diff --git a/node/pkg/ethereum/watcher.go b/node/pkg/ethereum/watcher.go
index 99f298cd4..594de36ea 100644
--- a/node/pkg/ethereum/watcher.go
+++ b/node/pkg/ethereum/watcher.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/certusone/wormhole/node/pkg/p2p"
 	gossipv1 "github.com/certusone/wormhole/node/pkg/proto/gossip/v1"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus/promauto"
 	"math/big"
 	"sync"
@@ -37,6 +38,11 @@ var (
 			Name: "wormhole_eth_messages_observed_total",
 			Help: "Total number of Eth messages observed (pre-confirmation)",
 		}, []string{"eth_network"})
+	ethMessagesOrphaned = promauto.NewCounterVec(
+		prometheus.CounterOpts{
+			Name: "wormhole_eth_messages_orphaned_total",
+			Help: "Total number of Eth messages dropped (orphaned)",
+		}, []string{"eth_network"})
 	ethMessagesConfirmed = promauto.NewCounterVec(
 		prometheus.CounterOpts{
 			Name: "wormhole_eth_messages_confirmed_total",
@@ -89,9 +95,10 @@ type (
 	}
 
 	pendingKey struct {
-		TxHash eth_common.Hash
+		TxHash         eth_common.Hash
+		BlockHash      eth_common.Hash
 		EmitterAddress vaa.Address
-		Sequence uint64
+		Sequence       uint64
 	}
 
 	pendingMessage struct {
@@ -225,6 +232,7 @@ func (e *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 				key := pendingKey{
 					TxHash:         message.TxHash,
+					BlockHash:      ev.Raw.BlockHash,
 					EmitterAddress: message.EmitterAddress,
 					Sequence:       message.Sequence,
 				}
@@ -265,7 +273,7 @@ func (e *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 				currentEthHeight.WithLabelValues(e.networkName).Set(float64(ev.Number.Int64()))
 				readiness.SetReady(e.readiness)
 				p2p.DefaultRegistry.SetNetworkStats(e.chainID, &gossipv1.Heartbeat_Network{
-					Height:        ev.Number.Int64(),
+					Height:          ev.Number.Int64(),
 					ContractAddress: e.contract.Hex(),
 				})
 
@@ -284,6 +292,28 @@ func (e *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 					// Transaction is now ready
 					if pLock.height+uint64(pLock.message.ConsistencyLevel) <= ev.Number.Uint64() {
+						timeout, cancel = context.WithTimeout(ctx, 15*time.Second)
+						tx, err := c.TransactionReceipt(timeout, pLock.message.TxHash)
+						cancel()
+						if err != nil && err != rpc.ErrNoResult {
+							logger.Warn("transaction could not be fetched", zap.Stringer("tx", pLock.message.TxHash),
+								zap.Stringer("block", ev.Number), zap.String("eth_network", e.networkName))
+							continue
+						}
+						if tx == nil {
+							logger.Info("tx was orphaned", zap.Stringer("tx", pLock.message.TxHash),
+								zap.Stringer("block", ev.Number), zap.String("eth_network", e.networkName))
+							delete(e.pending, key)
+							ethMessagesOrphaned.WithLabelValues(e.networkName).Inc()
+							continue
+						}
+						if tx.BlockHash != key.BlockHash {
+							logger.Info("tx got dropped and mined in a later block; the message should have been reobserved", zap.Stringer("tx", pLock.message.TxHash),
+								zap.Stringer("block", ev.Number), zap.String("eth_network", e.networkName))
+							delete(e.pending, key)
+							ethMessagesOrphaned.WithLabelValues(e.networkName).Inc()
+							continue
+						}
 						logger.Debug("observation confirmed", zap.Stringer("tx", pLock.message.TxHash),
 							zap.Stringer("block", ev.Number), zap.String("eth_network", e.networkName))
 						delete(e.pending, key)