diff --git a/beacon/light/request/server.go b/beacon/light/request/server.go
index a06dec99ae..d39570b8e5 100644
--- a/beacon/light/request/server.go
+++ b/beacon/light/request/server.go
@@ -438,14 +438,11 @@ func (s *serverWithLimits) fail(desc string) {
 // failLocked calculates the dynamic failure delay and applies it.
 func (s *serverWithLimits) failLocked(desc string) {
 	log.Debug("Server error", "description", desc)
-	s.failureDelay *= 2
 	now := s.clock.Now()
 	if now > s.failureDelayEnd {
 		s.failureDelay *= math.Pow(2, -float64(now-s.failureDelayEnd)/float64(maxFailureDelay))
 	}
-	if s.failureDelay < float64(minFailureDelay) {
-		s.failureDelay = float64(minFailureDelay)
-	}
+	s.failureDelay = max(min(s.failureDelay*2, float64(maxFailureDelay)), float64(minFailureDelay))
 	s.failureDelayEnd = now + mclock.AbsTime(s.failureDelay)
 	s.delay(time.Duration(s.failureDelay))
 }
diff --git a/beacon/light/sync/update_sync.go b/beacon/light/sync/update_sync.go
index 9549ee5992..d84a3d64da 100644
--- a/beacon/light/sync/update_sync.go
+++ b/beacon/light/sync/update_sync.go
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ const (
 	ssNeedParent             // cp header slot %32 != 0, need parent to check epoch boundary
 	ssParentRequested        // cp parent header requested
 	ssPrintStatus            // has all necessary info, print log message if init still not successful
-	ssDone                   // log message printed, no more action required
 )
 
 type serverState struct {
@@ -180,7 +179,8 @@ func (s *CheckpointInit) Process(requester request.Requester, events []request.E
 		default:
 			log.Error("blsync: checkpoint not available, but reported as finalized; specified checkpoint hash might be too old", "server", server.Name())
 		}
-		s.serverState[server] = serverState{state: ssDone}
+		s.serverState[server] = serverState{state: ssDefault}
+		requester.Fail(server, "checkpoint init failed")
 	}
 }