diff --git a/core/src/replay_stage.rs b/core/src/replay_stage.rs
index 2686956133..a70f763f6e 100644
--- a/core/src/replay_stage.rs
+++ b/core/src/replay_stage.rs
@@ -1580,6 +1580,11 @@ impl ReplayStage {
 
         assert!(parent.is_frozen());
 
+        if !parent.is_startup_verification_complete() {
+            info!("startup verification incomplete, so skipping my leader slot");
+            return;
+        }
+
         if bank_forks.read().unwrap().get(poh_slot).is_some() {
             warn!("{} already have bank in forks at {}?", my_pubkey, poh_slot);
             return;
@@ -1907,6 +1912,11 @@ impl ReplayStage {
         has_new_vote_been_rooted: bool,
         wait_to_vote_slot: Option<Slot>,
     ) -> Option<Transaction> {
+        if !bank.is_startup_verification_complete() {
+            info!("startup verification incomplete, so unable to vote");
+            return None;
+        }
+
         if authorized_voter_keypairs.is_empty() {
             return None;
         }
diff --git a/core/src/validator.rs b/core/src/validator.rs
index bf269304c5..0a8245d326 100644
--- a/core/src/validator.rs
+++ b/core/src/validator.rs
@@ -736,8 +736,10 @@ impl Validator {
         );
 
         let poh_config = Arc::new(genesis_config.poh_config.clone());
+        let startup_verification_complete;
         let (poh_recorder, entry_receiver, record_receiver) = {
             let bank = &bank_forks.read().unwrap().working_bank();
+            startup_verification_complete = Arc::clone(bank.get_startup_verification_complete());
             PohRecorder::new_with_clear_signal(
                 bank.tick_height(),
                 bank.last_blockhash(),
@@ -798,6 +800,7 @@ impl Validator {
                     config.validator_exit.clone(),
                     config.known_validators.clone(),
                     rpc_override_health_check.clone(),
+                    startup_verification_complete,
                     optimistically_confirmed_bank.clone(),
                     config.send_transaction_service_config.clone(),
                     max_slots.clone(),
diff --git a/rpc/src/rpc.rs b/rpc/src/rpc.rs
index 9889ec404a..86245401d5 100644
--- a/rpc/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/rpc/src/rpc.rs
@@ -381,7 +381,13 @@ impl JsonRpcRequestProcessor {
             ))),
             blockstore,
             validator_exit: create_validator_exit(&exit),
-            health: Arc::new(RpcHealth::new(cluster_info.clone(), None, 0, exit.clone())),
+            health: Arc::new(RpcHealth::new(
+                cluster_info.clone(),
+                None,
+                0,
+                exit.clone(),
+                Arc::clone(bank.get_startup_verification_complete()),
+            )),
             cluster_info,
             genesis_hash,
             transaction_sender: Arc::new(Mutex::new(sender)),
diff --git a/rpc/src/rpc_health.rs b/rpc/src/rpc_health.rs
index e68746a5d4..0b84b6282d 100644
--- a/rpc/src/rpc_health.rs
+++ b/rpc/src/rpc_health.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ pub struct RpcHealth {
     known_validators: Option<HashSet<Pubkey>>,
     health_check_slot_distance: u64,
     override_health_check: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+    startup_verification_complete: Arc<AtomicBool>,
     #[cfg(test)]
     stub_health_status: std::sync::RwLock<Option<RpcHealthStatus>>,
 }
@@ -32,12 +33,14 @@ impl RpcHealth {
         known_validators: Option<HashSet<Pubkey>>,
         health_check_slot_distance: u64,
         override_health_check: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+        startup_verification_complete: Arc<AtomicBool>,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             cluster_info,
             known_validators,
             health_check_slot_distance,
             override_health_check,
+            startup_verification_complete,
             #[cfg(test)]
             stub_health_status: std::sync::RwLock::new(None),
         }
@@ -51,6 +54,10 @@ impl RpcHealth {
             }
         }
 
+        if !self.startup_verification_complete.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
+            return RpcHealthStatus::Unknown;
+        }
+
         if self.override_health_check.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
             RpcHealthStatus::Ok
         } else if let Some(known_validators) = &self.known_validators {
@@ -134,6 +141,7 @@ impl RpcHealth {
             None,
             42,
             Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false)),
+            Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(true)),
         ))
     }
 
diff --git a/rpc/src/rpc_service.rs b/rpc/src/rpc_service.rs
index 946ab6582f..ba17587012 100644
--- a/rpc/src/rpc_service.rs
+++ b/rpc/src/rpc_service.rs
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ impl JsonRpcService {
         validator_exit: Arc<RwLock<Exit>>,
         known_validators: Option<HashSet<Pubkey>>,
         override_health_check: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+        startup_verification_complete: Arc<AtomicBool>,
         optimistically_confirmed_bank: Arc<RwLock<OptimisticallyConfirmedBank>>,
         send_transaction_service_config: send_transaction_service::Config,
         max_slots: Arc<MaxSlots>,
@@ -365,6 +366,7 @@ impl JsonRpcService {
             known_validators,
             config.health_check_slot_distance,
             override_health_check,
+            startup_verification_complete,
         ));
 
         let largest_accounts_cache = Arc::new(RwLock::new(LargestAccountsCache::new(
@@ -628,6 +630,7 @@ mod tests {
             validator_exit,
             None,
             Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false)),
+            Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(true)),
             optimistically_confirmed_bank,
             send_transaction_service::Config {
                 retry_rate_ms: 1000,
@@ -826,6 +829,7 @@ mod tests {
         ));
         let health_check_slot_distance = 123;
         let override_health_check = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+        let startup_verification_complete = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(true));
         let known_validators = vec![
             solana_sdk::pubkey::new_rand(),
             solana_sdk::pubkey::new_rand(),
@@ -837,6 +841,7 @@ mod tests {
             Some(known_validators.clone().into_iter().collect()),
             health_check_slot_distance,
             override_health_check.clone(),
+            startup_verification_complete,
         ));
 
         let rm = RpcRequestMiddleware::new(PathBuf::from("/"), None, create_bank_forks(), health);
diff --git a/runtime/src/accounts_background_service.rs b/runtime/src/accounts_background_service.rs
index d158427e70..40ad5948c1 100644
--- a/runtime/src/accounts_background_service.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/accounts_background_service.rs
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@ impl SnapshotRequestHandler {
                     status_cache_slot_deltas,
                 } = snapshot_request;
 
+                // we should not rely on the state of this validator until startup verification is complete
+                assert!(snapshot_root_bank.is_startup_verification_complete());
+
                 let previous_hash = if test_hash_calculation {
                     // We have to use the index version here.
                     // We cannot calculate the non-index way because cache has not been flushed and stores don't match reality. This comment is out of date and can be re-evaluated.
diff --git a/runtime/src/accounts_db.rs b/runtime/src/accounts_db.rs
index 16f89a5994..dc2a8f44ec 100644
--- a/runtime/src/accounts_db.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/accounts_db.rs
@@ -1115,6 +1115,8 @@ pub struct AccountsDb {
     /// true if drop_callback is attached to the bank.
     is_bank_drop_callback_enabled: AtomicBool,
 
+    pub startup_verification_complete: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+
     /// Set of slots currently being flushed by `flush_slot_cache()` or removed
     /// by `remove_unrooted_slot()`. Used to ensure `remove_unrooted_slots(slots)`
     /// can safely clear the set of unrooted slots `slots`.
@@ -1902,7 +1904,12 @@ impl AccountsDb {
         // rayon needs a lot of stack
         const ACCOUNTS_STACK_SIZE: usize = 8 * 1024 * 1024;
 
+        // this will be live shortly
+        // for now, this check occurs at startup, so it must always be true
+        let startup_verification_complete = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(true));
+
         AccountsDb {
+            startup_verification_complete,
             filler_accounts_per_slot: AtomicU64::default(),
             filler_account_slots_remaining: AtomicU64::default(),
             active_stats: ActiveStats::default(),
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank.rs b/runtime/src/bank.rs
index 3e8a5065d5..d787166caf 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank.rs
@@ -3707,6 +3707,14 @@ impl Bank {
         ))
     }
 
+    pub fn get_startup_verification_complete(&self) -> &Arc<AtomicBool> {
+        &self.rc.accounts.accounts_db.startup_verification_complete
+    }
+
+    pub fn is_startup_verification_complete(&self) -> bool {
+        self.get_startup_verification_complete().load(Relaxed)
+    }
+
     pub fn get_fee_for_message_with_lamports_per_signature(
         &self,
         message: &SanitizedMessage,
@@ -6727,6 +6735,15 @@ impl Bank {
         )
     }
 
+    /// return true if bg hash verification is complete
+    /// return false if bg hash verification has not completed yet
+    /// if hash verification failed, a panic will occur
+    pub fn has_initial_accounts_hash_verification_completed(&self) -> bool {
+        // this will be live shortly
+        // for now, this check occurs at startup, so it must always be true
+        true
+    }
+
     pub fn get_snapshot_storages(&self, base_slot: Option<Slot>) -> SnapshotStorages {
         self.rc
             .accounts
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank_forks.rs b/runtime/src/bank_forks.rs
index 5f62bd385b..54e448ae40 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank_forks.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank_forks.rs
@@ -278,23 +278,27 @@ impl BankForks {
                 {
                     let snapshot_root_bank = self.root_bank();
                     let root_slot = snapshot_root_bank.slot();
-                    // Save off the status cache because these may get pruned if another
-                    // `set_root()` is called before the snapshots package can be generated
-                    let status_cache_slot_deltas = snapshot_root_bank
-                        .status_cache
-                        .read()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .root_slot_deltas();
-                    if let Err(e) =
-                        accounts_background_request_sender.send_snapshot_request(SnapshotRequest {
-                            snapshot_root_bank,
-                            status_cache_slot_deltas,
-                        })
-                    {
-                        warn!(
-                            "Error sending snapshot request for bank: {}, err: {:?}",
-                            root_slot, e
-                        );
+                    if snapshot_root_bank.is_startup_verification_complete() {
+                        // Save off the status cache because these may get pruned if another
+                        // `set_root()` is called before the snapshots package can be generated
+                        let status_cache_slot_deltas = snapshot_root_bank
+                            .status_cache
+                            .read()
+                            .unwrap()
+                            .root_slot_deltas();
+                        if let Err(e) = accounts_background_request_sender.send_snapshot_request(
+                            SnapshotRequest {
+                                snapshot_root_bank,
+                                status_cache_slot_deltas,
+                            },
+                        ) {
+                            warn!(
+                                "Error sending snapshot request for bank: {}, err: {:?}",
+                                root_slot, e
+                            );
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        info!("Not sending snapshot request for bank: {}, startup verification is incomplete", root_slot);
                     }
                 }
                 snapshot_time.stop();