diff --git a/client/network/src/protocol.rs b/client/network/src/protocol.rs
index a7e6f36ef6215..0075e856e7574 100644
--- a/client/network/src/protocol.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/protocol.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ use sc_utils::mpsc::TracingUnboundedSender;
 use sp_runtime::traits::Block as BlockT;
 
 use std::{
-	collections::{HashMap, HashSet, VecDeque},
+	collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
 	future::Future,
 	iter,
 	pin::Pin,
@@ -77,8 +77,6 @@ type PendingSyncSubstreamValidation =
 
 // Lock must always be taken in order declared here.
 pub struct Protocol<B: BlockT> {
-	/// Pending list of messages to return from `poll` as a priority.
-	pending_messages: VecDeque<CustomMessageOutcome>,
 	/// Used to report reputation changes.
 	peerset_handle: sc_peerset::PeersetHandle,
 	/// Handles opening the unique substream and sending and receiving raw messages.
@@ -181,7 +179,6 @@ impl<B: BlockT> Protocol<B> {
 		};
 
 		let protocol = Self {
-			pending_messages: VecDeque::new(),
 			peerset_handle: peerset_handle.clone(),
 			behaviour,
 			notification_protocols: iter::once(block_announces_protocol.notifications_protocol)
@@ -409,8 +406,21 @@ impl<B: BlockT> NetworkBehaviour for Protocol<B> {
 		cx: &mut std::task::Context,
 		params: &mut impl PollParameters,
 	) -> Poll<NetworkBehaviourAction<Self::OutEvent, Self::ConnectionHandler>> {
-		if let Some(message) = self.pending_messages.pop_front() {
-			return Poll::Ready(NetworkBehaviourAction::GenerateEvent(message))
+		while let Poll::Ready(Some(validation_result)) =
+			self.sync_substream_validations.poll_next_unpin(cx)
+		{
+			match validation_result {
+				Ok((peer, roles)) => {
+					self.peers.insert(peer, roles);
+				},
+				Err(peer) => {
+					log::debug!(
+						target: "sub-libp2p",
+						"`SyncingEngine` rejected stream"
+					);
+					self.behaviour.disconnect_peer(&peer, HARDCODED_PEERSETS_SYNC);
+				},
+			}
 		}
 
 		let event = match self.behaviour.poll(cx, params) {
@@ -430,23 +440,6 @@ impl<B: BlockT> NetworkBehaviour for Protocol<B> {
 				return Poll::Ready(NetworkBehaviourAction::CloseConnection { peer_id, connection }),
 		};
 
-		while let Poll::Ready(Some(validation_result)) =
-			self.sync_substream_validations.poll_next_unpin(cx)
-		{
-			match validation_result {
-				Ok((peer, roles)) => {
-					self.peers.insert(peer, roles);
-				},
-				Err(peer) => {
-					log::debug!(
-						target: "sub-libp2p",
-						"`SyncingEngine` rejected stream"
-					);
-					self.behaviour.disconnect_peer(&peer, HARDCODED_PEERSETS_SYNC);
-				},
-			}
-		}
-
 		let outcome = match event {
 			NotificationsOut::CustomProtocolOpen {
 				peer_id,
@@ -509,7 +502,6 @@ impl<B: BlockT> NetworkBehaviour for Protocol<B> {
 							) {
 								Ok(handshake) => {
 									let roles = handshake.roles;
-									self.peers.insert(peer_id, roles);
 
 									let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
 									let _ = self.tx.unbounded_send(
@@ -644,10 +636,6 @@ impl<B: BlockT> NetworkBehaviour for Protocol<B> {
 			return Poll::Ready(NetworkBehaviourAction::GenerateEvent(outcome))
 		}
 
-		if let Some(message) = self.pending_messages.pop_front() {
-			return Poll::Ready(NetworkBehaviourAction::GenerateEvent(message))
-		}
-
 		// This block can only be reached if an event was pulled from the behaviour and that
 		// resulted in `CustomMessageOutcome::None`. Since there might be another pending
 		// message from the behaviour, the task is scheduled again.