diff --git a/dot/network/block_announce.go b/dot/network/block_announce.go
index 64338154cb..8c5771b67e 100644
--- a/dot/network/block_announce.go
+++ b/dot/network/block_announce.go
@@ -69,11 +69,14 @@ func (bm *BlockAnnounceMessage) Decode(in []byte) error {
 }
 
 // Hash returns the hash of the BlockAnnounceMessage
-func (bm *BlockAnnounceMessage) Hash() common.Hash {
+func (bm *BlockAnnounceMessage) Hash() (common.Hash, error) {
 	// scale encode each extrinsic
-	encMsg, _ := bm.Encode()
-	hash, _ := common.Blake2bHash(encMsg)
-	return hash
+	encMsg, err := bm.Encode()
+	if err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("cannot encode message: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return common.Blake2bHash(encMsg)
 }
 
 // IsHandshake returns false
@@ -144,9 +147,15 @@ func (*BlockAnnounceHandshake) Type() byte {
 	return 0
 }
 
-// Hash ...
-func (*BlockAnnounceHandshake) Hash() common.Hash {
-	return common.Hash{}
+// Hash returns blake2b hash of block announce handshake.
+func (hs *BlockAnnounceHandshake) Hash() (common.Hash, error) {
+	// scale encode each extrinsic
+	encMsg, err := hs.Encode()
+	if err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("cannot encode handshake: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return common.Blake2bHash(encMsg)
 }
 
 // IsHandshake returns true
@@ -174,7 +183,7 @@ func (s *Service) validateBlockAnnounceHandshake(from peer.ID, hs Handshake) err
 		return errors.New("invalid handshake type")
 	}
 
-	if bhs.GenesisHash != s.blockState.GenesisHash() {
+	if !bhs.GenesisHash.Equal(s.blockState.GenesisHash()) {
 		s.host.cm.peerSetHandler.ReportPeer(peerset.ReputationChange{
 			Value:  peerset.GenesisMismatch,
 			Reason: peerset.GenesisMismatchReason,
diff --git a/dot/network/gossip.go b/dot/network/gossip.go
index 5dca71cd25..d91f1c017e 100644
--- a/dot/network/gossip.go
+++ b/dot/network/gossip.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package network
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/internal/log"
@@ -25,19 +26,25 @@ func newGossip() *gossip {
 	}
 }
 
-// hasSeen broadcasts messages that have not been seen
-func (g *gossip) hasSeen(msg NotificationsMessage) bool {
-	// check if message has not been seen
-	msgHash := msg.Hash()
+// hasSeen checks if we have seen the given message before.
+func (g *gossip) hasSeen(msg NotificationsMessage) (bool, error) {
+	msgHash, err := msg.Hash()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("could not hash notification message: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	g.seenMutex.Lock()
 	defer g.seenMutex.Unlock()
 
+	// check if message has not been seen
 	_, ok := g.seenMap[msgHash]
 	if !ok {
 		// set message to has been seen
-		g.seenMap[msgHash] = struct{}{}
-		return false
+		if !msg.IsHandshake() {
+			g.seenMap[msgHash] = struct{}{}
+		}
+		return false, nil
 	}
 
-	return true
+	return true, nil
 }
diff --git a/dot/network/gossip_test.go b/dot/network/gossip_test.go
index 7bad703f9d..6c80f6905b 100644
--- a/dot/network/gossip_test.go
+++ b/dot/network/gossip_test.go
@@ -89,12 +89,15 @@ func TestGossip(t *testing.T) {
 
 	time.Sleep(TestMessageTimeout)
 
-	_, ok := nodeB.gossip.seenMap[announceMessage.Hash()]
+	hash, err := announceMessage.Hash()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, ok := nodeB.gossip.seenMap[hash]
 	require.True(t, ok, "node B did not receive block request message from node A")
 
-	_, ok = nodeC.gossip.seenMap[announceMessage.Hash()]
+	_, ok = nodeC.gossip.seenMap[hash]
 	require.True(t, ok, "node C did not receive block request message from node B")
 
-	_, ok = nodeA.gossip.seenMap[announceMessage.Hash()]
+	_, ok = nodeA.gossip.seenMap[hash]
 	require.True(t, ok, "node A did not receive block request message from node C")
 }
diff --git a/dot/network/message.go b/dot/network/message.go
index 798ed3157a..8c26974138 100644
--- a/dot/network/message.go
+++ b/dot/network/message.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type Message interface {
 type NotificationsMessage interface {
 	Message
 	Type() byte
-	Hash() common.Hash
+	Hash() (common.Hash, error)
 	IsHandshake() bool
 }
 
@@ -389,11 +389,13 @@ func (cm *ConsensusMessage) Decode(in []byte) error {
 }
 
 // Hash returns the Hash of ConsensusMessage
-func (cm *ConsensusMessage) Hash() common.Hash {
+func (cm *ConsensusMessage) Hash() (common.Hash, error) {
 	// scale encode each extrinsic
-	encMsg, _ := cm.Encode()
-	hash, _ := common.Blake2bHash(encMsg)
-	return hash
+	encMsg, err := cm.Encode()
+	if err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("cannot encode message: %w", err)
+	}
+	return common.Blake2bHash(encMsg)
 }
 
 // IsHandshake returns false
diff --git a/dot/network/message_cache.go b/dot/network/message_cache.go
index c3a1da3692..a2182db490 100644
--- a/dot/network/message_cache.go
+++ b/dot/network/message_cache.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package network
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/lib/common"
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ func (m *messageCache) put(peer peer.ID, msg NotificationsMessage) (bool, error)
 func (m *messageCache) exists(peer peer.ID, msg NotificationsMessage) bool {
 	key, err := generateCacheKey(peer, msg)
 	if err != nil {
+		logger.Errorf("could not generate cache key: %s", err)
 		return false
 	}
 
@@ -67,7 +69,12 @@ func generateCacheKey(peer peer.ID, msg NotificationsMessage) ([]byte, error) {
 		return nil, errors.New("cache does not support handshake messages")
 	}
 
-	peerMsgHash, err := common.Blake2bHash(append([]byte(peer), msg.Hash().ToBytes()...))
+	msgHash, err := msg.Hash()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot hash notification message: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	peerMsgHash, err := common.Blake2bHash(append([]byte(peer), msgHash.ToBytes()...))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/dot/network/notifications.go b/dot/network/notifications.go
index 266ecc6018..758c97b99d 100644
--- a/dot/network/notifications.go
+++ b/dot/network/notifications.go
@@ -136,6 +136,20 @@ func (s *Service) createNotificationsMessageHandler(
 			return fmt.Errorf("%w: expected %T but got %T", errMessageTypeNotValid, (NotificationsMessage)(nil), msg)
 		}
 
+		hasSeen, err := s.gossip.hasSeen(msg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("could not check if message was seen before: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		if hasSeen {
+			// report peer if we get duplicate gossip message.
+			s.host.cm.peerSetHandler.ReportPeer(peerset.ReputationChange{
+				Value:  peerset.DuplicateGossipValue,
+				Reason: peerset.DuplicateGossipReason,
+			}, peer)
+			return nil
+		}
+
 		if msg.IsHandshake() {
 			logger.Tracef("received handshake on notifications sub-protocol %s from peer %s, message is: %s",
 				info.protocolID, stream.Conn().RemotePeer(), msg)
@@ -207,16 +221,7 @@ func (s *Service) createNotificationsMessageHandler(
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		if !s.gossip.hasSeen(msg) {
-			s.broadcastExcluding(info, peer, msg)
-			return nil
-		}
-
-		// report peer if we get duplicate gossip message.
-		s.host.cm.peerSetHandler.ReportPeer(peerset.ReputationChange{
-			Value:  peerset.DuplicateGossipValue,
-			Reason: peerset.DuplicateGossipReason,
-		}, peer)
+		s.broadcastExcluding(info, peer, msg)
 		return nil
 	}
 }
@@ -238,7 +243,13 @@ func (s *Service) sendData(peer peer.ID, hs Handshake, info *notificationsProtoc
 		return
 	}
 
-	if support, err := s.host.supportsProtocol(peer, info.protocolID); err != nil || !support {
+	support, err := s.host.supportsProtocol(peer, info.protocolID)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Errorf("could not check if protocol %s is supported by peer %s: %s", info.protocolID, peer, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if !support {
 		s.host.cm.peerSetHandler.ReportPeer(peerset.ReputationChange{
 			Value:  peerset.BadProtocolValue,
 			Reason: peerset.BadProtocolReason,
@@ -319,7 +330,7 @@ func (s *Service) sendHandshake(peer peer.ID, hs Handshake, info *notificationsP
 		peer, info.protocolID, hs)
 	stream, err := s.host.send(peer, info.protocolID, hs)
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Tracef("failed to send message to peer %s: %s", peer, err)
+		logger.Tracef("failed to send handshake to peer %s: %s", peer, err)
 		// don't need to close the stream here, as it's nil!
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -345,7 +356,7 @@ func (s *Service) sendHandshake(peer peer.ID, hs Handshake, info *notificationsP
 		}
 
 		if hsResponse.err != nil {
-			logger.Tracef("failed to read handshake from peer %s using protocol %s: %s", peer, info.protocolID, err)
+			logger.Tracef("failed to read handshake from peer %s using protocol %s: %s", peer, info.protocolID, hsResponse.err)
 			closeOutboundStream(info, peer, stream)
 			return nil, hsResponse.err
 		}
diff --git a/dot/network/notifications_test.go b/dot/network/notifications_test.go
index a62f121e4b..5670114262 100644
--- a/dot/network/notifications_test.go
+++ b/dot/network/notifications_test.go
@@ -189,7 +189,9 @@ func TestCreateNotificationsMessageHandler_BlockAnnounceHandshake(t *testing.T)
 		Roles:           4,
 		BestBlockNumber: 77,
 		BestBlockHash:   common.Hash{1},
-		GenesisHash:     common.Hash{2},
+		// we are using a different genesis here, thus this
+		// handshake would be validated to be incorrect.
+		GenesisHash: common.Hash{2},
 	}
 
 	err = handler(stream, testHandshake)
@@ -367,28 +369,28 @@ func TestCreateNotificationsMessageHandler_HandleTransaction(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Len(t, txnBatch, 1)
 
 	msg = &TransactionMessage{
-		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}},
+		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}, {3, 3}},
 	}
 	err = handler(stream, msg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Len(t, txnBatch, 2)
 
 	msg = &TransactionMessage{
-		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}},
+		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}, {3, 3}, {4, 4}},
 	}
 	err = handler(stream, msg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Len(t, txnBatch, 3)
 
 	msg = &TransactionMessage{
-		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}},
+		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}, {3, 3}, {4, 4}, {5, 5}},
 	}
 	err = handler(stream, msg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Len(t, txnBatch, 4)
 
 	msg = &TransactionMessage{
-		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}},
+		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}, {3, 3}, {4, 4}, {5, 5}, {6, 6}},
 	}
 	err = handler(stream, msg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -396,14 +398,14 @@ func TestCreateNotificationsMessageHandler_HandleTransaction(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// reached batch size limit, below transaction will not be included in batch.
 	msg = &TransactionMessage{
-		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}},
+		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}, {3, 3}, {4, 4}, {5, 5}, {6, 6}, {7, 7}},
 	}
 	err = handler(stream, msg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Len(t, txnBatch, 5)
 
 	msg = &TransactionMessage{
-		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}},
+		Extrinsics: []types.Extrinsic{{1, 1}, {2, 2}, {3, 3}, {4, 4}, {5, 5}, {6, 6}, {7, 7}, {8, 8}},
 	}
 	// wait for transaction batch channel to process.
 	time.Sleep(1300 * time.Millisecond)
diff --git a/dot/network/transaction.go b/dot/network/transaction.go
index b7a4f1adba..e8a41087d4 100644
--- a/dot/network/transaction.go
+++ b/dot/network/transaction.go
@@ -54,10 +54,12 @@ func (tm *TransactionMessage) Decode(in []byte) error {
 }
 
 // Hash returns the hash of the TransactionMessage
-func (tm *TransactionMessage) Hash() common.Hash {
-	encMsg, _ := tm.Encode()
-	hash, _ := common.Blake2bHash(encMsg)
-	return hash
+func (tm *TransactionMessage) Hash() (common.Hash, error) {
+	encMsg, err := tm.Encode()
+	if err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("could not encode message: %w", err)
+	}
+	return common.Blake2bHash(encMsg)
 }
 
 // IsHandshake returns false
@@ -93,8 +95,8 @@ func (*transactionHandshake) Type() byte {
 }
 
 // Hash ...
-func (*transactionHandshake) Hash() common.Hash {
-	return common.Hash{}
+func (*transactionHandshake) Hash() (common.Hash, error) {
+	return common.Hash{}, nil
 }
 
 // IsHandshake returns true
@@ -129,6 +131,7 @@ func (s *Service) startTxnBatchProcessing(txnBatchCh chan *BatchMessage, slotDur
 				case txnMsg := <-txnBatchCh:
 					propagate, err := s.handleTransactionMessage(txnMsg.peer, txnMsg.msg)
 					if err != nil {
+						logger.Warnf("could not handle transaction message: %s", err)
 						s.host.closeProtocolStream(protocolID, txnMsg.peer)
 						continue
 					}
@@ -137,7 +140,16 @@ func (s *Service) startTxnBatchProcessing(txnBatchCh chan *BatchMessage, slotDur
 						continue
 					}
 
-					if !s.gossip.hasSeen(txnMsg.msg) {
+					// TODO: Check if s.gossip.hasSeen should be moved before handleTransactionMessage. #2445
+					// That we could avoid handling the transactions again, which we would have already seen.
+
+					hasSeen, err := s.gossip.hasSeen(txnMsg.msg)
+					if err != nil {
+						s.host.closeProtocolStream(protocolID, txnMsg.peer)
+						logger.Debugf("could not check if message was seen before: %s", err)
+						continue
+					}
+					if !hasSeen {
 						s.broadcastExcluding(s.notificationsProtocols[TransactionMsgType], txnMsg.peer, txnMsg.msg)
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/dot/peerset/handler.go b/dot/peerset/handler.go
index ab69592daa..5c90d2be1b 100644
--- a/dot/peerset/handler.go
+++ b/dot/peerset/handler.go
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ func (h *Handler) RemovePeer(setID int, peers ...peer.ID) {
 
 // ReportPeer reports ReputationChange according to the peer behaviour.
 func (h *Handler) ReportPeer(rep ReputationChange, peers ...peer.ID) {
+	for _, pid := range peers {
+		logger.Debugf("reporting reputation change of %d to peer %s, reason: %s", rep.Value, pid, rep.Reason)
+	}
+
 	h.actionQueue <- action{
 		actionCall: reportPeer,
 		reputation: rep,
diff --git a/lib/grandpa/network.go b/lib/grandpa/network.go
index 49549243bf..5caaaf91c5 100644
--- a/lib/grandpa/network.go
+++ b/lib/grandpa/network.go
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ func (*GrandpaHandshake) Type() byte {
 }
 
 // Hash ...
-func (*GrandpaHandshake) Hash() common.Hash {
-	return common.Hash{}
+func (*GrandpaHandshake) Hash() (common.Hash, error) {
+	return common.Hash{}, nil
 }
 
 // IsHandshake returns true