diff --git a/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp b/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
@@ -143,32 +143,12 @@
     return nodes.modify(it, [&](Node &n) { n.nextRequestTime = timeout; });
 }
 
-static bool isOrphanState(const ProofValidationState &state) {
-    return state.GetResult() == ProofValidationResult::MISSING_UTXO ||
-           state.GetResult() == ProofValidationResult::HEIGHT_MISMATCH;
-}
-
 bool PeerManager::registerProof(const ProofRef &proof) {
     if (exists(proof->getId())) {
         // The proof is already registered, or orphaned.
         return false;
     }
 
-    // Check the proof's validity.
-    ProofValidationState state;
-    // Using WITH_LOCK directly inside the if statement will trigger a cppcheck
-    // false positive syntax error
-    const bool valid = WITH_LOCK(
-        cs_main, return proof->verify(state, ::ChainstateActive().CoinsTip()));
-    if (!valid) {
-        if (isOrphanState(state)) {
-            orphanProofPool.addProofIfPreferred(proof);
-        }
-
-        // Reject invalid proof.
-        return false;
-    }
-
     return createPeer(proof);
 }
 
@@ -195,6 +175,11 @@
     return NO_NODE;
 }
 
+static bool isOrphanState(const ProofValidationState &state) {
+    return state.GetResult() == ProofValidationResult::MISSING_UTXO ||
+           state.GetResult() == ProofValidationResult::HEIGHT_MISMATCH;
+}
+
 void PeerManager::updatedBlockTip() {
     std::vector<PeerId> invalidPeers;
     std::vector<ProofRef> newOrphans;
@@ -265,6 +250,21 @@
 bool PeerManager::createPeer(const ProofRef &proof) {
     assert(proof);
 
+    // Check the proof's validity.
+    ProofValidationState state;
+    // Using WITH_LOCK directly inside the if statement will trigger a cppcheck
+    // false positive syntax error
+    const bool valid = WITH_LOCK(
+        cs_main, return proof->verify(state, ::ChainstateActive().CoinsTip()));
+    if (!valid) {
+        if (isOrphanState(state)) {
+            orphanProofPool.addProofIfPreferred(proof);
+        }
+
+        // Reject invalid proof.
+        return false;
+    }
+
     ProofPool::ConflictingProofSet conflictingProofs;
     // Set a cooldown time to limit the proof replacement rate
     std::chrono::seconds cooldown{
@@ -298,6 +298,8 @@
         moveToOrphan(conflictingProof);
     }
 
+    orphanProofPool.removeProof(proof);
+
     // New peer means new peerid!
     const PeerId peerid = nextPeerId++;