diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1def1ea8b04..e90b368d205 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 ### Bug fixes
 - Validation errors ignored in accounts-allowlist and empty list [#7138](https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/issues/7138)
 - Fix "Invalid block detected" for BFT chains using Bonsai DB [#7204](https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/pull/7204)
+- Fix "Could not confirm best peer had pivot block" [#7109](https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/issues/7109)
+- Fix "Chain Download Halt" [#6884](https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/issues/6884)
 
 ## 24.6.0
 
diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java
index e391f920ceb..1e8da674a50 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ protected EthProtocolManager createEthProtocolManager(
     var mergeBestPeerComparator =
         new TransitionBestPeerComparator(
             genesisConfigOptions.getTerminalTotalDifficulty().map(Difficulty::of).orElseThrow());
-    ethPeers.setBestChainComparator(mergeBestPeerComparator);
+    ethPeers.setBestPeerComparator(mergeBestPeerComparator);
     mergeContext.observeNewIsPostMergeState(mergeBestPeerComparator);
 
     Optional<MergePeerFilter> filterToUse = Optional.of(new MergePeerFilter());
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthPeers.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthPeers.java
index 2a4469220e0..bef7a1a038f 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthPeers.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthPeers.java
@@ -198,9 +198,12 @@ private boolean registerDisconnect(final EthPeer peer, final PeerConnection conn
         peer.handleDisconnect();
         abortPendingRequestsAssignedToDisconnectedPeers();
         if (peer.getReputation().getScore() > USEFULL_PEER_SCORE_THRESHOLD) {
-          LOG.debug("Disconnected USEFULL peer {}", peer);
+          LOG.atDebug().setMessage("Disconnected USEFULL peer {}").addArgument(peer).log();
         } else {
-          LOG.debug("Disconnected EthPeer {}", peer.getLoggableId());
+          LOG.atDebug()
+              .setMessage("Disconnected EthPeer {}")
+              .addArgument(peer.getLoggableId())
+              .log();
         }
       }
     }
@@ -318,11 +321,11 @@ public Stream<EthPeer> streamAvailablePeers() {
   public Stream<EthPeer> streamBestPeers() {
     return streamAvailablePeers()
         .filter(EthPeer::isFullyValidated)
-        .sorted(getBestChainComparator().reversed());
+        .sorted(getBestPeerComparator().reversed());
   }
 
   public Optional<EthPeer> bestPeer() {
-    return streamAvailablePeers().max(getBestChainComparator());
+    return streamAvailablePeers().max(getBestPeerComparator());
   }
 
   public Optional<EthPeer> bestPeerWithHeightEstimate() {
@@ -331,15 +334,15 @@ public Optional<EthPeer> bestPeerWithHeightEstimate() {
   }
 
   public Optional<EthPeer> bestPeerMatchingCriteria(final Predicate<EthPeer> matchesCriteria) {
-    return streamAvailablePeers().filter(matchesCriteria).max(getBestChainComparator());
+    return streamAvailablePeers().filter(matchesCriteria).max(getBestPeerComparator());
   }
 
-  public void setBestChainComparator(final Comparator<EthPeer> comparator) {
+  public void setBestPeerComparator(final Comparator<EthPeer> comparator) {
     LOG.info("Updating the default best peer comparator");
     bestPeerComparator = comparator;
   }
 
-  public Comparator<EthPeer> getBestChainComparator() {
+  public Comparator<EthPeer> getBestPeerComparator() {
     return bestPeerComparator;
   }
 
@@ -394,8 +397,7 @@ public boolean shouldConnect(final Peer peer, final boolean inbound) {
 
   public void disconnectWorstUselessPeer() {
     streamAvailablePeers()
-        .sorted(getBestChainComparator())
-        .findFirst()
+        .min(getBestPeerComparator())
         .ifPresent(
             peer -> {
               LOG.atDebug()
@@ -551,10 +553,11 @@ private boolean addPeerToEthPeers(final EthPeer peer) {
     if (!randomPeerPriority) {
       // Disconnect if too many peers
       if (!canExceedPeerLimits(id) && peerCount() >= peerUpperBound) {
-        LOG.trace(
-            "Too many peers. Disconnect connection: {}, max connections {}",
-            connection,
-            peerUpperBound);
+        LOG.atTrace()
+            .setMessage("Too many peers. Disconnect connection: {}, max connections {}")
+            .addArgument(connection)
+            .addArgument(peerUpperBound)
+            .log();
         connection.disconnect(DisconnectMessage.DisconnectReason.TOO_MANY_PEERS);
         return false;
       }
@@ -562,18 +565,28 @@ private boolean addPeerToEthPeers(final EthPeer peer) {
       if (connection.inboundInitiated()
           && !canExceedPeerLimits(id)
           && remoteConnectionLimitReached()) {
-        LOG.trace(
-            "Too many remotely-initiated connections. Disconnect incoming connection: {}, maxRemote={}",
-            connection,
-            maxRemotelyInitiatedConnections);
+        LOG.atTrace()
+            .setMessage(
+                "Too many remotely-initiated connections. Disconnect incoming connection: {}, maxRemote={}")
+            .addArgument(connection)
+            .addArgument(maxRemotelyInitiatedConnections)
+            .log();
         connection.disconnect(DisconnectMessage.DisconnectReason.TOO_MANY_PEERS);
         return false;
       }
       final boolean added = (completeConnections.putIfAbsent(id, peer) == null);
       if (added) {
-        LOG.trace("Added peer {} with connection {} to completeConnections", id, connection);
+        LOG.atTrace()
+            .setMessage("Added peer {} with connection {} to completeConnections")
+            .addArgument(id)
+            .addArgument(connection)
+            .log();
       } else {
-        LOG.trace("Did not add peer {} with connection {} to completeConnections", id, connection);
+        LOG.atTrace()
+            .setMessage("Did not add peer {} with connection {} to completeConnections")
+            .addArgument(id)
+            .addArgument(connection)
+            .log();
       }
       return added;
     } else {
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthScheduler.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthScheduler.java
index 717a0bb24ef..dcb66696662 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthScheduler.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthScheduler.java
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
 public class EthScheduler {
   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(EthScheduler.class);
 
-  private final Duration defaultTimeout = Duration.ofSeconds(5);
   private final AtomicBoolean stopped = new AtomicBoolean(false);
   private final CountDownLatch shutdown = new CountDownLatch(1);
   private static final int TX_WORKER_CAPACITY = 1_000;
@@ -219,10 +218,6 @@ public CompletableFuture<Void> scheduleBlockCreationTask(final Runnable task) {
     return CompletableFuture.runAsync(task, blockCreationExecutor);
   }
 
-  public <T> CompletableFuture<T> timeout(final EthTask<T> task) {
-    return timeout(task, defaultTimeout);
-  }
-
   public <T> CompletableFuture<T> timeout(final EthTask<T> task, final Duration timeout) {
     final CompletableFuture<T> future = task.run();
     final CompletableFuture<T> result = timeout(future, timeout);
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/snap/RetryingGetAccountRangeFromPeerTask.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/snap/RetryingGetAccountRangeFromPeerTask.java
index 103172b0870..36d6b75e6ee 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/snap/RetryingGetAccountRangeFromPeerTask.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/snap/RetryingGetAccountRangeFromPeerTask.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 public class RetryingGetAccountRangeFromPeerTask
     extends AbstractRetryingPeerTask<AccountRangeMessage.AccountRangeData> {
 
+  public static final int MAX_RETRIES = 4;
   private final EthContext ethContext;
   private final Bytes32 startKeyHash;
   private final Bytes32 endKeyHash;
@@ -43,7 +44,10 @@ private RetryingGetAccountRangeFromPeerTask(
       final BlockHeader blockHeader,
       final MetricsSystem metricsSystem) {
     super(
-        ethContext, 4, data -> data.accounts().isEmpty() && data.proofs().isEmpty(), metricsSystem);
+        ethContext,
+        MAX_RETRIES,
+        data -> data.accounts().isEmpty() && data.proofs().isEmpty(),
+        metricsSystem);
     this.ethContext = ethContext;
     this.startKeyHash = startKeyHash;
     this.endKeyHash = endKeyHash;
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/task/AbstractRetryingPeerTask.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/task/AbstractRetryingPeerTask.java
index cf48d69847d..46c3cf1b226 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/task/AbstractRetryingPeerTask.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/task/AbstractRetryingPeerTask.java
@@ -122,15 +122,18 @@ protected void handleTaskError(final Throwable error) {
           () ->
               ethContext
                   .getScheduler()
+                  // wait for a new peer for up to 5 seconds
                   .timeout(waitTask, Duration.ofSeconds(5))
+                  // execute the task again
                   .whenComplete((r, t) -> executeTaskTimed()));
       return;
     }
 
-    LOG.debug(
-        "Retrying after recoverable failure from peer task {}: {}",
-        this.getClass().getSimpleName(),
-        cause.getMessage());
+    LOG.atDebug()
+        .setMessage("Retrying after recoverable failure from peer task {}: {}")
+        .addArgument(this.getClass().getSimpleName())
+        .addArgument(cause.getMessage())
+        .log();
     // Wait before retrying on failure
     executeSubTask(
         () ->
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/PivotBlockRetriever.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/PivotBlockRetriever.java
index 6ddd7db9012..d8ff3627101 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/PivotBlockRetriever.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/PivotBlockRetriever.java
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 public class PivotBlockRetriever {
 
   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(PivotBlockRetriever.class);
-  public static final int MAX_QUERY_RETRIES_PER_PEER = 4;
+  public static final int MAX_QUERY_RETRIES_PER_PEER = 5;
   private static final int DEFAULT_MAX_PIVOT_BLOCK_RESETS = 250;
   private static final int SUSPICIOUS_NUMBER_OF_RETRIES = 5;
 
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/SyncTargetManager.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/SyncTargetManager.java
index c19e06f993b..b587b18f264 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/SyncTargetManager.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fastsync/SyncTargetManager.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.worldstate.WorldStateStorageCoordinator;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.plugin.services.MetricsSystem;
 
+import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@
 
 public class SyncTargetManager extends AbstractSyncTargetManager {
   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(SyncTargetManager.class);
+  private static final int SECONDS_PER_REQUEST = 6; // 5s per request + 1s wait between retries
 
   private final WorldStateStorageCoordinator worldStateStorageCoordinator;
   private final ProtocolSchedule protocolSchedule;
@@ -93,7 +95,9 @@ protected CompletableFuture<Optional<EthPeer>> selectBestAvailableSyncTarget() {
       return completedFuture(Optional.empty());
     } else {
       final EthPeer bestPeer = maybeBestPeer.get();
-      if (bestPeer.chainState().getEstimatedHeight() < pivotBlockHeader.getNumber()) {
+      // Do not check the best peers estimated height if we are doing PoS
+      if (!protocolSchedule.getByBlockHeader(pivotBlockHeader).isPoS()
+          && bestPeer.chainState().getEstimatedHeight() < pivotBlockHeader.getNumber()) {
         LOG.info(
             "Best peer {} has chain height {} below pivotBlock height {}. Waiting for better peers. Current {} of max {}",
             maybeBestPeer.map(EthPeer::getLoggableId).orElse("none"),
@@ -121,7 +125,8 @@ private CompletableFuture<Optional<EthPeer>> confirmPivotBlockHeader(final EthPe
     task.assignPeer(bestPeer);
     return ethContext
         .getScheduler()
-        .timeout(task)
+        // Task is a retrying task. Make sure that the timeout is long enough to allow for retries.
+        .timeout(task, Duration.ofSeconds(MAX_QUERY_RETRIES_PER_PEER * SECONDS_PER_REQUEST + 2))
         .thenCompose(
             result -> {
               if (peerHasDifferentPivotBlock(result)) {
@@ -147,11 +152,13 @@ private CompletableFuture<Optional<EthPeer>> confirmPivotBlockHeader(final EthPe
             })
         .exceptionally(
             error -> {
-              LOG.debug(
-                  "Could not confirm best peer {} had pivot block {}",
-                  bestPeer.getLoggableId(),
-                  pivotBlockHeader.getNumber(),
-                  error);
+              LOG.atDebug()
+                  .setMessage("Could not confirm best peer {} had pivot block {}, {}")
+                  .addArgument(bestPeer.getLoggableId())
+                  .addArgument(pivotBlockHeader.getNumber())
+                  .addArgument(error)
+                  .log();
+              bestPeer.disconnect(DisconnectReason.USELESS_PEER_CANNOT_CONFIRM_PIVOT_BLOCK);
               return Optional.empty();
             });
   }
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluator.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluator.java
index 68aa5ec95f8..1df59c654c1 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluator.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluator.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public boolean shouldSwitchSyncTarget(final EthPeer currentSyncTarget) {
     return maybeBestPeer
         .map(
             bestPeer -> {
-              if (ethPeers.getBestChainComparator().compare(bestPeer, currentSyncTarget) <= 0) {
+              if (ethPeers.getBestPeerComparator().compare(bestPeer, currentSyncTarget) <= 0) {
                 // Our current target is better or equal to the best peer
                 return false;
               }
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/RangeHeadersFetcher.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/RangeHeadersFetcher.java
index 8ee1dc28a43..e73c5aa9f5f 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/RangeHeadersFetcher.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/RangeHeadersFetcher.java
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ public RangeHeadersFetcher(
 
   public CompletableFuture<List<BlockHeader>> getNextRangeHeaders(
       final EthPeer peer, final BlockHeader previousRangeHeader) {
+    LOG.atTrace()
+        .setMessage("Requesting next range headers from peer {}")
+        .addArgument(peer.getLoggableId())
+        .log();
     final int skip = syncConfig.getDownloaderChainSegmentSize() - 1;
     final int maximumHeaderRequestSize = syncConfig.getDownloaderHeaderRequestSize();
     final long previousRangeNumber = previousRangeHeader.getNumber();
@@ -78,11 +82,20 @@ public CompletableFuture<List<BlockHeader>> getNextRangeHeaders(
       final BlockHeader targetHeader = finalRangeHeader.get();
       final long blocksUntilTarget = targetHeader.getNumber() - previousRangeNumber;
       if (blocksUntilTarget <= 0) {
+        LOG.atTrace()
+            .setMessage("Requesting next range headers: no blocks until target: {}")
+            .addArgument(blocksUntilTarget)
+            .log();
         return completedFuture(emptyList());
       }
       final long maxHeadersToRequest = blocksUntilTarget / (skip + 1);
       additionalHeaderCount = (int) Math.min(maxHeadersToRequest, maximumHeaderRequestSize);
       if (additionalHeaderCount == 0) {
+        LOG.atTrace()
+            .setMessage(
+                "Requesting next range headers: additional header count is 0, blocks until target: {}")
+            .addArgument(blocksUntilTarget)
+            .log();
         return completedFuture(singletonList(targetHeader));
       }
     } else {
@@ -97,11 +110,12 @@ private CompletableFuture<List<BlockHeader>> requestHeaders(
       final BlockHeader referenceHeader,
       final int headerCount,
       final int skip) {
-    LOG.trace(
-        "Requesting {} range headers, starting from {}, {} blocks apart",
-        headerCount,
-        referenceHeader.getNumber(),
-        skip);
+    LOG.atTrace()
+        .setMessage("Requesting {} range headers, starting from {}, {} blocks apart")
+        .addArgument(headerCount)
+        .addArgument(referenceHeader.getNumber())
+        .addArgument(skip)
+        .log();
     return GetHeadersFromPeerByHashTask.startingAtHash(
             protocolSchedule,
             ethContext,
@@ -114,7 +128,19 @@ private CompletableFuture<List<BlockHeader>> requestHeaders(
         .assignPeer(peer)
         .run()
         .thenApply(PeerTaskResult::getResult)
-        .thenApply(headers -> stripExistingRangeHeaders(referenceHeader, headers));
+        .thenApply(
+            headers -> {
+              if (headers.size() < headerCount) {
+                LOG.atTrace()
+                    .setMessage(
+                        "Peer {} returned fewer headers than requested. Expected: {}, Actual: {}")
+                    .addArgument(peer)
+                    .addArgument(headerCount)
+                    .addArgument(headers.size())
+                    .log();
+              }
+              return stripExistingRangeHeaders(referenceHeader, headers);
+            });
   }
 
   private List<BlockHeader> stripExistingRangeHeaders(
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/SyncTargetRangeSource.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/SyncTargetRangeSource.java
index 8c6186448ed..05d7899226b 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/SyncTargetRangeSource.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/range/SyncTargetRangeSource.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 public class SyncTargetRangeSource implements Iterator<SyncTargetRange> {
   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(SyncTargetRangeSource.class);
   private static final Duration RETRY_DELAY_DURATION = Duration.ofSeconds(2);
+  public static final int DEFAULT_TIME_TO_WAIT_IN_SECONDS = 6;
 
   private final RangeHeadersFetcher fetcher;
   private final SyncTargetChecker syncTargetChecker;
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ public SyncTargetRangeSource(
         peer,
         commonAncestor,
         retriesPermitted,
-        Duration.ofSeconds(5),
+        Duration.ofSeconds(DEFAULT_TIME_TO_WAIT_IN_SECONDS),
         terminationCondition);
   }
 
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ private SyncTargetRange getRangeFromPendingRequest() {
         if (retryCount >= retriesPermitted) {
           LOG.atDebug()
               .setMessage(
-                  "Disconnecting target peer for providing useless or empty range header: {}.")
+                  "Disconnecting target peer {} for providing useless or empty range headers.")
               .addArgument(peer)
               .log();
           peer.disconnect(DisconnectMessage.DisconnectReason.USELESS_PEER_USELESS_RESPONSES);
@@ -169,12 +170,20 @@ private SyncTargetRange getRangeFromPendingRequest() {
     } catch (final InterruptedException e) {
       LOG.trace("Interrupted while waiting for new range headers", e);
       return null;
-    } catch (final ExecutionException e) {
-      LOG.debug("Failed to retrieve new range headers", e);
-      this.pendingRequests = Optional.empty();
+    } catch (final ExecutionException | TimeoutException e) {
+      if (e instanceof ExecutionException) {
+        this.pendingRequests = Optional.empty();
+      }
       retryCount++;
-      return null;
-    } catch (final TimeoutException e) {
+      if (retryCount >= retriesPermitted) {
+        LOG.atDebug()
+            .setMessage(
+                "Disconnecting target peer {} for not providing useful range headers: Exception: {}.")
+            .addArgument(peer)
+            .addArgument(e)
+            .log();
+        peer.disconnect(DisconnectMessage.DisconnectReason.USELESS_PEER_USELESS_RESPONSES);
+      }
       return null;
     }
   }
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/CompleteBlocksTask.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/CompleteBlocksTask.java
index bdd59260e72..524851af5f6 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/CompleteBlocksTask.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/CompleteBlocksTask.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class CompleteBlocksTask extends AbstractRetryingPeerTask<List<Block>> {
   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(CompleteBlocksTask.class);
 
   private static final int MIN_SIZE_INCOMPLETE_LIST = 1;
-  private static final int DEFAULT_RETRIES = 4;
+  private static final int DEFAULT_RETRIES = 5;
 
   private final EthContext ethContext;
   private final ProtocolSchedule protocolSchedule;
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/DownloadHeaderSequenceTask.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/DownloadHeaderSequenceTask.java
index 3049d3f1ac2..8ca376902e4 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/DownloadHeaderSequenceTask.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/DownloadHeaderSequenceTask.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
  */
 public class DownloadHeaderSequenceTask extends AbstractRetryingPeerTask<List<BlockHeader>> {
   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DownloadHeaderSequenceTask.class);
-  private static final int DEFAULT_RETRIES = 4;
+  private static final int DEFAULT_RETRIES = 5;
 
   private final EthContext ethContext;
   private final ProtocolContext protocolContext;
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/GetReceiptsForHeadersTask.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/GetReceiptsForHeadersTask.java
index 699bf9c4b17..58c4d3a7afa 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/GetReceiptsForHeadersTask.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/tasks/GetReceiptsForHeadersTask.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 public class GetReceiptsForHeadersTask
     extends AbstractRetryingPeerTask<Map<BlockHeader, List<TransactionReceipt>>> {
   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(GetReceiptsForHeadersTask.class);
-  private static final int DEFAULT_RETRIES = 4;
+  private static final int DEFAULT_RETRIES = 5;
 
   private final EthContext ethContext;
 
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluatorTest.java b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluatorTest.java
index 9acf45965d6..0bc98aaa9ad 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluatorTest.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/fullsync/BetterSyncTargetEvaluatorTest.java
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public class BetterSyncTargetEvaluatorTest {
 
   @BeforeEach
   public void setupMocks() {
-    when(ethPeers.getBestChainComparator()).thenReturn(EthPeers.HEAVIEST_CHAIN);
+    when(ethPeers.getBestPeerComparator()).thenReturn(EthPeers.HEAVIEST_CHAIN);
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/connections/AbstractPeerConnection.java b/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/connections/AbstractPeerConnection.java
index 7fcc02687db..59cf3490566 100644
--- a/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/connections/AbstractPeerConnection.java
+++ b/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/connections/AbstractPeerConnection.java
@@ -185,15 +185,20 @@ public void terminateConnection(final DisconnectReason reason, final boolean pee
   @Override
   public void disconnect(final DisconnectReason reason) {
     if (disconnected.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
-      connectionEventDispatcher.dispatchDisconnect(this, reason, false);
-      doSend(null, DisconnectMessage.create(reason));
-      LOG.atDebug()
-          .setMessage("Disconnecting connection {}, peer {} reason {}")
-          .addArgument(this.hashCode())
-          .addArgument(peer.getLoggableId())
-          .addArgument(reason)
-          .log();
-      closeConnection();
+      try {
+        // send the disconnect message first, in case the dispatchDisconnect throws an exception
+        doSend(null, DisconnectMessage.create(reason));
+        LOG.atDebug()
+            .setMessage("Disconnecting connection {}, peer {} reason {}")
+            .addArgument(this.hashCode())
+            .addArgument(peer.getLoggableId())
+            .addArgument(reason)
+            .log();
+        connectionEventDispatcher.dispatchDisconnect(this, reason, false);
+      } finally {
+        // always close the connection
+        closeConnection();
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/wire/messages/DisconnectMessage.java b/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/wire/messages/DisconnectMessage.java
index 66337903358..87df88c40ea 100644
--- a/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/wire/messages/DisconnectMessage.java
+++ b/ethereum/p2p/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/p2p/rlpx/wire/messages/DisconnectMessage.java
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ public enum DisconnectReason {
     USELESS_PEER_MISMATCHED_PIVOT_BLOCK((byte) 0x03, "Mismatched pivot block"),
     USELESS_PEER_FAILED_TO_RETRIEVE_CHAIN_STATE(
         (byte) 0x03, "Failed to retrieve header for chain state"),
+    USELESS_PEER_CANNOT_CONFIRM_PIVOT_BLOCK((byte) 0x03, "Peer failed to confirm pivot block"),
     USELESS_PEER_BY_REPUTATION((byte) 0x03, "Lowest reputation score"),
     USELESS_PEER_BY_CHAIN_COMPARATOR((byte) 0x03, "Lowest by chain height comparator"),
     TOO_MANY_PEERS((byte) 0x04),