diff --git a/dot/network/message.go b/dot/network/message.go
index d759865f47d..6d28e5efa1c 100644
--- a/dot/network/message.go
+++ b/dot/network/message.go
@@ -8,12 +8,13 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
+
 	pb "github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/network/proto"
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/types"
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/lib/common"
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/lib/common/variadic"
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/pkg/scale"
-	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
 )
 
 // Message types for notifications protocol messages. Used internally to map message to protocol.
@@ -306,7 +307,6 @@ func blockDataToProtobuf(bd *types.BlockData) (*pb.BlockData, error) {
 func protobufToBlockData(pbd *pb.BlockData) (*types.BlockData, error) {
 	bd := &types.BlockData{
 		Hash:   common.BytesToHash(pbd.Hash),
-		Header: types.NewEmptyHeader(),
 	}
 
 	if pbd.Header != nil {
@@ -317,8 +317,6 @@ func protobufToBlockData(pbd *pb.BlockData) (*types.BlockData, error) {
 		}
 
 		bd.Header = header
-	} else {
-		bd.Header = nil
 	}
 
 	if pbd.Body != nil {