diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/UpstreamValidator.kt b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/UpstreamValidator.kt
index 207e324a1..3df71e269 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/UpstreamValidator.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/UpstreamValidator.kt
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ abstract class UpstreamValidator(
 
     abstract fun validateUpstreamSettings(): Mono<ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult>
 
-    fun validateUpstreamSettingsOnStartup(): ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult {
-        return validateUpstreamSettings().block() ?: ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult.UPSTREAM_FATAL_SETTINGS_ERROR
+    open fun validateUpstreamSettingsOnStartup(): ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult {
+        return ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult.UPSTREAM_VALID
     }
 
     companion object {
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/ethereum/EthereumUpstreamValidator.kt b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/ethereum/EthereumUpstreamValidator.kt
index 8d37b572a..041714389 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/ethereum/EthereumUpstreamValidator.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/ethereum/EthereumUpstreamValidator.kt
@@ -80,11 +80,23 @@ open class EthereumUpstreamValidator @JvmOverloads constructor(
         }
         return Mono.zip(
             validateChain(),
-            validateCallLimit(),
             validateOldBlocks(),
         ).map {
-            listOf(it.t1, it.t2, it.t3).sorted().last()
+            listOf(it.t1, it.t2).maxOf { it }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override fun validateUpstreamSettingsOnStartup(): ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult {
+        if (options.disableUpstreamValidation) {
+            return ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult.UPSTREAM_VALID
         }
+        return Mono.zip(
+            validateChain(),
+            validateOldBlocks(),
+            validateCallLimit(),
+        ).map {
+            listOf(it.t1, it.t2, it.t3).maxOf { it }
+        }.block() ?: ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult.UPSTREAM_SETTINGS_ERROR
     }
 
     private fun validateChain(): Mono<ValidateUpstreamSettingsResult> {