diff --git a/dot/sync/block_queue.go b/dot/sync/block_queue.go
index 2872016450..aa4648722b 100644
--- a/dot/sync/block_queue.go
+++ b/dot/sync/block_queue.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package sync
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/types"
@@ -11,42 +12,44 @@ import (
 )
 
 type blockQueue struct {
-	sync.RWMutex
-	cap    int
-	ch     chan *types.BlockData
-	blocks map[common.Hash]*types.BlockData
+	queue          chan *types.BlockData
+	hashesSet      map[common.Hash]struct{}
+	hashesSetMutex sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 // newBlockQueue initialises a queue of *types.BlockData with the given capacity.
-func newBlockQueue(cap int) *blockQueue {
+func newBlockQueue(capacity int) *blockQueue {
 	return &blockQueue{
-		cap:    cap,
-		ch:     make(chan *types.BlockData, cap),
-		blocks: make(map[common.Hash]*types.BlockData),
+		queue:     make(chan *types.BlockData, capacity),
+		hashesSet: make(map[common.Hash]struct{}, capacity),
 	}
 }
 
-// push pushes an item into the queue. it blocks if the queue is at capacity.
-func (q *blockQueue) push(bd *types.BlockData) {
-	q.Lock()
-	q.blocks[bd.Hash] = bd
-	q.Unlock()
+// push pushes an item into the queue. It blocks if the queue is at capacity.
+func (bq *blockQueue) push(blockData *types.BlockData) {
+	bq.hashesSetMutex.Lock()
+	bq.hashesSet[blockData.Hash] = struct{}{}
+	bq.hashesSetMutex.Unlock()
 
-	q.ch <- bd
+	bq.queue <- blockData
 }
 
-// pop pops an item from the queue. it blocks if the queue is empty.
-func (q *blockQueue) pop() *types.BlockData {
-	bd := <-q.ch
-	q.Lock()
-	delete(q.blocks, bd.Hash)
-	q.Unlock()
-	return bd
+// pop pops an item from the queue. It blocks if the queue is empty.
+func (bq *blockQueue) pop(ctx context.Context) (blockData *types.BlockData) {
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return nil
+	case blockData = <-bq.queue:
+	}
+	bq.hashesSetMutex.Lock()
+	delete(bq.hashesSet, blockData.Hash)
+	bq.hashesSetMutex.Unlock()
+	return blockData
 }
 
-func (q *blockQueue) has(hash common.Hash) bool {
-	q.RLock()
-	defer q.RUnlock()
-	_, has := q.blocks[hash]
+func (bq *blockQueue) has(blockHash common.Hash) (has bool) {
+	bq.hashesSetMutex.RLock()
+	defer bq.hashesSetMutex.RUnlock()
+	_, has = bq.hashesSet[blockHash]
 	return has
 }
diff --git a/dot/sync/block_queue_test.go b/dot/sync/block_queue_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f6796083bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dot/sync/block_queue_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+// Copyright 2021 ChainSafe Systems (ON)
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only
+
+package sync
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/types"
+	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/lib/common"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func Test_newBlockQueue(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const capacity = 1
+	bq := newBlockQueue(capacity)
+
+	require.NotNil(t, bq.queue)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, cap(bq.queue))
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, len(bq.queue))
+	bq.queue = nil
+
+	expectedBlockQueue := &blockQueue{
+		hashesSet: make(map[common.Hash]struct{}, capacity),
+	}
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedBlockQueue, bq)
+}
+
+func Test_blockQueue_push(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const capacity = 1
+	bq := newBlockQueue(capacity)
+	blockData := &types.BlockData{
+		Hash: common.Hash{1},
+	}
+
+	bq.push(blockData)
+
+	// cannot compare channels
+	require.NotNil(t, bq.queue)
+	assert.Len(t, bq.queue, 1)
+
+	receivedBlockData := <-bq.queue
+	expectedBlockData := &types.BlockData{
+		Hash: common.Hash{1},
+	}
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedBlockData, receivedBlockData)
+
+	bq.queue = nil
+	expectedBlockQueue := &blockQueue{
+		hashesSet: map[common.Hash]struct{}{{1}: {}},
+	}
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedBlockQueue, bq)
+}
+
+func Test_blockQueue_pop(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("context canceled", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		cancel()
+
+		const capacity = 1
+		bq := newBlockQueue(capacity)
+
+		blockData := bq.pop(ctx)
+		assert.Nil(t, blockData)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("get block data after waiting", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		ctx := context.Background()
+
+		const capacity = 1
+		bq := newBlockQueue(capacity)
+
+		const afterDuration = 5 * time.Millisecond
+		time.AfterFunc(afterDuration, func() {
+			blockData := &types.BlockData{
+				Hash: common.Hash{1},
+			}
+			bq.push(blockData)
+		})
+
+		blockData := bq.pop(ctx)
+
+		expectedBlockData := &types.BlockData{
+			Hash: common.Hash{1},
+		}
+		assert.Equal(t, expectedBlockData, blockData)
+
+		assert.Len(t, bq.queue, 0)
+		bq.queue = nil
+		expectedBlockQueue := &blockQueue{
+			hashesSet: map[common.Hash]struct{}{},
+		}
+		assert.Equal(t, expectedBlockQueue, bq)
+	})
+}
+
+func Test_blockQueue_has(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	testCases := map[string]struct {
+		blockQueue *blockQueue
+		blockHash  common.Hash
+		has        bool
+	}{
+		"absent": {
+			blockQueue: &blockQueue{
+				hashesSet: map[common.Hash]struct{}{},
+			},
+			blockHash: common.Hash{1},
+		},
+		"exists": {
+			blockQueue: &blockQueue{
+				hashesSet: map[common.Hash]struct{}{{1}: {}},
+			},
+			blockHash: common.Hash{1},
+			has:       true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, tc := range testCases {
+		testCase := tc
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			has := testCase.blockQueue.has(testCase.blockHash)
+			assert.Equal(t, testCase.has, has)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_lockQueue_endToEnd(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const capacity = 10
+	blockQueue := newBlockQueue(capacity)
+
+	newBlockData := func(i byte) *types.BlockData {
+		return &types.BlockData{
+			Hash: common.Hash{i},
+		}
+	}
+
+	blockQueue.push(newBlockData(1))
+	blockQueue.push(newBlockData(2))
+	blockQueue.push(newBlockData(3))
+
+	blockData := blockQueue.pop(context.Background())
+	assert.Equal(t, newBlockData(1), blockData)
+
+	has := blockQueue.has(newBlockData(2).Hash)
+	assert.True(t, has)
+	has = blockQueue.has(newBlockData(3).Hash)
+	assert.True(t, has)
+
+	blockQueue.push(newBlockData(4))
+
+	has = blockQueue.has(newBlockData(4).Hash)
+	assert.True(t, has)
+
+	blockData = blockQueue.pop(context.Background())
+	assert.Equal(t, newBlockData(2), blockData)
+
+	// drain queue
+	for len(blockQueue.queue) > 0 {
+		<-blockQueue.queue
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_lockQueue_threadSafety(t *testing.T) {
+	// This test consists in checking for concurrent access
+	// using the -race detector.
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var startWg, endWg sync.WaitGroup
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
+	const operations = 3
+	const parallelism = 3
+	const goroutines = parallelism * operations
+	startWg.Add(goroutines)
+	endWg.Add(goroutines)
+
+	const testDuration = 50 * time.Millisecond
+	go func() {
+		timer := time.NewTimer(time.Hour)
+		startWg.Wait()
+		_ = timer.Reset(testDuration)
+		<-timer.C
+		cancel()
+	}()
+
+	runInLoop := func(f func()) {
+		defer endWg.Done()
+		startWg.Done()
+		startWg.Wait()
+		for ctx.Err() == nil {
+			f()
+		}
+	}
+
+	const capacity = 10
+	blockQueue := newBlockQueue(capacity)
+	blockData := &types.BlockData{
+		Hash: common.Hash{1},
+	}
+	blockHash := common.Hash{1}
+
+	for i := 0; i < parallelism; i++ {
+		go runInLoop(func() {
+			blockQueue.push(blockData)
+		})
+
+		go runInLoop(func() {
+			_ = blockQueue.pop(ctx)
+		})
+
+		go runInLoop(func() {
+			_ = blockQueue.has(blockHash)
+		})
+	}
+
+	endWg.Wait()
+}
diff --git a/dot/sync/chain_processor.go b/dot/sync/chain_processor.go
index a628cbb2f8..c3970131ef 100644
--- a/dot/sync/chain_processor.go
+++ b/dot/sync/chain_processor.go
@@ -73,15 +73,9 @@ func (s *chainProcessor) stop() {
 
 func (s *chainProcessor) processReadyBlocks() {
 	for {
-		select {
-		case <-s.ctx.Done():
+		bd := s.readyBlocks.pop(s.ctx)
+		if s.ctx.Err() != nil {
 			return
-		default:
-		}
-
-		bd := s.readyBlocks.pop()
-		if bd == nil {
-			continue
 		}
 
 		if err := s.processBlockData(bd); err != nil {
diff --git a/dot/sync/chain_sync_integeration_test.go b/dot/sync/chain_sync_integeration_test.go
index b742226705..d5e12f2499 100644
--- a/dot/sync/chain_sync_integeration_test.go
+++ b/dot/sync/chain_sync_integeration_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 package sync
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
@@ -666,7 +667,7 @@ func TestChainSync_doSync(t *testing.T) {
 
 	workerErr = cs.doSync(req, make(map[peer.ID]struct{}))
 	require.Nil(t, workerErr)
-	bd := readyBlocks.pop()
+	bd := readyBlocks.pop(context.Background())
 	require.NotNil(t, bd)
 	require.Equal(t, resp.BlockData[0], bd)
 
@@ -702,11 +703,11 @@ func TestChainSync_doSync(t *testing.T) {
 	workerErr = cs.doSync(req, make(map[peer.ID]struct{}))
 	require.Nil(t, workerErr)
 
-	bd = readyBlocks.pop()
+	bd = readyBlocks.pop(context.Background())
 	require.NotNil(t, bd)
 	require.Equal(t, resp.BlockData[0], bd)
 
-	bd = readyBlocks.pop()
+	bd = readyBlocks.pop(context.Background())
 	require.NotNil(t, bd)
 	require.Equal(t, resp.BlockData[1], bd)
 }
@@ -760,9 +761,10 @@ func TestHandleReadyBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	require.False(t, cs.pendingBlocks.hasBlock(header3.Hash()))
 	require.True(t, cs.pendingBlocks.hasBlock(header2NotDescendant.Hash()))
 
-	require.Equal(t, block1.ToBlockData(), readyBlocks.pop())
-	require.Equal(t, block2.ToBlockData(), readyBlocks.pop())
-	require.Equal(t, block3.ToBlockData(), readyBlocks.pop())
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	require.Equal(t, block1.ToBlockData(), readyBlocks.pop(ctx))
+	require.Equal(t, block2.ToBlockData(), readyBlocks.pop(ctx))
+	require.Equal(t, block3.ToBlockData(), readyBlocks.pop(ctx))
 }
 
 func TestChainSync_determineSyncPeers(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/dot/sync/tip_syncer_integeration_test.go b/dot/sync/tip_syncer_integeration_test.go
index b24c0c4dc9..4014e4c79f 100644
--- a/dot/sync/tip_syncer_integeration_test.go
+++ b/dot/sync/tip_syncer_integeration_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 package sync
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/network"
@@ -235,7 +236,8 @@ func TestTipSyncer_handleTick_case3(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, []*worker(nil), w)
 	require.False(t, s.pendingBlocks.hasBlock(header.Hash()))
-	require.Equal(t, block.ToBlockData(), s.readyBlocks.pop())
+	readyBlockData := s.readyBlocks.pop(context.Background())
+	require.Equal(t, block.ToBlockData(), readyBlockData)
 
 	// add pending block w/ full block, but block is not ready as parent is unknown
 	bs := new(syncmocks.BlockState)
@@ -276,8 +278,9 @@ func TestTipSyncer_handleTick_case3(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, []*worker(nil), w)
 	require.False(t, s.pendingBlocks.hasBlock(header.Hash()))
-	s.readyBlocks.pop() // first pop will remove parent
-	require.Equal(t, block.ToBlockData(), s.readyBlocks.pop())
+	_ = s.readyBlocks.pop(context.Background()) // first pop removes the parent
+	readyBlockData = s.readyBlocks.pop(context.Background())
+	require.Equal(t, block.ToBlockData(), readyBlockData)
 }
 
 func TestTipSyncer_hasCurrentWorker(t *testing.T) {