diff --git a/eth/downloader/whitelist/service.go b/eth/downloader/whitelist/service.go
index 2ddad0e5ab..f12639454f 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/whitelist/service.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/whitelist/service.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func (w *Service) IsValidChain(remoteHeader *types.Header, fetchHeadersByNumber
 	}
 
 	if len(headers) == 0 {
-		return true, fmt.Errorf("%w: last checkpoint %d", ErrNoRemoteCheckoint, lastCheckpointBlockNum)
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("%w: last checkpoint %d", ErrNoRemoteCheckoint, lastCheckpointBlockNum)
 	}
 
 	reqBlockNum := headers[0].Number.Uint64()