diff --git a/core/src/snapshot_packager_service.rs b/core/src/snapshot_packager_service.rs
index 9c0f86c58b..b30fa772b8 100644
--- a/core/src/snapshot_packager_service.rs
+++ b/core/src/snapshot_packager_service.rs
@@ -57,11 +57,9 @@ impl SnapshotPackagerService {
                     SnapshotGossipManager::new(
                         cluster_info,
                         max_full_snapshot_hashes,
+                        starting_snapshot_hashes,
                     )
                 );
-                if let Some(snapshot_gossip_manager) = snapshot_gossip_manager.as_mut() {
-                    snapshot_gossip_manager.push_starting_snapshot_hashes(starting_snapshot_hashes);
-                }
 
                 loop {
                     if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
diff --git a/core/src/snapshot_packager_service/snapshot_gossip_manager.rs b/core/src/snapshot_packager_service/snapshot_gossip_manager.rs
index fb5ac0dd67..8903f31930 100644
--- a/core/src/snapshot_packager_service/snapshot_gossip_manager.rs
+++ b/core/src/snapshot_packager_service/snapshot_gossip_manager.rs
@@ -19,28 +19,30 @@ pub struct SnapshotGossipManager {
 }
 
 impl SnapshotGossipManager {
-    /// Construct a new SnapshotGossipManager with empty snapshot hashes
+    /// Construct a new SnapshotGossipManager and push any
+    /// starting snapshot hashes to the cluster via CRDS
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn new(cluster_info: Arc<ClusterInfo>, max_full_snapshot_hashes: usize) -> Self {
-        SnapshotGossipManager {
+    pub fn new(
+        cluster_info: Arc<ClusterInfo>,
+        max_full_snapshot_hashes: usize,
+        starting_snapshot_hashes: Option<StartingSnapshotHashes>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let mut this = SnapshotGossipManager {
             cluster_info,
             latest_snapshot_hashes: None,
             max_full_snapshot_hashes,
             legacy_full_snapshot_hashes: FullSnapshotHashes {
                 hashes: Vec::default(),
             },
+        };
+        if let Some(starting_snapshot_hashes) = starting_snapshot_hashes {
+            this.push_starting_snapshot_hashes(starting_snapshot_hashes);
         }
+        this
     }
 
-    /// Push any starting snapshot hashes to the cluster via CRDS
-    pub fn push_starting_snapshot_hashes(
-        &mut self,
-        starting_snapshot_hashes: Option<StartingSnapshotHashes>,
-    ) {
-        let Some(starting_snapshot_hashes) = starting_snapshot_hashes else {
-            return;
-        };
-
+    /// Push starting snapshot hashes to the cluster via CRDS
+    fn push_starting_snapshot_hashes(&mut self, starting_snapshot_hashes: StartingSnapshotHashes) {
         self.update_latest_full_snapshot_hash(starting_snapshot_hashes.full.hash);
         if let Some(starting_incremental_snapshot_hash) = starting_snapshot_hashes.incremental {
             self.update_latest_incremental_snapshot_hash(