diff --git a/process/block/baseProcess.go b/process/block/baseProcess.go
index a22fa002d9..657d4a5471 100644
--- a/process/block/baseProcess.go
+++ b/process/block/baseProcess.go
@@ -2370,7 +2370,7 @@ func (bp *baseProcessor) requestNextHeader(currentHeaderHash []byte, nonce uint6
 	}
 }
 
-func (bp *baseProcessor) waitAllMissingProofs() error {
+func (bp *baseProcessor) waitAllMissingProofs(waitTime time.Duration) error {
 	bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.RLock()
 	isWaitingForProofs := len(bp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap) > 0
 	bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.RUnlock()
@@ -2381,7 +2381,7 @@ func (bp *baseProcessor) waitAllMissingProofs() error {
 	select {
 	case <-bp.allProofsReceived:
 		return nil
-	case <-time.After(bp.extraDelayRequestBlockInfo):
+	case <-time.After(waitTime):
 		bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.RLock()
 		defer bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.RUnlock()
 
@@ -2396,7 +2396,7 @@ func (bp *baseProcessor) waitAllMissingProofs() error {
 	}
 }
 
-func (bp *baseProcessor) checkReceivedHeaderAndUpdateMissingAttesting(headerHandler data.HeaderHandler) {
+func (bp *baseProcessor) checkReceivedHeaderIfAttestingIsNeeded(headerHandler data.HeaderHandler) {
 	if !common.ShouldBlockHavePrevProof(headerHandler, bp.enableEpochsHandler, common.EquivalentMessagesFlag) {
 		return
 	}
@@ -2408,29 +2408,30 @@ func (bp *baseProcessor) checkReceivedHeaderAndUpdateMissingAttesting(headerHand
 		return
 	}
 
+	allProofsReceived := bp.checkReceivedHeaderAndUpdateMissingAttesting(headerHandler)
+	if allProofsReceived {
+		bp.allProofsReceived <- true
+	}
+}
+
+func (bp *baseProcessor) checkReceivedHeaderAndUpdateMissingAttesting(headerHandler data.HeaderHandler) bool {
 	bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Lock()
+	defer bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Unlock()
 
 	receivedShard := headerHandler.GetShardID()
 	prevHash := headerHandler.GetPrevHash()
 	_, isHeaderWithoutProof := bp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap[string(prevHash)]
 	if !isHeaderWithoutProof {
 		log.Debug("received header does not have previous hash any of the requested ones")
-		bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Unlock()
-		return
+		return len(bp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap) == 0
 	}
 
 	if !bp.proofsPool.HasProof(receivedShard, prevHash) {
 		log.Debug("received next header but proof is still missing", "hash", hex.EncodeToString(prevHash))
-		bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Unlock()
-		return
+		return len(bp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap) == 0
 	}
 
 	delete(bp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap, string(prevHash))
 
-	allProofsReceived := len(bp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap) == 0
-	bp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Unlock()
-
-	if allProofsReceived {
-		bp.allProofsReceived <- true
-	}
+	return len(bp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap) == 0
 }
diff --git a/process/block/metablock.go b/process/block/metablock.go
index 2f8ce9571d..9f7c193fcf 100644
--- a/process/block/metablock.go
+++ b/process/block/metablock.go
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ func (mp *metaProcessor) ProcessBlock(
 		}
 	}
 
-	err = mp.checkProofsForShardData(header)
+	err = mp.checkProofsForShardData(header, haveTime())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -418,15 +418,15 @@ func (mp *metaProcessor) ProcessBlock(
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (mp *metaProcessor) checkProofsForShardData(header *block.MetaBlock) error {
+func (mp *metaProcessor) checkProofsForShardData(header *block.MetaBlock, waitTime time.Duration) error {
 	if !(mp.enableEpochsHandler.IsFlagEnabledInEpoch(common.EquivalentMessagesFlag, header.Epoch) && header.GetNonce() > 1) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	mp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Lock()
 	mp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap = make(map[string]uint64)
-	_ = core.EmptyChannel(mp.allProofsReceived)
 	mp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Unlock()
+	_ = core.EmptyChannel(mp.allProofsReceived)
 
 	for _, shardData := range header.ShardInfo {
 		// TODO: consider the validation of the proof:
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ func (mp *metaProcessor) checkProofsForShardData(header *block.MetaBlock) error
 		}
 	}
 
-	return mp.waitAllMissingProofs()
+	return mp.waitAllMissingProofs(waitTime)
 }
 
 func (mp *metaProcessor) processEpochStartMetaBlock(
@@ -2075,7 +2075,7 @@ func (mp *metaProcessor) receivedShardHeader(headerHandler data.HeaderHandler, s
 		"hash", shardHeaderHash,
 	)
 
-	mp.checkReceivedHeaderAndUpdateMissingAttesting(headerHandler)
+	mp.checkReceivedHeaderIfAttestingIsNeeded(headerHandler)
 
 	mp.hdrsForCurrBlock.mutHdrsForBlock.Lock()
 
diff --git a/process/block/shardblock.go b/process/block/shardblock.go
index dc00a4fc25..e88dc71828 100644
--- a/process/block/shardblock.go
+++ b/process/block/shardblock.go
@@ -295,8 +295,8 @@ func (sp *shardProcessor) ProcessBlock(
 
 	sp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Lock()
 	sp.requestedAttestingNoncesMap = make(map[string]uint64)
-	_ = core.EmptyChannel(sp.allProofsReceived)
 	sp.mutRequestedAttestingNoncesMap.Unlock()
+	_ = core.EmptyChannel(sp.allProofsReceived)
 
 	// check proofs for cross notarized metablocks
 	for _, metaBlockHash := range header.GetMetaBlockHashes() {
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ func (sp *shardProcessor) ProcessBlock(
 		sp.checkProofRequestingNextHeaderIfMissing(core.MetachainShardId, metaBlockHash, hInfo.hdr.GetNonce())
 	}
 
-	err = sp.waitAllMissingProofs()
+	err = sp.waitAllMissingProofs(haveTime())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -1763,7 +1763,7 @@ func (sp *shardProcessor) receivedMetaBlock(headerHandler data.HeaderHandler, me
 		"hash", metaBlockHash,
 	)
 
-	sp.checkReceivedHeaderAndUpdateMissingAttesting(headerHandler)
+	sp.checkReceivedHeaderIfAttestingIsNeeded(headerHandler)
 
 	sp.hdrsForCurrBlock.mutHdrsForBlock.Lock()