diff --git a/core/src/validator.rs b/core/src/validator.rs
index f35211fd62..1558222685 100644
--- a/core/src/validator.rs
+++ b/core/src/validator.rs
@@ -1418,7 +1418,9 @@ fn load_blockstore(
 
     let blockstore = Arc::new(blockstore);
     let blockstore_root_scan = BlockstoreRootScan::new(config, &blockstore, exit);
-    let halt_at_slot = config.halt_at_slot.or_else(|| highest_slot(&blockstore));
+    let halt_at_slot = config
+        .halt_at_slot
+        .or_else(|| blockstore.highest_slot().unwrap_or(None));
 
     let process_options = blockstore_processor::ProcessOptions {
         poh_verify: config.poh_verify,
@@ -1517,29 +1519,6 @@ fn load_blockstore(
     ))
 }
 
-fn highest_slot(blockstore: &Blockstore) -> Option<Slot> {
-    let mut start = Measure::start("Blockstore search for highest slot");
-    let highest_slot = blockstore
-        .slot_meta_iterator(0)
-        .map(|metas| {
-            let slots: Vec<_> = metas.map(|(slot, _)| slot).collect();
-            if slots.is_empty() {
-                info!("Ledger is empty");
-                None
-            } else {
-                let first = slots.first().unwrap();
-                Some(*slots.last().unwrap_or(first))
-            }
-        })
-        .unwrap_or_else(|err| {
-            warn!("Failed to ledger slot meta: {}", err);
-            None
-        });
-    start.stop();
-    info!("{}. Found slot {:?}", start, highest_slot);
-    highest_slot
-}
-
 pub struct ProcessBlockStore<'a> {
     id: &'a Pubkey,
     vote_account: &'a Pubkey,
@@ -1598,7 +1577,7 @@ impl<'a> ProcessBlockStore<'a> {
             *self.start_progress.write().unwrap() = ValidatorStartProgress::LoadingLedger;
 
             let exit = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
-            if let Some(max_slot) = highest_slot(self.blockstore) {
+            if let Ok(Some(max_slot)) = self.blockstore.highest_slot() {
                 let bank_forks = self.bank_forks.clone();
                 let exit = exit.clone();
                 let start_progress = self.start_progress.clone();
diff --git a/ledger/src/blockstore.rs b/ledger/src/blockstore.rs
index 261bc7439d..e8360a1616 100644
--- a/ledger/src/blockstore.rs
+++ b/ledger/src/blockstore.rs
@@ -3226,6 +3226,16 @@ impl Blockstore {
         self.last_root()
     }
 
+    /// Returns the highest available slot in the blockstore
+    pub fn highest_slot(&self) -> Result<Option<Slot>> {
+        let highest_slot = self
+            .db
+            .iter::<cf::SlotMeta>(IteratorMode::End)?
+            .next()
+            .map(|(slot, _)| slot);
+        Ok(highest_slot)
+    }
+
     pub fn lowest_cleanup_slot(&self) -> Slot {
         *self.lowest_cleanup_slot.read().unwrap()
     }
@@ -8433,6 +8443,27 @@ pub mod tests {
         assert_eq!(blockstore.lowest_slot(), 6);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_highest_slot() {
+        let ledger_path = get_tmp_ledger_path_auto_delete!();
+        let blockstore = Blockstore::open(ledger_path.path()).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(blockstore.highest_slot().unwrap(), None);
+
+        for slot in 0..10 {
+            let (shreds, _) = make_slot_entries(slot, 0, 1);
+            blockstore.insert_shreds(shreds, None, false).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(blockstore.highest_slot().unwrap(), Some(slot));
+        }
+        blockstore
+            .run_purge(5, 10, PurgeType::PrimaryIndex)
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(blockstore.highest_slot().unwrap(), Some(4));
+
+        blockstore.run_purge(0, 4, PurgeType::PrimaryIndex).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(blockstore.highest_slot().unwrap(), None);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_recovery() {
         let ledger_path = get_tmp_ledger_path_auto_delete!();
diff --git a/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs b/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs
index a827bd3d7b..2fb88269be 100644
--- a/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs
+++ b/ledger/src/blockstore_processor.rs
@@ -820,10 +820,8 @@ pub fn process_blockstore_from_root(
         );
     }
 
-    if let Ok(metas) = blockstore.slot_meta_iterator(start_slot) {
-        if let Some((slot, _meta)) = metas.last() {
-            info!("ledger holds data through slot {}", slot);
-        }
+    if let Ok(Some(highest_slot)) = blockstore.highest_slot() {
+        info!("ledger holds data through slot {}", highest_slot);
     }
 
     let mut timing = ExecuteTimings::default();