diff --git a/bin/client/src/l1/driver.rs b/bin/client/src/l1/driver.rs
index 8f560353..dd8506a0 100644
--- a/bin/client/src/l1/driver.rs
+++ b/bin/client/src/l1/driver.rs
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ impl DerivationDriver {
                 }
             }
 
-            attributes = self.pipeline.next_attributes();
+            attributes = self.pipeline.next();
         }
 
         Ok(attributes.expect("Must be some"))
diff --git a/crates/derive/src/pipeline/core.rs b/crates/derive/src/pipeline/core.rs
index 4852ef9a..3490e8cd 100644
--- a/crates/derive/src/pipeline/core.rs
+++ b/crates/derive/src/pipeline/core.rs
@@ -56,8 +56,13 @@ where
     S: NextAttributes + ResettableStage + OriginProvider + OriginAdvancer + Debug + Send + Sync,
     P: L2ChainProvider + Send + Sync + Debug,
 {
+    /// Peeks at the next prepared [L2AttributesWithParent] from the pipeline.
+    fn peek(&self) -> Option<&L2AttributesWithParent> {
+        self.prepared.front()
+    }
+
     /// Returns the next prepared [L2AttributesWithParent] from the pipeline.
-    fn next_attributes(&mut self) -> Option<L2AttributesWithParent> {
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<L2AttributesWithParent> {
         self.prepared.pop_front()
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/derive/src/traits/pipeline.rs b/crates/derive/src/traits/pipeline.rs
index 7b7f3f49..1c25dd31 100644
--- a/crates/derive/src/traits/pipeline.rs
+++ b/crates/derive/src/traits/pipeline.rs
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@ use kona_primitives::{BlockInfo, L2AttributesWithParent, L2BlockInfo};
 /// This trait defines the interface for interacting with the derivation pipeline.
 #[async_trait]
 pub trait Pipeline: OriginProvider {
+    /// Peeks at the next [L2AttributesWithParent] from the pipeline.
+    fn peek(&self) -> Option<&L2AttributesWithParent>;
+
     /// Returns the next [L2AttributesWithParent] from the pipeline.
-    fn next_attributes(&mut self) -> Option<L2AttributesWithParent>;
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<L2AttributesWithParent>;
 
     /// Resets the pipeline on the next [Pipeline::step] call.
     async fn reset(&mut self, origin: BlockInfo) -> anyhow::Result<()>;
diff --git a/examples/trusted-sync/src/main.rs b/examples/trusted-sync/src/main.rs
index 4edad3aa..b6d9a47a 100644
--- a/examples/trusted-sync/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/trusted-sync/src/main.rs
@@ -99,17 +99,37 @@ async fn sync(cli: cli::Cli) -> Result<()> {
             }
         }
 
-        let attributes = if let Some(attributes) = pipeline.next_attributes() {
-            attributes
+        // Peek at the next prepared attributes and validate them.
+        if let Some(attributes) = pipeline.peek() {
+            match validator.validate(attributes).await {
+                Ok(true) => {
+                    info!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Validated payload attributes");
+                }
+                Ok(false) => {
+                    error!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Failed payload validation: {}", attributes.parent.block_info.hash);
+                    metrics::FAILED_PAYLOAD_DERIVATION.inc();
+                    let _ = pipeline.next(); // Take the attributes and continue
+                    continue;
+                }
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Failed to validate payload attributes: {:?}", e);
+                    // Don't take the next attributes, re-try the current one.
+                    continue;
+                }
+            }
         } else {
             debug!(target: LOG_TARGET, "No attributes to validate");
             continue;
         };
 
-        if !validator.validate(&attributes).await {
-            error!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Failed payload validation: {}", attributes.parent.block_info.hash);
-            metrics::FAILED_PAYLOAD_DERIVATION.inc();
-        }
+        // Take the next attributes from the pipeline since they're valid.
+        let attributes = if let Some(attributes) = pipeline.next() {
+            attributes
+        } else {
+            error!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Must have valid attributes");
+            continue;
+        };
+
         // If we validated payload attributes, we should advance the cursor.
         advance_cursor_flag = true;
         metrics::DERIVED_ATTRIBUTES_COUNT.inc();
diff --git a/examples/trusted-sync/src/validation.rs b/examples/trusted-sync/src/validation.rs
index d7148417..af0d706c 100644
--- a/examples/trusted-sync/src/validation.rs
+++ b/examples/trusted-sync/src/validation.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use kona_derive::types::{
     L2AttributesWithParent, L2PayloadAttributes, RawTransaction, RollupConfig,
 };
 use std::vec::Vec;
-use tracing::warn;
+use tracing::{error, warn};
 
 /// OnlineValidator
 ///
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ impl OnlineValidator {
             if let Ok(tx) = tx {
                 txs.push(tx);
             } else {
-                warn!("Failed to fetch transaction: {:?}", tx);
+                warn!(target: "validation", "Failed to fetch transaction: {:?}", tx);
             }
         }
         Ok((block.header, txs))
@@ -80,10 +80,15 @@ impl OnlineValidator {
     }
 
     /// Validates the given [`L2AttributesWithParent`].
-    pub async fn validate(&self, attributes: &L2AttributesWithParent) -> bool {
+    pub async fn validate(&self, attributes: &L2AttributesWithParent) -> Result<bool> {
         let expected = attributes.parent.block_info.number + 1;
         let tag = BlockNumberOrTag::from(expected);
-        let payload = self.get_payload(tag).await.unwrap();
-        attributes.attributes == payload
+        match self.get_payload(tag).await {
+            Ok(payload) => Ok(attributes.attributes == payload),
+            Err(e) => {
+                error!(target: "validation", "Failed to fetch payload for block {}: {:?}", expected, e);
+                Err(e)
+            }
+        }
     }
 }