diff --git a/pkg/innerring/innerring.go b/pkg/innerring/innerring.go
index 063d0f7cd..38023932f 100644
--- a/pkg/innerring/innerring.go
+++ b/pkg/innerring/innerring.go
@@ -149,14 +149,16 @@ func (s *Server) Start(ctx context.Context, intError chan<- error) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err = s.initMainNotary(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	if s.IsAlphabet() {
+		err = s.initMainNotary(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
-	err = s.initSideNotary(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		err = s.initSideNotary(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	prm := governance.VoteValidatorPrm{}