diff --git a/client/network/src/lib.rs b/client/network/src/lib.rs
index 1a119b68415..d3d6ea90639 100644
--- a/client/network/src/lib.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/lib.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ use codec::{Decode, DecodeAll, Encode};
 use futures::{channel::oneshot, future::FutureExt, Future, StreamExt};
 
 use cumulus_client_consensus_common::parachain_consensus::RelaychainClient;
-use std::{convert::TryFrom, fmt, marker::PhantomData, pin::Pin, sync::Arc};
+use std::{
+	convert::TryFrom, fmt, marker::PhantomData, pin::Pin, sync::Arc, thread::sleep, time::Duration,
+};
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests;
 
@@ -465,12 +468,27 @@ impl<Block: BlockT> WaitForParachainTargetBlock<Block> {
 	pub async fn warp_sync_get(
 		para_id: ParaId,
 		relay_chain_interface: Arc<dyn RelayChainInterface>,
+		spawner: Arc<dyn SpawnNamed + Send + Sync>,
 	) -> Result<oneshot::Receiver<Block::Header>, BoxedError>
 	where
 		Block: BlockT + 'static,
 	{
 		let (sender, receiver) = oneshot::channel::<Block::Header>();
-		Self::wait_for_target_block(sender, para_id, relay_chain_interface).await;
+
+		spawner.spawn(
+			"cumulus-parachain-wait-for-target-block",
+			None,
+			async move {
+				tracing::debug!(
+					target: LOG_TARGET,
+					"waiting for target block in a background task...",
+				);
+				Self::wait_for_target_block(sender, para_id, relay_chain_interface).await;
+				tracing::debug!(target: LOG_TARGET, "target block reached",);
+			}
+			.boxed(),
+		);
+
 		return Ok(receiver)
 	}
 
@@ -479,47 +497,66 @@ impl<Block: BlockT> WaitForParachainTargetBlock<Block> {
 		para_id: ParaId,
 		relay_chain_interface: Arc<dyn RelayChainInterface>,
 	) {
-		let is_syncing = relay_chain_interface
-			.is_major_syncing()
-			.await
-			.map_err(|e| {
-				tracing::error!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Unable to determine sync status. {}", e)
-			})
-			.unwrap_or(false);
-
-		loop {
-			if !is_syncing {
-				let mut finalized_heads = match relay_chain_interface.finalized_heads(para_id).await
-				{
-					Ok(finalized_heads_stream) => finalized_heads_stream,
-					Err(err) => {
-						tracing::error!(target: LOG_TARGET, error = ?err, "Unable to retrieve finalized heads stream.");
-						return
-					},
-				};
-
-				let finalized_head = if let Some(h) = finalized_heads.next().await {
-					h
-				} else {
-					tracing::debug!(target: "cumulus-network", "Stopping following finalized head.");
-					return
-				};
-
-				let target_header = match Block::Header::decode(&mut &finalized_head[..]) {
-					Ok(header) => header,
-					Err(err) => {
-						tracing::debug!(
-							target: "cumulus-network",
-							error = ?err,
-							"Could not decode parachain header while following finalized heads.",
-						);
-						continue
-					},
-				};
-
-				let _ = sender.send(target_header);
-				break
-			}
+		let import_stream = relay_chain_interface.import_notification_stream();
+		match import_stream.await {
+			Ok(mut import_stream_notification) => match import_stream_notification.next().await {
+				Some(_header) => loop {
+					let is_syncing = relay_chain_interface
+						.is_major_syncing()
+						.await
+						.map_err(|e| {
+							tracing::error!(
+								target: LOG_TARGET,
+								"Unable to determine sync status. {}",
+								e
+							)
+						})
+						.unwrap_or(false);
+
+					if !is_syncing {
+						let mut finalized_heads =
+							match relay_chain_interface.finalized_heads(para_id).await {
+								Ok(finalized_heads_stream) => finalized_heads_stream,
+								Err(err) => {
+									tracing::error!(target: LOG_TARGET, error = ?err, "Unable to retrieve finalized heads stream.");
+									return
+								},
+							};
+
+						let finalized_head = if let Some(h) = finalized_heads.next().await {
+							h
+						} else {
+							tracing::debug!(
+								target: LOG_TARGET,
+								"Stopping following finalized head."
+							);
+							return
+						};
+
+						let target_header = match Block::Header::decode(&mut &finalized_head[..]) {
+							Ok(header) => header,
+							Err(err) => {
+								tracing::debug!(
+									target: LOG_TARGET,
+									error = ?err,
+									"Could not decode parachain header while following finalized heads.",
+								);
+								continue
+							},
+						};
+
+						let _ = sender.send(target_header);
+						break
+					}
+					tracing::debug!(
+						target: LOG_TARGET,
+						"waiting for relay chain sync to complete......",
+					);
+					sleep(Duration::from_secs(120));
+				},
+				None => (),
+			},
+			_ => (),
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/parachain-template/node/src/service.rs b/parachain-template/node/src/service.rs
index 87a6161e8ba..bc849dba447 100644
--- a/parachain-template/node/src/service.rs
+++ b/parachain-template/node/src/service.rs
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ async fn start_node_impl(
 		match cumulus_client_network::WaitForParachainTargetBlock::<Block>::warp_sync_get(
 			id,
 			relay_chain_interface.clone(),
+			Arc::new(task_manager.spawn_handle()),
 		)
 		.await
 		{
diff --git a/polkadot-parachain/src/service.rs b/polkadot-parachain/src/service.rs
index 445ccc4876c..1b3da7ae6ca 100644
--- a/polkadot-parachain/src/service.rs
+++ b/polkadot-parachain/src/service.rs
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ where
 		match cumulus_client_network::WaitForParachainTargetBlock::<Block>::warp_sync_get(
 			para_id,
 			relay_chain_interface.clone(),
+			Arc::new(task_manager.spawn_handle()),
 		)
 		.await
 		{
@@ -602,6 +603,7 @@ where
 		match cumulus_client_network::WaitForParachainTargetBlock::<Block>::warp_sync_get(
 			para_id,
 			relay_chain_interface.clone(),
+			Arc::new(task_manager.spawn_handle()),
 		)
 		.await
 		{
@@ -1381,6 +1383,7 @@ where
 		match cumulus_client_network::WaitForParachainTargetBlock::<Block>::warp_sync_get(
 			para_id,
 			relay_chain_interface.clone(),
+			Arc::new(task_manager.spawn_handle()),
 		)
 		.await
 		{
diff --git a/test/service/src/lib.rs b/test/service/src/lib.rs
index 48b99ee21df..08f830730fe 100644
--- a/test/service/src/lib.rs
+++ b/test/service/src/lib.rs
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ where
 		match cumulus_client_network::WaitForParachainTargetBlock::<Block>::warp_sync_get(
 			para_id,
 			relay_chain_interface.clone(),
+			Arc::new(task_manager.spawn_handle()),
 		)
 		.await
 		{