diff --git a/dot/services.go b/dot/services.go
index 60a26ca4ed..d0cee3b2a2 100644
--- a/dot/services.go
+++ b/dot/services.go
@@ -442,6 +442,11 @@ func (nodeBuilder) newSyncService(cfg *Config, st *state.Service, fg BlockJustif
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	genesisData, err := st.Base.LoadGenesisData()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	syncCfg := &sync.Config{
 		LogLvl:             cfg.Log.SyncLvl,
 		Network:            net,
@@ -455,6 +460,7 @@ func (nodeBuilder) newSyncService(cfg *Config, st *state.Service, fg BlockJustif
 		MaxPeers:           cfg.Network.MaxPeers,
 		SlotDuration:       slotDuration,
 		Telemetry:          telemetryMailer,
+		BadBlocks:          genesisData.BadBlocks,
 	}
 
 	return sync.NewService(syncCfg)
diff --git a/dot/sync/chain_sync.go b/dot/sync/chain_sync.go
index 8e80b8a54e..24a6d339fb 100644
--- a/dot/sync/chain_sync.go
+++ b/dot/sync/chain_sync.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peer"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus/promauto"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/network"
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/peerset"
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@ type chainSync struct {
 	finalityGadget     FinalityGadget
 	blockImportHandler BlockImportHandler
 	telemetry          Telemetry
+	badBlocks          []string
 }
 
 type chainSyncConfig struct {
@@ -189,6 +191,7 @@ type chainSyncConfig struct {
 	finalityGadget     FinalityGadget
 	blockImportHandler BlockImportHandler
 	telemetry          Telemetry
+	badBlocks          []string
 }
 
 func newChainSync(cfg chainSyncConfig) *chainSync {
@@ -226,6 +229,7 @@ func newChainSync(cfg chainSyncConfig) *chainSync {
 		logSyncTickerC:     logSyncTicker.C,
 		logSyncDone:        make(chan struct{}),
 		workerPool:         newSyncWorkerPool(cfg.net),
+		badBlocks:          cfg.badBlocks,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -632,6 +636,10 @@ loop:
 
 			err := cs.validateResponse(request, response, who)
 			switch {
+			case errors.Is(err, errBadBlock):
+				logger.Criticalf("Rejecting known bad block: $s", err)
+				cs.workerPool.shutdownWorker(taskResult.who, true)
+				cs.workerPool.submitRequest(taskResult.request, workersResults)
 			case errors.Is(err, errResponseIsNotChain):
 				logger.Criticalf("response invalid: %s", err)
 				cs.workerPool.shutdownWorker(taskResult.who, true)
@@ -1014,6 +1022,11 @@ func (cs *chainSync) validateBlockData(req *network.BlockRequestMessage, bd *typ
 
 	requestedData := req.RequestedData
 
+	if slices.Contains(cs.badBlocks, bd.Hash.String()) {
+		logger.Errorf("Rejecting known bad block Number: %d Hash: %s", bd.Number(), bd.Hash)
+		return errBadBlock
+	}
+
 	if (requestedData&network.RequestedDataHeader) == 1 && bd.Header == nil {
 		cs.network.ReportPeer(peerset.ReputationChange{
 			Value:  peerset.IncompleteHeaderValue,
diff --git a/dot/sync/errors.go b/dot/sync/errors.go
index 51334ab66f..1a90802d68 100644
--- a/dot/sync/errors.go
+++ b/dot/sync/errors.go
@@ -34,4 +34,5 @@ var (
 	errFailedToGetParent            = errors.New("failed to get parent header")
 	errStartAndEndMismatch          = errors.New("request start and end hash are not on the same chain")
 	errFailedToGetDescendant        = errors.New("failed to find descendant block")
+	errBadBlock                     = errors.New("known bad block")
 )
diff --git a/dot/sync/sync_worker.go b/dot/sync/sync_worker.go
index 271df3b015..8c9cddad64 100644
--- a/dot/sync/sync_worker.go
+++ b/dot/sync/sync_worker.go
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ func (s *syncWorker) update(bestHash common.Hash, bestNumber uint) {
 }
 
 var errBadPeerWorker = errors.New("bad peer worker")
-var errBadBlock = errors.New("bad block")
 
 func (s *syncWorker) Start(tasks <-chan *syncTask, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 	wg.Add(1)
diff --git a/dot/sync/syncer.go b/dot/sync/syncer.go
index 12a339099d..efa9e58962 100644
--- a/dot/sync/syncer.go
+++ b/dot/sync/syncer.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	MinPeers, MaxPeers int
 	SlotDuration       time.Duration
 	Telemetry          Telemetry
+	BadBlocks          []string
 }
 
 // NewService returns a new *sync.Service
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ func NewService(cfg *Config) (*Service, error) {
 		finalityGadget:     cfg.FinalityGadget,
 		blockImportHandler: cfg.BlockImportHandler,
 		telemetry:          cfg.Telemetry,
+		badBlocks:          cfg.BadBlocks,
 	}
 	chainSync := newChainSync(csCfg)