diff --git a/pkg/network/server.go b/pkg/network/server.go
index cf11d1df6..6c98ed665 100644
--- a/pkg/network/server.go
+++ b/pkg/network/server.go
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ type (
 		quit       chan struct{}
 
 		connected *atomic.Bool
+		// Time of the last block receival.
+		lastBlockTS *atomic.Int64
 
 		log *zap.Logger
 	}
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ func NewServer(config ServerConfig, chain core.Blockchainer, log *zap.Logger) *S
 		unregister:   make(chan peerDrop),
 		peers:        make(map[Peer]bool),
 		connected:    atomic.NewBool(false),
+		lastBlockTS:  atomic.NewInt64(0),
 		log:          log,
 	}
 
@@ -359,6 +362,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleHeadersCmd(p Peer, headers *payload.Headers) {
 
 // handleBlockCmd processes the received block received from its peer.
 func (s *Server) handleBlockCmd(p Peer, block *block.Block) error {
+	s.lastBlockTS.Store(time.Now().UTC().Unix())
 	return s.bQueue.putBlock(block)
 }
 
@@ -658,6 +662,12 @@ func (s *Server) handleNewPayload(p *consensus.Payload) {
 	s.relayInventoryCmd(CMDInv, payload.ConsensusType, p.Hash())
 }
 
+// getLastBlockTime returns unix timestamp for the moment when the last block
+// was received.
+func (s *Server) getLastBlockTime() int64 {
+	return s.lastBlockTS.Load()
+}
+
 func (s *Server) requestTx(hashes ...util.Uint256) {
 	if len(hashes) == 0 {
 		return
diff --git a/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go b/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go
index 2c408b22d..329a51130 100644
--- a/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go
+++ b/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go
@@ -208,15 +208,10 @@ func (p *TCPPeer) StartProtocol() {
 			if p.LastBlockIndex() > p.server.chain.BlockHeight() {
 				err = p.server.requestBlocks(p)
 			} else {
-				block, errGetBlock := p.server.chain.GetBlock(p.server.chain.CurrentBlockHash())
-				if errGetBlock != nil {
-					err = errGetBlock
-				} else {
-					diff := uint32(time.Now().UTC().Unix()) - block.Timestamp
-					if diff > uint32(p.server.PingInterval/time.Second) {
-						p.UpdatePingSent(p.GetPingSent() + 1)
-						err = p.EnqueueMessage(NewMessage(p.server.Net, CMDPing, payload.NewPing(p.server.id, p.server.chain.HeaderHeight())))
-					}
+				diff := time.Now().UTC().Unix() - p.server.getLastBlockTime()
+				if diff > int64(p.server.PingInterval/time.Second) {
+					p.UpdatePingSent(p.GetPingSent() + 1)
+					err = p.EnqueueMessage(NewMessage(p.server.Net, CMDPing, payload.NewPing(p.server.id, p.server.chain.HeaderHeight())))
 				}
 			}
 			if err == nil {