diff --git a/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/extractSlotRootFns.ts b/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/extractSlotRootFns.ts
index d31cb3e2d7f9..7d957d48e017 100644
--- a/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/extractSlotRootFns.ts
+++ b/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/extractSlotRootFns.ts
@@ -16,23 +16,40 @@ import {ExtractSlotRootFns} from "./types.js";
  */
 export function createExtractBlockSlotRootFns(): ExtractSlotRootFns {
   return {
-    [GossipType.beacon_attestation]: (data: Uint8Array): SlotRootHex | null => {
+    [GossipType.beacon_attestation]: (data: Uint8Array, extractRoot: boolean): SlotOptionalRoot | null => {
       const slot = getSlotFromAttestationSerialized(data);
-      const root = getBlockRootFromAttestationSerialized(data);
-
-      if (slot === null || root === null) {
+      if (slot === null) {
         return null;
       }
-      return {slot, root};
+
+      if (extractRoot) {
+        const root = getBlockRootFromAttestationSerialized(data);
+        if (root === null) {
+          return null;
+        }
+
+        return {slot, root};
+      }
+
+      return {slot};
     },
-    [GossipType.beacon_aggregate_and_proof]: (data: Uint8Array): SlotRootHex | null => {
+    [GossipType.beacon_aggregate_and_proof]: (data: Uint8Array, extractRoot: boolean): SlotOptionalRoot | null => {
       const slot = getSlotFromSignedAggregateAndProofSerialized(data);
-      const root = getBlockRootFromSignedAggregateAndProofSerialized(data);
-
-      if (slot === null || root === null) {
+      if (slot === null) {
         return null;
       }
-      return {slot, root};
+
+      if (extractRoot) {
+        const root = getBlockRootFromSignedAggregateAndProofSerialized(data);
+
+        if (root === null) {
+          return null;
+        }
+
+        return {slot, root};
+      }
+
+      return {slot};
     },
     [GossipType.beacon_block]: (data: Uint8Array): SlotOptionalRoot | null => {
       const slot = getSlotFromSignedBeaconBlockSerialized(data);
diff --git a/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/index.ts b/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/index.ts
index ec0edf54644f..293dd6412e1d 100644
--- a/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/index.ts
+++ b/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/index.ts
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ export class NetworkProcessor {
   private readonly awaitingGossipsubMessagesByRootBySlot: MapDef<Slot, MapDef<RootHex, Set<PendingGossipsubMessage>>>;
   private unknownBlockGossipsubMessagesCount = 0;
   private isProcessingCurrentSlotBlock = false;
+  private receivedGossipBlock = false;
   private unknownRootsBySlot = new MapDef<Slot, Set<RootHex>>(() => new Set());
 
   constructor(
@@ -247,7 +248,10 @@ export class NetworkProcessor {
     const extractBlockSlotRootFn = this.extractBlockSlotRootFns[topicType];
     // check block root of Attestation and SignedAggregateAndProof messages
     if (extractBlockSlotRootFn) {
-      const slotRoot = extractBlockSlotRootFn(message.msg.data);
+      // only extract roots for early gossip messages
+      // see https://github.com/ChainSafe/lodestar/issues/7205
+      const extractRoot = !this.receivedGossipBlock;
+      const slotRoot = extractBlockSlotRootFn(message.msg.data, extractRoot);
       // if slotRoot is null, it means the msg.data is invalid
       // in that case message will be rejected when deserializing data in later phase (gossipValidatorFn)
       if (slotRoot) {
@@ -319,6 +323,9 @@ export class NetworkProcessor {
     executionOptimistic: boolean;
   }): Promise<void> {
     this.isProcessingCurrentSlotBlock = false;
+    if (slot === this.chain.clock.currentSlot) {
+      this.receivedGossipBlock = true;
+    }
     const byRootGossipsubMessages = this.awaitingGossipsubMessagesByRootBySlot.getOrDefault(slot);
     const waitingGossipsubMessages = byRootGossipsubMessages.getOrDefault(rootHex);
     if (waitingGossipsubMessages.size === 0) {
@@ -346,6 +353,7 @@ export class NetworkProcessor {
 
   private onClockSlot(clockSlot: Slot): void {
     this.isProcessingCurrentSlotBlock = false;
+    this.receivedGossipBlock = false;
     const nowSec = Date.now() / 1000;
     for (const [slot, gossipMessagesByRoot] of this.awaitingGossipsubMessagesByRootBySlot.entries()) {
       if (slot < clockSlot) {
diff --git a/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/types.ts b/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/types.ts
index 386b9e8afc37..72f025891938 100644
--- a/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/types.ts
+++ b/packages/beacon-node/src/network/processor/types.ts
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ export type PendingGossipsubMessage = {
 };
 
 export type ExtractSlotRootFns = {
-  [K in GossipType]?: (data: Uint8Array) => SlotOptionalRoot | null;
+  [K in GossipType]?: (data: Uint8Array, extractRoot: boolean) => SlotOptionalRoot | null;
 };