diff --git a/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp b/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
@@ -227,13 +227,10 @@
                    return proof->verify(validationState,
                                         ::ChainstateActive().CoinsTip()))) {
         if (isOrphanState(validationState)) {
+            orphanProofPool.addProofIfPreferred(proof);
+
             // Only accept orphan proofs if there's room in the orphan pool.
-            auto status = orphanProofPool.addProofIfNoConflict(proof);
-            if (status != ProofPool::AddProofStatus::SUCCEED) {
-                // Attempt proof replacement
-                orphanProofPool.addProofIfPreferred(proof);
-            } else if (orphanProofPool.countProofs() >
-                       AVALANCHE_MAX_ORPHAN_PROOFS) {
+            if (orphanProofPool.countProofs() > AVALANCHE_MAX_ORPHAN_PROOFS) {
                 // Adding this proof exceeds the orphan pool limit, so remove
                 // it.
                 orphanProofPool.removeProof(proof->getId());
diff --git a/src/avalanche/proofpool.h b/src/avalanche/proofpool.h
--- a/src/avalanche/proofpool.h
+++ b/src/avalanche/proofpool.h
@@ -74,9 +74,6 @@
                 ProofComparatorByScore>>>
         pool;
 
-    bool cacheClean = true;
-    size_t cacheProofCount = 0;
-
     struct ProofRegistrationTime {
         ProofId proofid;
         // std::chrono::duration is not hashable by default, so use an integer
@@ -145,7 +142,7 @@
     std::optional<int64_t> getRegistrationTime(const ProofId &proofid) const;
 
     size_t size() const { return pool.size(); }
-    size_t countProofs();
+    size_t countProofs() { return registrationTimes.size(); };
 };
 
 } // namespace avalanche
diff --git a/src/avalanche/proofpool.cpp b/src/avalanche/proofpool.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/proofpool.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/proofpool.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
 
     registrationTimes.emplace(proofid, GetTime());
 
-    cacheClean = false;
     return AddProofStatus::SUCCEED;
 }
 
@@ -71,7 +70,6 @@
     status = addProofIfNoConflict(proof);
     assert(status == AddProofStatus::SUCCEED);
 
-    cacheClean = false;
     return AddProofStatus::SUCCEED;
 }
 
@@ -79,8 +77,6 @@
 // reference to a proof member. This proof will be deleted during the erasure
 // loop so we pass it by value.
 bool ProofPool::removeProof(ProofId proofid) {
-    cacheClean = false;
-
     if (!registrationTimes.erase(proofid)) {
         return false;
     }
@@ -94,7 +90,6 @@
     auto previousRegistrationTimes = std::move(registrationTimes);
     pool.clear();
     registrationTimes.clear();
-    cacheClean = false;
 
     for (auto &entry : previousPool) {
         const ProofId &proofid = entry.proof->getId();
@@ -146,25 +141,4 @@
     return std::make_optional(it->registrationTime);
 }
 
-size_t ProofPool::countProofs() {
-    if (cacheClean) {
-        return cacheProofCount;
-    }
-
-    size_t count = 0;
-    ProofId lastProofId;
-    auto &poolView = pool.get<by_proofid>();
-    for (auto it = poolView.begin(); it != poolView.end(); it++) {
-        const ProofId &proofId = it->proof->getId();
-        if (lastProofId != proofId) {
-            lastProofId = proofId;
-            count++;
-        }
-    }
-
-    cacheProofCount = count;
-    cacheClean = true;
-    return cacheProofCount;
-}
-
 } // namespace avalanche