diff --git a/src/avalanche/processor.cpp b/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 
 #include <avalanche/peermanager.h>
 #include <chain.h>
-#include <key_io.h> // For DecodeSecret
+#include <key_io.h>         // For DecodeSecret
+#include <net_processing.h> // For Misbehaving
 #include <netmessagemaker.h>
 #include <reverse_iterator.h>
 #include <scheduler.h>
@@ -270,7 +271,8 @@
         auto w = queries.getWriteView();
         auto it = w->find(std::make_tuple(nodeid, response.getRound()));
         if (it == w.end()) {
-            // NB: The request may be old, so we don't increase banscore.
+            LOCK(cs_main);
+            Misbehaving(nodeid, 2, "unexpcted-ava-response");
             return false;
         }
 
@@ -282,15 +284,15 @@
     const std::vector<Vote> &votes = response.GetVotes();
     size_t size = invs.size();
     if (votes.size() != size) {
-        // TODO: increase banscore for inconsistent response.
-        // NB: This isn't timeout but actually node misbehaving.
+        LOCK(cs_main);
+        Misbehaving(nodeid, 100, "invalid-ava-response-size");
         return false;
     }
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < size; i++) {
         if (invs[i].hash != votes[i].GetHash()) {
-            // TODO: increase banscore for inconsistent response.
-            // NB: This isn't timeout but actually node misbehaving.
+            LOCK(cs_main);
+            Misbehaving(nodeid, 100, "invalid-ava-response-content");
             return false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/net_processing.h b/src/net_processing.h
--- a/src/net_processing.h
+++ b/src/net_processing.h
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@
 /** Get statistics from node state */
 bool GetNodeStateStats(NodeId nodeid, CNodeStateStats &stats);
 /** Increase a node's misbehavior score. */
-void Misbehaving(NodeId nodeid, int howmuch, const std::string &reason = "");
+void Misbehaving(NodeId nodeid, int howmuch, const std::string &reason = "")
+    EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_main);
 
 /** Relay transaction to every node */
 void RelayTransaction(const TxId &txid, const CConnman &connman);
diff --git a/src/net_processing.cpp b/src/net_processing.cpp
--- a/src/net_processing.cpp
+++ b/src/net_processing.cpp
@@ -1166,8 +1166,8 @@
 /**
  * Mark a misbehaving peer to be banned depending upon the value of `-banscore`.
  */
-void Misbehaving(NodeId pnode, int howmuch, const std::string &reason)
-    EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_main) {
+void Misbehaving(NodeId pnode, int howmuch, const std::string &reason) {
+    AssertLockHeld(cs_main);
     if (howmuch == 0) {
         return;
     }
@@ -3882,8 +3882,6 @@
 
         std::vector<avalanche::BlockUpdate> updates;
         if (!g_avalanche->registerVotes(pfrom.GetId(), response, updates)) {
-            LOCK(cs_main);
-            Misbehaving(pfrom, 100, "invalid-ava-response-content");
             return true;
         }
 
diff --git a/test/lint/lint-circular-dependencies.sh b/test/lint/lint-circular-dependencies.sh
--- a/test/lint/lint-circular-dependencies.sh
+++ b/test/lint/lint-circular-dependencies.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     "wallet/rpcwallet -> wallet/wallet -> wallet/rpcwallet"
     "wallet/wallet -> wallet/walletdb -> wallet/wallet"
     "avalanche/processor -> validation -> avalanche/processor"
+    "avalanche/processor -> net_processing -> avalanche/processor"
     "chainparams -> protocol -> chainparams"
     "chainparamsbase -> util/system -> chainparamsbase"
     "minerfund -> validation -> minerfund"