diff --git a/pkg/node/node.go b/pkg/node/node.go
index d2da0218179..3d8205db72b 100644
--- a/pkg/node/node.go
+++ b/pkg/node/node.go
@@ -748,6 +748,15 @@ func NewBee(
 
 	if batchSvc != nil && chainEnabled {
 		logger.Info("waiting to sync postage contract data, this may take a while... more info available in Debug loglevel")
+
+		paused, err := postageStampContractService.Paused(ctx)
+		if paused {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("postage contract is paused: %w", err)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Error(err, "Error checking postage contract is paused")
+		}
+
 		if o.FullNodeMode {
 			err = batchSvc.Start(ctx, postageSyncStart, initBatchState)
 			syncStatus.Store(true)
@@ -767,6 +776,7 @@ func NewBee(
 				}
 			}()
 		}
+
 	}
 
 	minThreshold := big.NewInt(2 * refreshRate)
diff --git a/pkg/postage/listener/listener.go b/pkg/postage/listener/listener.go
index 30b3b2ad81d..4cce0a8abe6 100644
--- a/pkg/postage/listener/listener.go
+++ b/pkg/postage/listener/listener.go
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ type listener struct {
 	batchTopUpTopic         common.Hash
 	batchDepthIncreaseTopic common.Hash
 	priceUpdateTopic        common.Hash
+	pausedTopic             common.Hash
 }
 
 func New(
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ func New(
 		batchTopUpTopic:         postageStampContractABI.Events["BatchTopUp"].ID,
 		batchDepthIncreaseTopic: postageStampContractABI.Events["BatchDepthIncrease"].ID,
 		priceUpdateTopic:        postageStampContractABI.Events["PriceUpdate"].ID,
+		pausedTopic:             postageStampContractABI.Events["Paused"].ID,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -172,6 +174,9 @@ func (l *listener) processEvent(e types.Log, updater postage.EventUpdater) error
 			c.Price,
 			e.TxHash,
 		)
+	case l.pausedTopic:
+		l.logger.Warning("Postage contract is paused.")
+		return context.Canceled
 	default:
 		l.metrics.EventErrors.Inc()
 		return errors.New("unknown event")
diff --git a/pkg/postage/postagecontract/contract.go b/pkg/postage/postagecontract/contract.go
index 90c684edff7..b454f249c11 100644
--- a/pkg/postage/postagecontract/contract.go
+++ b/pkg/postage/postagecontract/contract.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type Interface interface {
 	CreateBatch(ctx context.Context, initialBalance *big.Int, depth uint8, immutable bool, label string) (common.Hash, []byte, error)
 	TopUpBatch(ctx context.Context, batchID []byte, topupBalance *big.Int) (common.Hash, error)
 	DiluteBatch(ctx context.Context, batchID []byte, newDepth uint8) (common.Hash, error)
+	Paused(ctx context.Context) (bool, error)
 	PostageBatchExpirer
 }
 
@@ -492,6 +493,32 @@ func (c *postageContract) DiluteBatch(ctx context.Context, batchID []byte, newDe
 	return
 }
 
+func (c *postageContract) Paused(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
+	callData, err := c.postageStampContractABI.Pack("paused")
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	result, err := c.transactionService.Call(ctx, &transaction.TxRequest{
+		To:   &c.postageStampContractAddress,
+		Data: callData,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	results, err := c.postageStampContractABI.Unpack("paused", result)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	if len(results) == 0 {
+		return false, errors.New("unexpected empty results")
+	}
+
+	return results[0].(bool), nil
+}
+
 type batchCreatedEvent struct {
 	BatchId           [32]byte
 	TotalAmount       *big.Int
@@ -514,6 +541,10 @@ func (m *noOpPostageContract) DiluteBatch(context.Context, []byte, uint8) (commo
 	return common.Hash{}, ErrChainDisabled
 }
 
+func (m *noOpPostageContract) Paused(context.Context) (bool, error) {
+	return false, nil
+}
+
 func (m *noOpPostageContract) ExpireBatches(context.Context) error {
 	return ErrChainDisabled
 }
diff --git a/pkg/postage/postagecontract/mock/contract.go b/pkg/postage/postagecontract/mock/contract.go
index e9547622dae..399f6ce400b 100644
--- a/pkg/postage/postagecontract/mock/contract.go
+++ b/pkg/postage/postagecontract/mock/contract.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type contractMock struct {
 	topupBatch    func(ctx context.Context, id []byte, amount *big.Int) (common.Hash, error)
 	diluteBatch   func(ctx context.Context, id []byte, newDepth uint8) (common.Hash, error)
 	expireBatches func(ctx context.Context) error
+	paused        func(ctx context.Context) (bool, error)
 }
 
 func (c *contractMock) CreateBatch(ctx context.Context, initialBalance *big.Int, depth uint8, immutable bool, label string) (common.Hash, []byte, error) {
@@ -35,6 +36,10 @@ func (c *contractMock) ExpireBatches(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return c.expireBatches(ctx)
 }
 
+func (s *contractMock) Paused(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
+	return s.paused(ctx)
+}
+
 // Option is a an option passed to New
 type Option func(*contractMock)
 
@@ -72,3 +77,9 @@ func WithExpiresBatchesFunc(f func(ctx context.Context) error) Option {
 		m.expireBatches = f
 	}
 }
+
+func WithPaused(f func(ctx context.Context) (bool, error)) Option {
+	return func(mock *contractMock) {
+		mock.paused = f
+	}
+}