diff --git a/crates/hotblocks/src/dataset_controller/write_controller.rs b/crates/hotblocks/src/dataset_controller/write_controller.rs
index 1d74f5c6..269af73e 100644
--- a/crates/hotblocks/src/dataset_controller/write_controller.rs
+++ b/crates/hotblocks/src/dataset_controller/write_controller.rs
@@ -344,6 +344,27 @@ impl WriteController {
         finalized_head = valuable(&finalized_head),
     ))]
     pub fn new_chunk(&mut self, finalized_head: Option<&BlockRef>, chunk: &StorageChunk) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        // A data source that has fallen behind can re-deliver a pack that lies entirely
+        // within the already-finalized region: its blocks end at or below our current
+        // finalized head and the finalized head it reports is below ours. Finalized blocks
+        // are immutable, so this is stale, already-committed data from a lagging endpoint,
+        // not a genuine fork. Skip it instead of failing the dataset update task: otherwise
+        // a single behind endpoint crash-loops the task every minute (see the bail! below)
+        // and the dataset stops ingesting from the endpoints that are still ahead.
+        if let Some(current) = self.finalized_head.as_ref() {
+            let pack_below_finalized = chunk.last_block() <= current.number
+                && finalized_head.map_or(true, |new| new.number < current.number);
+            if pack_below_finalized {
+                warn!(
+                    first_block = chunk.first_block(),
+                    last_block = chunk.last_block(),
+                    current_finalized_head = current.number,
+                    "ignoring stale data pack below the current finalized head (lagging data source)"
+                );
+                return Ok(());
+            }
+        }
+
         // FIXME: accept self.first_block rollback limit
         let finalized_head = self.db.update_dataset(self.dataset_id, |tx| {
             let new_finalized_head = match (finalized_head, tx.label().finalized_head()) {