diff --git a/network/network.go b/network/network.go
index 86abac4..bce1216 100644
--- a/network/network.go
+++ b/network/network.go
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ type network struct {
 	serverUpgrader Upgrader
 	clientUpgrader Upgrader
 	vdrs           validators.Set // set of current validators in the AVAnet
+	beacons        validators.Set // set of beacons in the AVAnet
 	router         router.Router  // router must be thread safe
 
 	nodeID uint32
@@ -159,6 +160,7 @@ func NewDefaultNetwork(
 	serverUpgrader,
 	clientUpgrader Upgrader,
 	vdrs validators.Set,
+	beacons validators.Set,
 	router router.Router,
 ) Network {
 	return NewNetwork(
@@ -174,6 +176,7 @@ func NewDefaultNetwork(
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		beacons,
 		router,
 		defaultInitialReconnectDelay,
 		defaultMaxReconnectDelay,
@@ -207,6 +210,7 @@ func NewNetwork(
 	serverUpgrader,
 	clientUpgrader Upgrader,
 	vdrs validators.Set,
+	beacons validators.Set,
 	router router.Router,
 	initialReconnectDelay,
 	maxReconnectDelay time.Duration,
@@ -236,6 +240,7 @@ func NewNetwork(
 		serverUpgrader:                     serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader:                     clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs:                               vdrs,
+		beacons:                            beacons,
 		router:                             router,
 		nodeID:                             rand.Uint32(),
 		initialReconnectDelay:              initialReconnectDelay,
diff --git a/network/network_test.go b/network/network_test.go
index 0fd7053..c230402 100644
--- a/network/network_test.go
+++ b/network/network_test.go
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ func TestNewDefaultNetwork(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net)
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ func TestEstablishConnection(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net0)
@@ -297,6 +299,7 @@ func TestEstablishConnection(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net1)
@@ -419,6 +422,7 @@ func TestDoubleTrack(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net0)
@@ -436,6 +440,7 @@ func TestDoubleTrack(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net1)
@@ -559,6 +564,7 @@ func TestDoubleClose(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net0)
@@ -576,6 +582,7 @@ func TestDoubleClose(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net1)
@@ -704,6 +711,7 @@ func TestRemoveHandlers(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net0)
@@ -721,6 +729,7 @@ func TestRemoveHandlers(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net1)
@@ -858,6 +867,7 @@ func TestTrackConnected(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net0)
@@ -875,6 +885,7 @@ func TestTrackConnected(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net1)
@@ -999,6 +1010,7 @@ func TestTrackConnectedRace(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net0)
@@ -1016,6 +1028,7 @@ func TestTrackConnectedRace(t *testing.T) {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		vdrs,
+		vdrs,
 		handler,
 	)
 	assert.NotNil(t, net1)
diff --git a/network/peer.go b/network/peer.go
index 409d7f6..cf2f37f 100644
--- a/network/peer.go
+++ b/network/peer.go
@@ -470,8 +470,13 @@ func (p *peer) version(msg Msg) {
 	}
 
 	if p.net.version.Before(peerVersion) {
-		p.net.log.Info("peer attempting to connect with newer version %s. You may want to update your client",
-			peerVersion)
+		if p.net.beacons.Contains(p.id) {
+			p.net.log.Info("beacon attempting to connect with newer version %s. You may want to update your client",
+				peerVersion)
+		} else {
+			p.net.log.Debug("peer attempting to connect with newer version %s. You may want to update your client",
+				peerVersion)
+		}
 	}
 
 	if err := p.net.version.Compatible(peerVersion); err != nil {
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index e281d58..b24d414 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ type Node struct {
 	// Net runs the networking stack
 	Net network.Network
 
+	// this node's initial connections to the network
+	beacons validators.Set
+
 	// current validators of the network
 	vdrs validators.Manager
 
@@ -165,6 +168,7 @@ func (n *Node) initNetworking() error {
 		serverUpgrader,
 		clientUpgrader,
 		defaultSubnetValidators,
+		n.beacons,
 		n.Config.ConsensusRouter,
 	)
 
@@ -278,6 +282,14 @@ func (n *Node) initNodeID() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Create the IDs of the peers this node should first connect to
+func (n *Node) initBeacons() {
+	n.beacons = validators.NewSet()
+	for _, peer := range n.Config.BootstrapPeers {
+		n.beacons.Add(validators.NewValidator(peer.ID, 1))
+	}
+}
+
 // Create the vmManager and register the following vms:
 // AVM, Simple Payments DAG, Simple Payments Chain
 // The Platform VM is registered in initStaking because
@@ -360,11 +372,6 @@ func (n *Node) initChains() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	beacons := validators.NewSet()
-	for _, peer := range n.Config.BootstrapPeers {
-		beacons.Add(validators.NewValidator(peer.ID, 1))
-	}
-
 	genesisBytes, err := genesis.Genesis(n.Config.NetworkID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -376,7 +383,7 @@ func (n *Node) initChains() error {
 		SubnetID:      platformvm.DefaultSubnetID,
 		GenesisData:   genesisBytes, // Specifies other chains to create
 		VMAlias:       platformvm.ID.String(),
-		CustomBeacons: beacons,
+		CustomBeacons: n.beacons,
 	})
 
 	return nil
@@ -551,6 +558,8 @@ func (n *Node) Initialize(Config *Config, logger logging.Logger, logFactory logg
 		return fmt.Errorf("problem initializing staker ID: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	n.initBeacons()
+
 	// Start HTTP APIs
 	n.initAPIServer()   // Start the API Server
 	n.initKeystoreAPI() // Start the Keystore API