diff --git a/libraries/chain/controller.cpp b/libraries/chain/controller.cpp
index 8360a623c2..42197b7bb8 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/controller.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/controller.cpp
@@ -3274,9 +3274,11 @@ struct controller_impl {
          if ( s == controller::block_status::incomplete || s == controller::block_status::complete || s == controller::block_status::validated ) {
             if (!my_finalizers.empty()) {
                apply_s<void>(chain_head, [&](const auto& head) {
-                  boost::asio::post(thread_pool.get_executor(), [this, head=head]() {
-                     create_and_send_vote_msg(head);
-                  });
+                  if (head->is_recent() || my_finalizers.is_active()) {
+                     boost::asio::post(thread_pool.get_executor(), [this, head=head]() {
+                        create_and_send_vote_msg(head);
+                     });
+                  }
                });
             }
          }
@@ -3978,18 +3980,20 @@ struct controller_impl {
       // 3. Otherwise, consider voting for that block according to the decide_vote rules.
 
       if (!my_finalizers.empty() && bsp->core.final_on_strong_qc_block_num > 0) {
-         if (use_thread_pool == use_thread_pool_t::yes) {
-            boost::asio::post(thread_pool.get_executor(), [this, bsp=bsp]() {
+         if (bsp->is_recent() || my_finalizers.is_active()) {
+            if (use_thread_pool == use_thread_pool_t::yes) {
+               boost::asio::post(thread_pool.get_executor(), [this, bsp=bsp]() {
+                  const auto& final_on_strong_qc_block_ref = bsp->core.get_block_reference(bsp->core.final_on_strong_qc_block_num);
+                  if (fork_db_validated_block_exists(final_on_strong_qc_block_ref.block_id)) {
+                     create_and_send_vote_msg(bsp);
+                  }
+               });
+            } else {
+               // bsp can be used directly instead of copy needed for post
                const auto& final_on_strong_qc_block_ref = bsp->core.get_block_reference(bsp->core.final_on_strong_qc_block_num);
                if (fork_db_validated_block_exists(final_on_strong_qc_block_ref.block_id)) {
                   create_and_send_vote_msg(bsp);
                }
-            });
-         } else {
-            // bsp can be used directly instead of copy needed for post
-            const auto& final_on_strong_qc_block_ref = bsp->core.get_block_reference(bsp->core.final_on_strong_qc_block_num);
-            if (fork_db_validated_block_exists(final_on_strong_qc_block_ref.block_id)) {
-               create_and_send_vote_msg(bsp);
             }
          }
       }
diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/block_state.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/block_state.hpp
index dde798a574..d582beecc1 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/block_state.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/block_state.hpp
@@ -111,6 +111,11 @@ struct block_state : public block_header_state {     // block_header_state provi
    bool valid_qc_is_strong() const { return pending_qc.valid_qc_is_strong(); } // thread safe
    void set_valid_qc(const valid_quorum_certificate& qc) { pending_qc.set_valid_qc(qc); }
 
+   // heuristic for determination if we are syncing or replaying for optimizations
+   bool is_recent() const {
+      return timestamp() > fc::time_point::now() - fc::seconds(30);
+   }
+
    protocol_feature_activation_set_ptr get_activated_protocol_features() const { return block_header_state::activated_protocol_features; }
    uint32_t               last_qc_block_num() const { return core.latest_qc_claim().block_num; }
    uint32_t               final_on_strong_qc_block_num() const { return core.final_on_strong_qc_block_num; }
diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/finality/finalizer.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/finality/finalizer.hpp
index 4df3c12591..9017ecd22c 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/finality/finalizer.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/finality/finalizer.hpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ namespace eosio::chain {
             return;
 
          if (!enable_voting.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) { // Avoid extra processing while syncing. Once caught up, consider voting
-            if (bsp->timestamp() < fc::time_point::now() - fc::seconds(30))
+            if (!bsp->is_recent())
                return;
             enable_voting.store(true, std::memory_order_relaxed);
          }
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ namespace eosio::chain {
 
       size_t  size() const { return finalizers.size(); }   // doesn't change, thread safe
       bool    empty() const { return finalizers.empty(); } // doesn't change, thread safe
+      bool    is_active() const { return !empty() && enable_voting.load(std::memory_order_relaxed); } // thread safe
 
       template<typename F>
       bool all_of_public_keys(F&& f) const { // only access keys which do not change, thread safe