diff --git a/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager.go b/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager.go
index 0af07d68ba..6e54e3ba04 100644
--- a/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager.go
+++ b/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager.go
@@ -159,24 +159,14 @@ func (s *stateSyncManager) saveVote(msg *TransportMessage) error {
 	valSet := s.validatorSet
 	s.lock.RUnlock()
 
-	if valSet == nil || msg.EpochNumber < epoch || msg.EpochNumber > epoch+1{
-	     return nil
-	}
-	
-	if msg.EpochNumber == epoch+1 {
-	    if err := s.state.EpochStore.insertEpoch(epoch+1, nil); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error saving msg vote from a future epoch: %d. Error: %w", epoch+1, err)
-	    }
-	}
+	if valSet == nil || msg.EpochNumber < epoch || msg.EpochNumber > epoch+1 {
+		// Epoch metadata is undefined or received a message for the irrelevant epoch
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if msg.EpochNumber != epoch && msg.EpochNumber != epoch+1 {
-		// Epoch metadata is undefined or received a message for the irrelevant epoch
-		return nil
-	} else if msg.EpochNumber == epoch+1 {
+	if msg.EpochNumber == epoch+1 {
 		if err := s.state.EpochStore.insertEpoch(epoch+1, nil); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("error inserting epoch: %w", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("error saving msg vote from a future epoch: %d. Error: %w", epoch+1, err)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager_test.go b/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager_test.go
index f3c5718097..fbbf46dc23 100644
--- a/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager_test.go
+++ b/consensus/polybft/state_sync_manager_test.go
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ func TestStateSyncManager_MessagePool(t *testing.T) {
 		msg, err := val.sign(vals.GetValidator("0"), signer.DomainStateReceiver)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
-		msg.EpochNumber = 1
+		// invalid epoch +2
+		msg.EpochNumber = 2
 
 		require.NoError(t, s.saveVote(msg))