diff --git a/src/avalanche/processor.h b/src/avalanche/processor.h
--- a/src/avalanche/processor.h
+++ b/src/avalanche/processor.h
@@ -250,12 +250,6 @@
     class NotificationsHandler;
     std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Handler> chainNotificationsHandler;
 
-    /**
-     * Flag indicating that the proof must be registered at first new block
-     * after IBD
-     */
-    bool mustRegisterProof = false;
-
     Processor(interfaces::Chain &chain, CConnman *connmanIn,
               NodePeerManager *nodePeerManagerIn,
               std::unique_ptr<PeerData> peerDataIn, CKey sessionKeyIn);
@@ -292,6 +286,7 @@
     std::shared_ptr<Proof> getLocalProof() const;
     Peer::Timestamp getProofTime(const ProofId &proofid) const;
     std::shared_ptr<Proof> getOrphan(const ProofId &proofid) const;
+    bool registerLocalProof();
 
     /*
      * Return whether the avalanche service flag should be set.
diff --git a/src/avalanche/processor.cpp b/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/processor.cpp
@@ -209,12 +209,6 @@
     void updatedBlockTip() override {
         LOCK(m_processor->cs_peerManager);
 
-        if (m_processor->mustRegisterProof &&
-            !::ChainstateActive().IsInitialBlockDownload()) {
-            m_processor->peerManager->getPeerId(m_processor->peerData->proof);
-            m_processor->mustRegisterProof = false;
-        }
-
         m_processor->peerManager->updatedBlockTip();
     }
 };
@@ -225,10 +219,7 @@
     : connman(connmanIn), nodePeerManager(nodePeerManagerIn),
       queryTimeoutDuration(AVALANCHE_DEFAULT_QUERY_TIMEOUT), round(0),
       peerManager(std::make_unique<PeerManager>()),
-      peerData(std::move(peerDataIn)), sessionKey(std::move(sessionKeyIn)),
-      // Schedule proof registration at the first new block after IBD.
-      // FIXME: get rid of this flag
-      mustRegisterProof(!!peerData) {
+      peerData(std::move(peerDataIn)), sessionKey(std::move(sessionKeyIn)) {
     // Make sure we get notified of chain state changes.
     chainNotificationsHandler =
         chain.handleNotifications(std::make_shared<NotificationsHandler>(this));
@@ -594,6 +585,18 @@
     return peerManager->getOrphan(proofid);
 }
 
+bool Processor::registerLocalProof() {
+    auto localProof = getLocalProof();
+    if (!localProof) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!addProof(localProof) && !getOrphan(localProof->getId())) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    // Proof successfully added as a peer or orphan.
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool Processor::startEventLoop(CScheduler &scheduler) {
     return eventLoop.startEventLoop(
         scheduler, [this]() { this->runEventLoop(); }, AVALANCHE_TIME_STEP);
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -3017,6 +3017,12 @@
         },
         DUMP_BANS_INTERVAL);
 
+    // Register local proof if available
+    if (g_avalanche->getLocalProof() && !g_avalanche->registerLocalProof()) {
+        // TODO: try to get a better error message.
+        return InitError(_("Invalid proof"));
+    }
+
     // Start Avalanche's event loop.
     g_avalanche->startEventLoop(*node.scheduler);
 
diff --git a/test/functional/abc_rpc_avalancheproof.py b/test/functional/abc_rpc_avalancheproof.py
--- a/test/functional/abc_rpc_avalancheproof.py
+++ b/test/functional/abc_rpc_avalancheproof.py
@@ -101,23 +101,13 @@
         assert_raises_rpc_error(-22, "Proof has invalid format",
                                 node.decodeavalancheproof, proof[:-2])
 
-        # Restart the node, making sure it is initially in IBD mode
-        minchainwork = int(node.getblockchaininfo()["chainwork"], 16) + 1
+        # Restart the node with this proof
         self.restart_node(0, self.extra_args[0] + [
             "-avaproof={}".format(proof),
             "-avamasterkey=cND2ZvtabDbJ1gucx9GWH6XT9kgTAqfb6cotPt5Q5CyxVDhid2EN",
-            "-minimumchainwork=0x{:x}".format(minchainwork),
         ])
 
-        self.log.info(
-            "The proof verification should be delayed until IBD is complete")
-        assert node.getblockchaininfo()["initialblockdownload"] is True
-        # Our proof cannot be verified during IBD, so we should have no peer
-        assert not node.getavalanchepeerinfo()
-        # Mining one more block should cause us to leave IBD
-        node.generate(1)
-        # Our proof is now verified and our node is added as a peer
-        assert node.getblockchaininfo()["initialblockdownload"] is False
+        self.log.info("The proof is registered")
         wait_until(lambda: len(node.getavalanchepeerinfo()) == 1, timeout=5)
 
         if self.is_wallet_compiled():