diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index 727525da55..eb4223bf6a 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -586,10 +586,12 @@ func (s *Ethereum) Start() error {
 		}
 		maxPeers -= s.config.LightPeers
 	}
+
 	// Start the networking layer and the light server if requested
 	s.handler.Start(maxPeers)
 
 	go s.startCheckpointWhitelistService()
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -600,7 +602,12 @@ func (s *Ethereum) startCheckpointWhitelistService() {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(every)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 
-Loop:
+	// first run the checkpoint whitelist
+	err := s.handleWhitelistCheckpoint()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warn("the first run", "err", err)
+	}
+
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ticker.C:
@@ -609,7 +616,7 @@ Loop:
 				log.Warn(err.Error())
 			}
 		case <-s.closeCh:
-			break Loop
+			return
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/eth/handler_bor.go b/eth/handler_bor.go
index b87c07f551..02f9918f50 100644
--- a/eth/handler_bor.go
+++ b/eth/handler_bor.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package eth
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"errors"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
@@ -18,32 +19,33 @@ func (h *ethHandler) fetchWhitelistCheckpoint() (uint64, common.Hash, error) {
 	checkpoint, err := h.chain.Engine().(*bor.Bor).HeimdallClient.FetchLatestCheckpoint()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Debug("Failed to fetch latest checkpoint for whitelisting")
-		return 0, common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch latest checkpoint")
+		return 0, common.Hash{}, errors.New("failed to fetch latest checkpoint")
 	}
 
 	// check if we have the checkpoint blocks
 	head := h.ethAPI.BlockNumber()
 	if head < hexutil.Uint64(checkpoint.EndBlock.Uint64()) {
 		log.Debug("Head block behing checkpoint block", "head", head, "checkpoint end block", checkpoint.EndBlock)
-		return 0, common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("missing checkpoint blocks")
+		return 0, common.Hash{}, errors.New("missing checkpoint blocks")
 	}
 
 	// verify the root hash of checkpoint
 	roothash, err := h.ethAPI.GetRootHash(context.Background(), checkpoint.StartBlock.Uint64(), checkpoint.EndBlock.Uint64())
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Debug("Failed to get root hash of checkpoint while whitelisting")
-		return 0, common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to get local root hash")
+		return 0, common.Hash{}, errors.New("failed to get local root hash")
 	}
+
 	if roothash != checkpoint.RootHash.String()[2:] {
 		log.Warn("Checkpoint root hash mismatch while whitelisting", "expected", checkpoint.RootHash.String()[2:], "got", roothash)
-		return 0, common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("checkpoint roothash mismatch")
+		return 0, common.Hash{}, errors.New("checkpoint roothash mismatch")
 	}
 
 	// fetch the end checkpoint block hash
 	block, err := h.ethAPI.GetBlockByNumber(context.Background(), rpc.BlockNumber(checkpoint.EndBlock.Uint64()), false)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Debug("Failed to get end block hash of checkpoint while whitelisting")
-		return 0, common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to get end block")
+		return 0, common.Hash{}, errors.New("failed to get end block")
 	}
 	hash := fmt.Sprintf("%v", block["hash"])
 	return checkpoint.EndBlock.Uint64(), common.HexToHash(hash), nil