diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 134200d9a..090a955ba 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -5745,7 +5745,9 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "solana-genesis-utils"
 version = "1.16.0"
 dependencies = [
+ "log",
  "solana-download-utils",
+ "solana-rpc-client",
  "solana-runtime",
  "solana-sdk 1.16.0",
 ]
diff --git a/genesis-utils/Cargo.toml b/genesis-utils/Cargo.toml
index 2ab1c1bd2..223a4566f 100644
--- a/genesis-utils/Cargo.toml
+++ b/genesis-utils/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ license = { workspace = true }
 edition = { workspace = true }
 
 [dependencies]
+log = { workspace = true }
 solana-download-utils = { workspace = true }
+solana-rpc-client = { workspace = true }
 solana-runtime = { workspace = true }
 solana-sdk = { workspace = true }
 
diff --git a/genesis-utils/src/lib.rs b/genesis-utils/src/lib.rs
index 7aa151201..7fd317567 100644
--- a/genesis-utils/src/lib.rs
+++ b/genesis-utils/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 use {
+    log::*,
     solana_download_utils::download_genesis_if_missing,
+    solana_rpc_client::rpc_client::RpcClient,
     solana_runtime::hardened_unpack::unpack_genesis_archive,
     solana_sdk::{
         genesis_config::{GenesisConfig, DEFAULT_GENESIS_ARCHIVE},
@@ -36,7 +38,7 @@ fn load_local_genesis(
     Ok(existing_genesis)
 }
 
-pub fn download_then_check_genesis_hash(
+fn get_genesis_config(
     rpc_addr: &SocketAddr,
     ledger_path: &std::path::Path,
     expected_genesis_hash: Option<Hash>,
@@ -45,12 +47,11 @@ pub fn download_then_check_genesis_hash(
     use_progress_bar: bool,
 ) -> Result<GenesisConfig, String> {
     if no_genesis_fetch {
-        let genesis_config = load_local_genesis(ledger_path, expected_genesis_hash)?;
-        return Ok(genesis_config);
+        return load_local_genesis(ledger_path, expected_genesis_hash);
     }
 
     let genesis_package = ledger_path.join(DEFAULT_GENESIS_ARCHIVE);
-    let genesis_config = if let Ok(tmp_genesis_package) =
+    if let Ok(tmp_genesis_package) =
         download_genesis_if_missing(rpc_addr, &genesis_package, use_progress_bar)
     {
         unpack_genesis_archive(
@@ -67,10 +68,56 @@ pub fn download_then_check_genesis_hash(
         std::fs::rename(tmp_genesis_package, genesis_package)
             .map_err(|err| format!("Unable to rename: {err:?}"))?;
 
-        downloaded_genesis
+        Ok(downloaded_genesis)
     } else {
-        load_local_genesis(ledger_path, expected_genesis_hash)?
-    };
-
-    Ok(genesis_config)
+        load_local_genesis(ledger_path, expected_genesis_hash)
+    }
+}
+
+fn set_and_verify_expected_genesis_hash(
+    genesis_config: GenesisConfig,
+    expected_genesis_hash: &mut Option<Hash>,
+    rpc_client: &RpcClient,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let genesis_hash = genesis_config.hash();
+    if expected_genesis_hash.is_none() {
+        info!("Expected genesis hash set to {}", genesis_hash);
+        *expected_genesis_hash = Some(genesis_hash);
+    }
+    let expected_genesis_hash = expected_genesis_hash.unwrap();
+
+    // Sanity check that the RPC node is using the expected genesis hash before
+    // downloading a snapshot from it
+    let rpc_genesis_hash = rpc_client
+        .get_genesis_hash()
+        .map_err(|err| format!("Failed to get genesis hash: {err}"))?;
+
+    if expected_genesis_hash != rpc_genesis_hash {
+        return Err(format!(
+            "Genesis hash mismatch: expected {expected_genesis_hash} but RPC node genesis hash is {rpc_genesis_hash}"
+        ));
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn download_then_check_genesis_hash(
+    rpc_addr: &SocketAddr,
+    ledger_path: &std::path::Path,
+    expected_genesis_hash: &mut Option<Hash>,
+    max_genesis_archive_unpacked_size: u64,
+    no_genesis_fetch: bool,
+    use_progress_bar: bool,
+    rpc_client: &RpcClient,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let genesis_config = get_genesis_config(
+        rpc_addr,
+        ledger_path,
+        *expected_genesis_hash,
+        max_genesis_archive_unpacked_size,
+        no_genesis_fetch,
+        use_progress_bar,
+    )?;
+
+    set_and_verify_expected_genesis_hash(genesis_config, expected_genesis_hash, rpc_client)
 }
diff --git a/programs/sbf/Cargo.lock b/programs/sbf/Cargo.lock
index 5387337d9..2d07f6daa 100644
--- a/programs/sbf/Cargo.lock
+++ b/programs/sbf/Cargo.lock
@@ -4942,7 +4942,9 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "solana-genesis-utils"
 version = "1.16.0"
 dependencies = [
+ "log",
  "solana-download-utils",
+ "solana-rpc-client",
  "solana-runtime",
  "solana-sdk 1.16.0",
 ]
diff --git a/validator/src/bootstrap.rs b/validator/src/bootstrap.rs
index b5a2cbaf7..a1dfbf17a 100644
--- a/validator/src/bootstrap.rs
+++ b/validator/src/bootstrap.rs
@@ -398,36 +398,15 @@ pub fn attempt_download_genesis_and_snapshot(
     vote_account: &Pubkey,
     authorized_voter_keypairs: Arc<RwLock<Vec<Arc<Keypair>>>>,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
-    let genesis_config = download_then_check_genesis_hash(
+    download_then_check_genesis_hash(
         &rpc_contact_info.rpc,
         ledger_path,
-        validator_config.expected_genesis_hash,
+        &mut validator_config.expected_genesis_hash,
         bootstrap_config.max_genesis_archive_unpacked_size,
         bootstrap_config.no_genesis_fetch,
         use_progress_bar,
-    );
-
-    if let Ok(genesis_config) = genesis_config {
-        let genesis_hash = genesis_config.hash();
-        if validator_config.expected_genesis_hash.is_none() {
-            info!("Expected genesis hash set to {}", genesis_hash);
-            validator_config.expected_genesis_hash = Some(genesis_hash);
-        }
-    }
-
-    if let Some(expected_genesis_hash) = validator_config.expected_genesis_hash {
-        // Sanity check that the RPC node is using the expected genesis hash before
-        // downloading a snapshot from it
-        let rpc_genesis_hash = rpc_client
-            .get_genesis_hash()
-            .map_err(|err| format!("Failed to get genesis hash: {err}"))?;
-
-        if expected_genesis_hash != rpc_genesis_hash {
-            return Err(format!(
-                "Genesis hash mismatch: expected {expected_genesis_hash} but RPC node genesis hash is {rpc_genesis_hash}"
-            ));
-        }
-    }
+        rpc_client,
+    )?;
 
     if let Some(gossip) = gossip.take() {
         shutdown_gossip_service(gossip);