diff --git a/sync/optimistic.md b/sync/optimistic.md
index 257574a62f..44d1fb6169 100644
--- a/sync/optimistic.md
+++ b/sync/optimistic.md
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ def is_execution_block(block: BeaconBlock) -> BeaconBlock:
 ```python
 def is_optimistic_candidate_block(opt_store: OptimisticStore, current_slot: Slot, block: BeaconBlock) -> bool:
     justified_root = opt_store.block_states[opt_store.head_block_root].current_justified_checkpoint.root
-    justifed_is_verified = is_execution_block(opt_store.blocks[justified_root])
+    justifed_is_execution_block = is_execution_block(opt_store.blocks[justified_root])
     block_is_deep = block.slot + SAFE_SLOTS_TO_IMPORT_OPTIMISTICALLY <= current_slot
-    return justified_is_verified or block_is_deep
+    return justifed_is_execution_block or block_is_deep
 ```
 
 Let only a node which returns `is_optimistic(opt_store, head) is True` be an *optimistic