diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -2829,14 +2829,6 @@
     }
 }
 
-static void LimitValidationInterfaceQueue() {
-    AssertLockNotHeld(cs_main);
-
-    if (GetMainSignals().CallbacksPending() > 10) {
-        SyncWithValidationInterfaceQueue();
-    }
-}
-
 /**
  * Make the best chain active, in multiple steps. The result is either failure
  * or an activated best chain. pblock is either nullptr or a pointer to a block
@@ -2871,13 +2863,15 @@
     do {
         boost::this_thread::interruption_point();
 
-        // Block until the validation queue drains. This should largely
-        // never happen in normal operation, however may happen during
-        // reindex, causing memory blowup if we run too far ahead.
-        // Note that if a validationinterface callback ends up calling
-        // ActivateBestChain this may lead to a deadlock! We should
-        // probably have a DEBUG_LOCKORDER test for this in the future.
-        LimitValidationInterfaceQueue();
+        if (GetMainSignals().CallbacksPending() > 10) {
+            // Block until the validation queue drains. This should largely
+            // never happen in normal operation, however may happen during
+            // reindex, causing memory blowup if we run too far ahead.
+            // Note that if a validationinterface callback ends up calling
+            // ActivateBestChain this may lead to a deadlock! We should
+            // probably have a DEBUG_LOCKORDER test for this in the future.
+            SyncWithValidationInterfaceQueue();
+        }
 
         {
             LOCK(cs_main);
@@ -3041,9 +3035,6 @@
             break;
         }
 
-        // Make sure the queue of validation callbacks doesn't grow unboundedly.
-        LimitValidationInterfaceQueue();
-
         LOCK(cs_main);
 
         if (!chainActive.Contains(pindex)) {