diff --git a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter.go b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter.go
index 020bb23f5..5e8a35e1c 100644
--- a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter.go
+++ b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ type Sub struct {
 type subscribeParameters struct {
 	batchInterval          time.Duration
 	multiplexChannelBuffer int
+	preferredPeers         peer.IDSlice
 }
 
 type SubscribeOptions func(*subscribeParameters)
@@ -75,6 +76,12 @@ func defaultOptions() []SubscribeOptions {
 	}
 }
 
+func WithPreferredServiceNodes(peers peer.IDSlice) SubscribeOptions {
+	return func(params *subscribeParameters) {
+		params.preferredPeers = peers
+	}
+}
+
 // Subscribe
 func Subscribe(ctx context.Context, wf *filter.WakuFilterLightNode, contentFilter protocol.ContentFilter, config FilterConfig, log *zap.Logger, params *subscribeParameters) (*Sub, error) {
 	sub := new(Sub)
@@ -197,7 +204,16 @@ func (apiSub *Sub) subscribe(contentFilter protocol.ContentFilter, peerCount int
 	options := make([]filter.FilterSubscribeOption, 0)
 	options = append(options, filter.WithMaxPeersPerContentFilter(int(peerCount)))
 	for _, p := range apiSub.Config.Peers {
-		options = append(options, filter.WithPeer(p))
+		isExcludedPeer := false
+		for _, px := range peersToExclude { // configured peer can be excluded if sub fails with it.
+			if p == px {
+				isExcludedPeer = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !isExcludedPeer {
+			options = append(options, filter.WithPeer(p))
+		}
 	}
 	if len(peersToExclude) > 0 {
 		apiSub.log.Debug("subscribing with peers to exclude", zap.Stringers("excluded-peers", peersToExclude))
diff --git a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go
index a43c3c396..942ac6852 100644
--- a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go
+++ b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ package filter
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"math/rand"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peer"
 
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ type EnevelopeProcessor interface {
 	OnNewEnvelope(env *protocol.Envelope) error
 }
 
-func NewFilterManager(ctx context.Context, logger *zap.Logger, minPeersPerFilter int, envProcessor EnevelopeProcessor, node *filter.WakuFilterLightNode, opts ...SubscribeOptions) *FilterManager {
+func NewFilterManager(ctx context.Context, logger *zap.Logger, minPeersPerFilter int,
+	envProcessor EnevelopeProcessor, node *filter.WakuFilterLightNode, opts ...SubscribeOptions) *FilterManager {
 	// This fn is being mocked in test
 	mgr := new(FilterManager)
 	mgr.ctx = ctx
@@ -162,6 +165,12 @@ func (mgr *FilterManager) subscribeAndRunLoop(f filterConfig) {
 	defer utils.LogOnPanic()
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(mgr.ctx)
 	config := FilterConfig{MaxPeers: mgr.minPeersPerFilter}
+	if len(mgr.params.preferredPeers) > 0 {
+		//use one peer which is from preferred peers.
+		randomIndex := rand.Intn(len(mgr.params.preferredPeers) - 1)
+		randomPreferredPeer := mgr.params.preferredPeers[randomIndex]
+		config.Peers = []peer.ID{randomPreferredPeer}
+	}
 	sub, err := Subscribe(ctx, mgr.node, f.contentFilter, config, mgr.logger, mgr.params)
 	mgr.Lock()
 	mgr.filterSubscriptions[f.ID] = SubDetails{cancel, sub}
diff --git a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_test.go b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_test.go
index 8a5f2d408..e16f675dd 100644
--- a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_test.go
+++ b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_test.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (s *FilterApiTestSuite) TestSubscribe() {
 	s.Require().Equal(contentFilter.PubsubTopic, s.TestTopic)
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	s.Log.Info("About to perform API Subscribe()")
-	params := subscribeParameters{300 * time.Second, 1024}
+	params := subscribeParameters{300 * time.Second, 1024, nil}
 	apiSub, err := Subscribe(ctx, s.LightNode, contentFilter, apiConfig, s.Log, &params)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal(apiSub.ContentFilter, contentFilter)
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
index 3b56d4700..878b0d48d 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
@@ -333,11 +333,20 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterLightNode) handleFilterSubscribeOptions(ctx context.Context,
 		params.selectedPeers = append(params.selectedPeers, pData.AddrInfo.ID)
 	}
 	reqPeerCount := params.maxPeers - len(params.selectedPeers)
+	for _, p := range params.selectedPeers {
+		if params.peersToExclude == nil {
+			params.peersToExclude = make(peermanager.PeerSet)
+		}
+		//exclude peers that are preferredpeers so that they don't get selected again.
+		if _, ok := params.peersToExclude[p]; !ok {
+			params.peersToExclude[p] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
 
 	if params.pm != nil && reqPeerCount > 0 {
 
 		wf.log.Debug("handleFilterSubscribeOptions", zap.Int("peerCount", reqPeerCount), zap.Int("excludePeersLen", len(params.peersToExclude)))
-		params.selectedPeers, err = wf.pm.SelectPeers(
+		selectedPeers, err := wf.pm.SelectPeers(
 			peermanager.PeerSelectionCriteria{
 				SelectionType: params.peerSelectionType,
 				Proto:         FilterSubscribeID_v20beta1,
@@ -350,7 +359,12 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterLightNode) handleFilterSubscribeOptions(ctx context.Context,
 		)
 		if err != nil {
 			wf.log.Error("peer selection returned err", zap.Error(err))
-			return nil, nil, err
+			if len(params.selectedPeers) == 0 {
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		if len(selectedPeers) > 0 {
+			params.selectedPeers = append(params.selectedPeers, selectedPeers...)
 		}
 	}
 	wf.log.Debug("handleFilterSubscribeOptions exit", zap.Int("selectedPeerCount", len(params.selectedPeers)))