diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 3f826b7861..1aa6052067 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -418,6 +418,9 @@ func (b *EthAPIBackend) SyncProgress(ctx context.Context) ethereum.SyncProgress
 	if err == nil {
 		prog.StateIndexRemaining = remain
 	}
+	// SyncedWithCL is true when the node has received at least one successful
+	// ForkchoiceUpdated from the consensus layer with a known block.
+	prog.SyncedWithCL = b.eth.Synced()
 	return prog
 }
 
diff --git a/interfaces.go b/interfaces.go
index 21d42c6d34..1be1a89a0a 100644
--- a/interfaces.go
+++ b/interfaces.go
@@ -141,10 +141,23 @@ type SyncProgress struct {
 
 	// "historical state indexing" fields
 	StateIndexRemaining uint64 // Number of states remain unindexed
+
+	// SyncedWithCL indicates whether the node has received at least one successful
+	// consensus layer update (ForkchoiceUpdated with a known block). On startup,
+	// this is false until the CL sends the first valid update.
+	SyncedWithCL bool
 }
 
 // Done returns the indicator if the initial sync is finished or not.
+// A node is considered synced only when:
+// 1. It has received at least one successful CL update (SyncedWithCL is true)
+// 2. CurrentBlock >= HighestBlock
+// 3. Transaction and state indexing are complete
 func (prog SyncProgress) Done() bool {
+	// Node must have received at least one CL update to be considered synced
+	if !prog.SyncedWithCL {
+		return false
+	}
 	if prog.CurrentBlock < prog.HighestBlock {
 		return false
 	}