diff --git a/eth/downloader/skeleton_test.go b/eth/downloader/skeleton_test.go
index 8c38e9d0c5..b3d89a8e9e 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/skeleton_test.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/skeleton_test.go
@@ -941,6 +941,127 @@ func TestSkeletonSyncRetrievals(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Tests that when a forced head event arrives during the suspend window of a
+// sync restart (errSyncReorged), it is captured and used as the restart head
+// instead of the stale reorg head. This prevents a death spiral on chains with
+// fast block times where suspend() blocks long enough for new heads to arrive.
+func TestSkeletonSyncDeferredHead(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a short chain and a peer that can serve it
+	chain := []*types.Header{{Number: big.NewInt(0)}}
+	for i := 1; i <= 100; i++ {
+		chain = append(chain, &types.Header{
+			ParentHash: chain[i-1].Hash(),
+			Number:     big.NewInt(int64(i)),
+		})
+	}
+	// Create a reorg head at the same height but with a non-linking parent hash.
+	// This triggers errChainForked in processNewHead, which with force=true
+	// becomes errSyncReorged.
+	reorgHead := &types.Header{
+		ParentHash: common.Hash{0xff}, // doesn't match chain[99]
+		Number:     big.NewInt(100),
+		Extra:      []byte("reorg"),
+	}
+	// Create a later "deferred" head that should be used instead of reorgHead.
+	// It's on a completely separate chain so the skeleton reinits with it.
+	deferredChain := []*types.Header{{Number: big.NewInt(0)}}
+	for i := 1; i <= 200; i++ {
+		deferredChain = append(deferredChain, &types.Header{
+			ParentHash: deferredChain[i-1].Hash(),
+			Number:     big.NewInt(int64(i)),
+			Extra:      []byte("deferred"),
+		})
+	}
+	deferredHead := deferredChain[200]
+
+	// Set up database with genesis
+	db := rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase()
+	rawdb.WriteBlock(db, types.NewBlockWithHeader(chain[0]))
+	rawdb.WriteReceipts(db, chain[0].Hash(), 0, types.Receipts{})
+
+	// Channels to coordinate the suspend hook timing. The first suspend() call
+	// happens during errSyncLinked (initial header fill). We use it as a
+	// synchronization point: once it fires, we know the skeleton has linked
+	// and restarted into a linked sync loop. Only the second suspend (triggered
+	// by errSyncReorged) is blocked to create the window for deferred heads.
+	firstSuspendDone := make(chan struct{})
+	suspendStarted := make(chan struct{})
+	suspendUnblock := make(chan struct{})
+	var suspendCount atomic.Int32
+
+	filler := &hookedBackfiller{
+		resumeHook: func() {},
+		suspendHook: func() *types.Header {
+			if suspendCount.Add(1) < 2 {
+				close(firstSuspendDone) // signal that initial fill completed
+				return nil
+			}
+			// Signal that the reorg-triggered suspend started, then block
+			select {
+			case suspendStarted <- struct{}{}:
+			default:
+			}
+			<-suspendUnblock
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+	peer := newSkeletonTestPeer("test-peer", chain)
+	peerset := newPeerSet()
+	peerset.Register(newPeerConnection(peer.id, eth.ETH69, peer, log.New("id", peer.id)))
+
+	skeleton := newSkeleton(db, peerset, nil, filler, &fakeChainReader{})
+
+	// Start sync and wait for the first suspend to confirm the chain linked
+	// and the skeleton restarted into a linked sync loop.
+	skeleton.Sync(chain[100], nil, true)
+
+	select {
+	case <-firstSuspendDone:
+	case <-time.After(30 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for initial sync to link")
+	}
+	// Send the reorg head — this triggers errSyncReorged, whose defer calls
+	// filler.suspend() which will block on our hook
+	go skeleton.Sync(reorgHead, nil, true)
+
+	// Wait for suspend to start (meaning we're in the defer draining head events)
+	select {
+	case <-suspendStarted:
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for suspend to start")
+	}
+	// While suspend is blocked, send a new forced head. This should be captured
+	// as the deferred head.
+	go skeleton.Sync(deferredHead, nil, true)
+
+	// Give the head event a moment to be received by the drain loop
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	// Unblock suspend — the skeleton should restart with deferredHead
+	close(suspendUnblock)
+
+	// Wait for the skeleton to process the deferred head and re-init
+	waitStart := time.Now()
+	for waitTime := 20 * time.Millisecond; time.Since(waitStart) < 5*time.Second; waitTime = waitTime * 2 {
+		time.Sleep(waitTime)
+		var progress skeletonProgress
+		json.Unmarshal(rawdb.ReadSkeletonSyncStatus(db), &progress)
+		if len(progress.Subchains) > 0 && progress.Subchains[0].Head == 200 {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	var progress skeletonProgress
+	json.Unmarshal(rawdb.ReadSkeletonSyncStatus(db), &progress)
+
+	if len(progress.Subchains) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("no subchains after deferred head sync")
+	}
+	if progress.Subchains[0].Head != 200 {
+		t.Errorf("skeleton restarted with wrong head: have %d, want %d (deferred head was not used)", progress.Subchains[0].Head, 200)
+	}
+	skeleton.Terminate()
+}
+
 func checkSkeletonProgress(db ethdb.KeyValueReader, unpredictable bool, peers []*skeletonTestPeer, expected skeletonExpect) error {
 	var progress skeletonProgress
 	// Check the post-init end state if it matches the required results