diff --git a/dot/sync/block_queue.go b/dot/sync/block_queue.go
index 28720164502..57daed89ade 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{}),
 	}
 }
 
-// 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
+	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/chain_processor.go b/dot/sync/chain_processor.go
index a628cbb2f86..c3970131ef7 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_test.go b/dot/sync/chain_sync_test.go
index 07dca3337dd..d5ff74e5c3e 100644
--- a/dot/sync/chain_sync_test.go
+++ b/dot/sync/chain_sync_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package sync
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
@@ -663,7 +664,7 @@ 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)
 
@@ -699,11 +700,11 @@ 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)
 }
@@ -757,9 +758,10 @@ 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_test.go b/dot/sync/tip_syncer_test.go
index 79569c06cd2..f77c05526c2 100644
--- a/dot/sync/tip_syncer_test.go
+++ b/dot/sync/tip_syncer_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package sync
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/network"
@@ -233,7 +234,8 @@ 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)
@@ -274,8 +276,9 @@ 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) {