diff --git a/cmd/neofs-ir/defaults.go b/cmd/neofs-ir/defaults.go
index eef6de78..c1383715 100644
--- a/cmd/neofs-ir/defaults.go
+++ b/cmd/neofs-ir/defaults.go
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ func defaultConfiguration(cfg *viper.Viper) {
 	cfg.SetDefault("morph.endpoint.client", "")
 	cfg.SetDefault("morph.endpoint.notification", "")
 	cfg.SetDefault("morph.dial_timeout", "10s")
+	cfg.SetDefault("morph.validators", []string{})
 
 	cfg.SetDefault("mainnet.endpoint.client", "")
 	cfg.SetDefault("mainnet.endpoint.notification", "")
diff --git a/pkg/innerring/innerring.go b/pkg/innerring/innerring.go
index 2036b6ae..7d46498c 100644
--- a/pkg/innerring/innerring.go
+++ b/pkg/innerring/innerring.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"crypto/ecdsa"
 
+	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/crypto/keys"
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/util"
 	crypto "github.com/nspcc-dev/neofs-crypto"
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neofs-node/pkg/innerring/invoke"
@@ -42,8 +43,9 @@ type (
 		precision      precision.Fixed8Converter
 
 		// internal variables
-		key       *ecdsa.PrivateKey
-		contracts *contracts
+		key                  *ecdsa.PrivateKey
+		contracts            *contracts
+		predefinedValidators []keys.PublicKey
 	}
 
 	contracts struct {
@@ -82,6 +84,14 @@ func (s *Server) Start(ctx context.Context, intError chan<- error) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// vote for sidechain validator if it is prepared in config
+	err = s.voteForSidechainValidator(s.predefinedValidators)
+	if err != nil {
+		// we don't stop inner ring execution on this error
+		s.log.Warn("can't vote for prepared validators",
+			zap.String("error", err.Error()))
+	}
+
 	s.localTimers.Start(ctx) // local timers start ticking
 
 	morphErr := make(chan error)
@@ -128,6 +138,12 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, log *zap.Logger, cfg *viper.Viper) (*Server, error
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// parse default validators
+	server.predefinedValidators, err = parsePredefinedValidators(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "ir: can't parse predefined validators list")
+	}
+
 	// create local timer instance
 	server.localTimers = timers.New(&timers.Params{
 		Log:              log,
@@ -355,6 +371,29 @@ func parseContracts(cfg *viper.Viper) (*contracts, error) {
 	return result, nil
 }
 
+func parsePredefinedValidators(cfg *viper.Viper) ([]keys.PublicKey, error) {
+	publicKeyStrings := cfg.GetStringSlice("morph.validators")
+
+	return ParsePublicKeysFromStrings(publicKeyStrings)
+}
+
+// ParsePublicKeysFromStrings returns slice of neo public keys from slice
+// of hex encoded strings.
+func ParsePublicKeysFromStrings(pubKeys []string) ([]keys.PublicKey, error) {
+	publicKeys := make([]keys.PublicKey, 0, len(pubKeys))
+
+	for i := range pubKeys {
+		key, err := keys.NewPublicKeyFromString(pubKeys[i])
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "can't decode public key")
+		}
+
+		publicKeys = append(publicKeys, *key)
+	}
+
+	return publicKeys, nil
+}
+
 func parseAlphabetContracts(cfg *viper.Viper) (res [7]util.Uint160, err error) {
 	// list of glagolic script letters that represent alphabet contracts
 	glagolic := []string{"az", "buky", "vedi", "glagoli", "dobro", "jest", "zhivete"}