diff --git a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
index 23c28ae88..b7722501d 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ type Service interface {
 	OnTransaction(tx *transaction.Transaction)
 	// GetPayload returns Payload with specified hash if it is present in the local cache.
 	GetPayload(h util.Uint256) *Payload
+	// OnNewBlock notifies consensus service that there is a new block in
+	// the chain (without explicitly passing it to the service).
+	OnNewBlock()
 }
 
 type service struct {
@@ -57,6 +60,9 @@ type service struct {
 	// everything in single thread.
 	messages     chan Payload
 	transactions chan *transaction.Transaction
+	// blockEvents is used to pass a new block event to the consensus
+	// process.
+	blockEvents  chan struct{}
 	lastProposal []util.Uint256
 	wallet       *wallet.Wallet
 }
@@ -101,6 +107,7 @@ func NewService(cfg Config) (Service, error) {
 		messages: make(chan Payload, 100),
 
 		transactions: make(chan *transaction.Transaction, 100),
+		blockEvents:  make(chan struct{}, 1),
 	}
 
 	if cfg.Wallet == nil {
@@ -168,14 +175,7 @@ func (s *service) eventLoop() {
 			s.log.Debug("timer fired",
 				zap.Uint32("height", hv.Height),
 				zap.Uint("view", uint(hv.View)))
-			if s.Chain.BlockHeight() >= s.dbft.BlockIndex {
-				s.log.Debug("chain already advanced",
-					zap.Uint32("dbft index", s.dbft.BlockIndex),
-					zap.Uint32("chain index", s.Chain.BlockHeight()))
-				s.dbft.InitializeConsensus(0)
-			} else {
-				s.dbft.OnTimeout(hv)
-			}
+			s.dbft.OnTimeout(hv)
 		case msg := <-s.messages:
 			fields := []zap.Field{
 				zap.Uint16("from", msg.validatorIndex),
@@ -204,6 +204,11 @@ func (s *service) eventLoop() {
 			s.dbft.OnReceive(&msg)
 		case tx := <-s.transactions:
 			s.dbft.OnTransaction(tx)
+		case <-s.blockEvents:
+			s.log.Debug("new block in the chain",
+				zap.Uint32("dbft index", s.dbft.BlockIndex),
+				zap.Uint32("chain index", s.Chain.BlockHeight()))
+			s.dbft.InitializeConsensus(0)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -276,6 +281,20 @@ func (s *service) OnTransaction(tx *transaction.Transaction) {
 	}
 }
 
+// OnNewBlock notifies consensus process that there is a new block in the chain
+// and dbft should probably be reinitialized.
+func (s *service) OnNewBlock() {
+	if s.dbft != nil {
+		// If there is something in the queue already, the second
+		// consecutive event doesn't make much sense (reinitializing
+		// dbft twice doesn't improve it in any way).
+		select {
+		case s.blockEvents <- struct{}{}:
+		default:
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // GetPayload returns payload stored in cache.
 func (s *service) GetPayload(h util.Uint256) *Payload {
 	p := s.cache.Get(h)
diff --git a/pkg/network/server.go b/pkg/network/server.go
index f238df365..0c8bdee4b 100644
--- a/pkg/network/server.go
+++ b/pkg/network/server.go
@@ -99,7 +99,11 @@ func NewServer(config ServerConfig, chain core.Blockchainer, log *zap.Logger) (*
 		log:              log,
 	}
 	s.bQueue = newBlockQueue(maxBlockBatch, chain, log, func(b *block.Block) {
-		s.tryStartConsensus()
+		if s.consensusStarted.Load() {
+			s.consensus.OnNewBlock()
+		} else {
+			s.tryStartConsensus()
+		}
 		s.relayBlock(b)
 	})