diff --git a/base_layer/core/src/base_node/tari_pulse_service/mod.rs b/base_layer/core/src/base_node/tari_pulse_service/mod.rs
index 0d7492b686..3ae3f5bfee 100644
--- a/base_layer/core/src/base_node/tari_pulse_service/mod.rs
+++ b/base_layer/core/src/base_node/tari_pulse_service/mod.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 // WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE
 // USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
-use std::{str::FromStr, time::Duration};
+use std::{cmp::min, str::FromStr, time::Duration};
 
 use futures::future;
 use hickory_client::{
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ use hickory_client::{
     rr::{DNSClass, Name, RData, Record, RecordType},
     tcp::TcpClientStream,
 };
-use log::{error, info, warn};
+use log::{debug, error, info, trace, warn};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use tari_p2p::Network;
 use tari_service_framework::{async_trait, ServiceInitializationError, ServiceInitializer, ServiceInitializerContext};
 use tari_shutdown::ShutdownSignal;
 use tari_utilities::hex::Hex;
-use tokio::{net::TcpStream as TokioTcpStream, sync::watch, time};
+use tokio::{net::TcpStream as TokioTcpStream, sync::watch, time, time::MissedTickBehavior};
 
 use super::LocalNodeCommsInterface;
 use crate::base_node::comms_interface::CommsInterfaceError;
@@ -121,31 +121,37 @@ impl TariPulseService {
         notify_passed_checkpoints: watch::Sender<bool>,
     ) {
         let mut interval = time::interval(self.config.check_interval);
+        interval.set_missed_tick_behavior(MissedTickBehavior::Delay);
+        tokio::pin!(interval);
         let mut shutdown_signal = self.shutdown_signal.clone();
+        let mut count = 0u64;
+        let mut skip_ticks = 0;
+        let mut skipped_ticks = 0;
 
         loop {
             tokio::select! {
                 _ = interval.tick() => {
-                    let passed_checkpoints = match self.passed_checkpoints(&mut base_node_service).await {
-                        Ok(passed) => {
-                            interval = time::interval(self.config.check_interval); // reset interval if back to healthy
-                            passed
-                        },
-                        Err(err) => {
-                            warn!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Failed to check if node has passed checkpoints: {:?}", err);
-                            let old_interval = interval.period().as_secs();
-                            let new_interval = if old_interval > (60 * 30) {
-                                warn!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Reached maximum retry interval of 30 minutes.");
-                                old_interval
-                            } else {
-                                // increase interval if node repeatedly (up to 30 min) fails to fetch checkpoints
-                                interval = time::interval(Duration::from_secs(old_interval * 2));
-                                interval.tick().await;
-                                interval.period().as_secs()
-                            };
-                            warn!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Retrying in {} seconds", new_interval);
-                            continue;
-                        },
+                    count += 1;
+                    trace!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Interval tick: {}", count);
+                    if skipped_ticks < skip_ticks {
+                        skipped_ticks += 1;
+                        debug!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Skipping {} of {} ticks", skipped_ticks, skip_ticks);
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    let passed_checkpoints = {
+                        match self.passed_checkpoints(&mut base_node_service).await {
+                            Ok(passed) => {
+                                skip_ticks = 0;
+                                skipped_ticks = 0;
+                                passed
+                            },
+                            Err(err) => {
+                                warn!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Failed to check if node has passed checkpoints: {:?}", err);
+                                skip_ticks = min(skip_ticks + 1, 30 * 60 / self.config.check_interval.as_secs());
+                                skipped_ticks = 0;
+                                continue;
+                            },
+                        }
                     };
 
                     notify_passed_checkpoints
@@ -174,7 +180,12 @@ impl TariPulseService {
             .max_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0))
             .ok_or(CommsInterfaceError::InternalError("No checkpoints found".to_string()))?;
         let local_checkpoints = self.get_node_block(base_node_service, max_height_block.0).await?;
-        Ok(local_checkpoints.1 == max_height_block.1)
+        let passed = local_checkpoints.1 == max_height_block.1;
+        trace!(
+            target: LOG_TARGET, "Passed checkpoints: {}, DNS: ({}, {}), Local: ({}, {})",
+            passed, max_height_block.0, max_height_block.1, local_checkpoints.0, local_checkpoints.1
+        );
+        Ok(passed)
     }
 
     async fn get_node_block(