diff --git a/api/service/stagedstreamsync/staged_stream_sync.go b/api/service/stagedstreamsync/staged_stream_sync.go
index 5abe45b54..29832ef18 100644
--- a/api/service/stagedstreamsync/staged_stream_sync.go
+++ b/api/service/stagedstreamsync/staged_stream_sync.go
@@ -267,9 +267,6 @@ func New(
 	logger zerolog.Logger,
 ) *StagedStreamSync {
 
-	// init stages order based on sync mode
-	initStagesOrder(config.SyncMode)
-
 	forwardStages := make([]*Stage, len(stagesList))
 	for i, stageIndex := range StagesForwardOrder {
 		for _, s := range stagesList {
diff --git a/api/service/stagedstreamsync/syncing.go b/api/service/stagedstreamsync/syncing.go
index 7abf00e7a..b2c1aacdf 100644
--- a/api/service/stagedstreamsync/syncing.go
+++ b/api/service/stagedstreamsync/syncing.go
@@ -91,10 +91,13 @@ func CreateStagedSync(ctx context.Context,
 	stageStatesCfg := NewStageStatesCfg(bc, mainDB, dbs, config.Concurrency, blockExecution, logger, config.LogProgress)
 	stageStateSyncCfg := NewStageStateSyncCfg(bc, mainDB, config.Concurrency, protocol, logger, config.LogProgress)
 	stageReceiptsCfg := NewStageReceiptsCfg(bc, mainDB, dbs, config.Concurrency, protocol, isBeaconNode, config.LogProgress)
-	lastMileCfg := NewStageLastMileCfg(ctx, bc, mainDB)	
+	lastMileCfg := NewStageLastMileCfg(ctx, bc, mainDB)
 	stageFinishCfg := NewStageFinishCfg(mainDB)
 
-	stages := DefaultStages(ctx,
+	// init stages order based on sync mode
+	initStagesOrder(config.SyncMode)
+
+	defaultStages := DefaultStages(ctx,
 		stageHeadsCfg,
 		stageSyncEpochCfg,
 		stageShortRangeCfg,
@@ -115,6 +118,17 @@ func CreateStagedSync(ctx context.Context,
 		Int("minStreams", config.MinStreams).
 		Msg(WrapStagedSyncMsg("staged sync created successfully"))
 
+	var stages []*Stage
+	// if any of the default stages doesn't exist in forward order, delete it from the list of stages
+	for _, stg := range defaultStages {
+		for _, stageID := range StagesForwardOrder {
+			if stg.ID == stageID {
+				stages = append(stages, stg)
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return New(
 		bc,
 		consensus,