diff --git a/consensus/consensus.go b/consensus/consensus.go
index 98fcb98af..58baeffea 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus.go
@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) prefillNeighborVotes(elc *election.Election, height
 		if rn.GetHeight() < height && height < rn.GetMinVerifiableHeight() {
 			continue
 		}
+		// Neighbor's consensus state is not up to date
+		if time.Since(rn.GetLastUpdateTime()) > getConsensusStateInterval*2 {
+			continue
+		}
 		neighborIDs = append(neighborIDs, rn.GetID())
 	}
 
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 4bd3ce0c8..146a9cb24 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) getNeighborConsensusState(neighbor *node.RemoteNode)
 	neighbor.SetHeight(replyMsg.LedgerHeight)
 	neighbor.SetMinVerifiableHeight(replyMsg.MinVerifiableHeight)
 	neighbor.SetSyncState(replyMsg.SyncState)
+	neighbor.SetLastUpdateTime(time.Now())
 
 	return replyMsg, nil
 }
diff --git a/node/neighbor.go b/node/neighbor.go
index 234d7f332..a949ef22b 100644
--- a/node/neighbor.go
+++ b/node/neighbor.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func (localNode *LocalNode) startConnectingToRandomNeighbors() {
 	}
 
 	for {
-		time.Sleep(util.RandDuration(randomNeighborConnectInterval, 1.0/6.0))
+		time.Sleep(util.RandDuration(randomNeighborConnectInterval, 1.0/3.0))
 
 		if len(localNode.randomNeighbors) >= maxNumRandomNeighbors {
 			nbr := localNode.GetNbrNode(localNode.randomNeighbors[0])
diff --git a/node/remotenode.go b/node/remotenode.go
index 8e43da55a..3a6ad1216 100644
--- a/node/remotenode.go
+++ b/node/remotenode.go
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ type RemoteNode struct {
 	sharedKey *[sharedKeySize]byte
 
 	sync.RWMutex
-	height uint32
+	height         uint32
+	lastUpdateTime time.Time
 }
 
 func (remoteNode *RemoteNode) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
@@ -83,6 +84,18 @@ func (remoteNode *RemoteNode) SetHeight(height uint32) {
 	remoteNode.height = height
 }
 
+func (remoteNode *RemoteNode) GetLastUpdateTime() time.Time {
+	remoteNode.RLock()
+	defer remoteNode.RUnlock()
+	return remoteNode.lastUpdateTime
+}
+
+func (remoteNode *RemoteNode) SetLastUpdateTime(lastUpdateTime time.Time) {
+	remoteNode.Lock()
+	defer remoteNode.Unlock()
+	remoteNode.lastUpdateTime = lastUpdateTime
+}
+
 func (remoteNode *RemoteNode) CloseConn() {
 	remoteNode.nnetNode.Stop(nil)
 }