diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Controller.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Controller.java
index 0a323cb2..182889f5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Controller.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Controller.java
@@ -752,6 +752,19 @@ public class Controller extends Thread {
 		return peerChainTipData == null || peerChainTipData.getSignature() == null || inferiorChainTips.contains(ByteArray.wrap(peerChainTipData.getSignature()));
 	};
 
+	/**
+	 * If a peer has a recent block timestamp, but its height is more than 25 blocks behind ours,
+	 * we can assume it has a significantly inferior chain, and is most likely too divergent.
+	 * Early filtering of these peers prevents a lot of very expensive chain weight comparisons.
+	 */
+	public static final Predicate<Peer> hasInferiorChain = peer -> {
+		final Long minLatestBlockTimestamp = getMinimumLatestBlockTimestamp();
+		final int ourHeight = Controller.getInstance().getChainHeight();
+		final BlockSummaryData peerChainTipData = peer.getChainTipData();
+		boolean peerUpToDate = peerChainTipData != null && peerChainTipData.getTimestamp() != null && peerChainTipData.getTimestamp() >= minLatestBlockTimestamp;
+		return peerUpToDate && ourHeight - peerChainTipData.getHeight() > 25;
+	};
+
 	public static final Predicate<Peer> hasOldVersion = peer -> {
 		final String minPeerVersion = Settings.getInstance().getMinPeerVersion();
 		return peer.isAtLeastVersion(minPeerVersion) == false;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Synchronizer.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Synchronizer.java
index e3ace9ed..54b13580 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Synchronizer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/controller/Synchronizer.java
@@ -247,6 +247,9 @@ public class Synchronizer extends Thread {
 		// Disregard peers that are on the same block as last sync attempt and we didn't like their chain
 		peers.removeIf(Controller.hasInferiorChainTip);
 
+		// Disregard peers that are on a very inferior chain, based on their heights and timestamps
+		peers.removeIf(Controller.hasInferiorChain);
+
 		// Disregard peers that have a block with an invalid signer
 		peers.removeIf(Controller.hasInvalidSigner);