMessage(CMDGetHeaders, payload))
+	pl := getRequestBlocksPayload(p, s.chain.HeaderHeight(), &s.lastRequestedHeader)
+	return p.EnqueueP2PMessage(NewMessage(CMDGetHeaders, pl))
 }
 
 // handlePing processes pong request.
@@ -1112,22 +1111,26 @@ func (s *Server) handleGetAddrCmd(p Peer) error {
 // 2. Send requests for chunk in increasing order.
 // 3. After all requests were sent, request random height.
 func (s *Server) requestBlocks(bq blockchainer.Blockqueuer, p Peer) error {
-	var currHeight = bq.BlockHeight()
+	pl := getRequestBlocksPayload(p, bq.BlockHeight(), &s.lastRequestedBlock)
+	return p.EnqueueP2PMessage(NewMessage(CMDGetBlockByIndex, pl))
+}
+
+func getRequestBlocksPayload(p Peer, currHeight uint32, lastRequestedHeight *atomic.Uint32) *payload.GetBlockByIndex {
 	var peerHeight = p.LastBlockIndex()
 	var needHeight uint32
-	// lastRequestedHeight can only be increased.
+	// lastRequestedBlock can only be increased.
 	for {
-		old := s.lastRequestedHeight.Load()
+		old := lastRequestedHeight.Load()
 		if old <= currHeight {
 			needHeight = currHeight + 1
-			if !s.lastRequestedHeight.CAS(old, needHeight) {
+			if !lastRequestedHeight.CAS(old, needHeight) {
 				continue
 			}
 		} else if old < currHeight+(blockCacheSize-payload.MaxHashesCount) {
 			needHeight = currHeight + 1
 			if peerHeight > old+payload.MaxHashesCount {
 				needHeight = old + payload.MaxHashesCount
-				if !s.lastRequestedHeight.CAS(old, needHeight) {
+				if !lastRequestedHeight.CAS(old, needHeight) {
 					continue
 				}
 			}
@@ -1137,8 +1140,7 @@ func (s *Server) requestBlocks(bq blockchainer.Blockqueuer, p Peer) error {
 		}
 		break
 	}
-	payload := payload.NewGetBlockByIndex(needHeight, -1)
-	return p.EnqueueP2PMessage(NewMessage(CMDGetBlockByIndex, payload))
+	return payload.NewGetBlockByIndex(needHeight, -1)
 }
 
 // handleMessage processes the given message.
diff --git a/pkg/network/server_test.go b/pkg/network/server_test.go
index e4c109c9f..9b35c09db 100644
--- a/pkg/network/server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/network/server_test.go
@@ -186,26 +186,34 @@ func TestServerRegisterPeer(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGetBlocksByIndex(t *testing.T) {
+	testGetBlocksByIndex(t, CMDGetBlockByIndex)
+}
+
+func testGetBlocksByIndex(t *testing.T, cmd CommandType) {
 	s := newTestServer(t, ServerConfig{Port: 0, UserAgent: "/test/"})
+	start := s.chain.BlockHeight()
+	if cmd == CMDGetHeaders {
+		start = s.chain.HeaderHeight()
+		s.stateSync.(*fakechain.FakeStateSync).RequestHeaders.Store(true)
+	}
 	ps := make([]*localPeer, 10)
 	expectsCmd := make([]CommandType, 10)
 	expectedHeight := make([][]uint32, 10)
-	start := s.chain.BlockHeight()
 	for i := range ps {
 		i := i
 		ps[i] = newLocalPeer(t, s)
 		ps[i].messageHandler = func(t *testing.T, msg *Message) {
 			require.Equal(t, expectsCmd[i], msg.Command)
-			if expectsCmd[i] == CMDGetBlockByIndex {
+			if expectsCmd[i] == cmd {
 				p, ok := msg.Payload.(*payload.GetBlockByIndex)
 				require.True(t, ok)
 				require.Contains(t, expectedHeight[i], p.IndexStart)
 				expectsCmd[i] = CMDPong
 			} else if expectsCmd[i] == CMDPong {
-				expectsCmd[i] = CMDGetBlockByIndex
+				expectsCmd[i] = cmd
 			}
 		}
-		expectsCmd[i] = CMDGetBlockByIndex
+		expectsCmd[i] = cmd
 		expectedHeight[i] = []uint32{start + 1}
 	}
 	go s.transport.Accept()
@@ -678,6 +686,9 @@ func TestGetHeaders(t *testing.T) {
 		s.testHandleMessage(t, p, CMDGetHeaders, &payload.GetBlockByIndex{IndexStart: 123, Count: -1})
 		require.Nil(t, actual)
 	})
+	t.Run("distribute requests between peers", func(t *testing.T) {
+		testGetBlocksByIndex(t, CMDGetHeaders)
+	})
 }
 
 func TestInv(t *testing.T) {