diff --git a/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go b/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go
index b10a9de9a..578d1f74b 100644
--- a/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go
+++ b/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go
@@ -44,10 +44,12 @@ type MissingMessageVerifier struct {
 	criteriaInterest   map[string]criteriaInterest // Track message verification requests and when was the last time a pubsub topic was verified for missing messages
 	criteriaInterestMu sync.RWMutex
 
-	C <-chan *protocol.Envelope
+	C chan *protocol.Envelope
 
-	timesource timesource.Timesource
-	logger     *zap.Logger
+	timesource   timesource.Timesource
+	logger       *zap.Logger
+	isRunning    bool
+	runningMutex sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 // NewMissingMessageVerifier creates an instance of a MissingMessageVerifier
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ func NewMissingMessageVerifier(storenodeRequester common.StorenodeRequestor, mes
 		messageTracker:     messageTracker,
 		logger:             logger.Named("missing-msg-verifier"),
 		params:             params,
+		criteriaInterest:   make(map[string]criteriaInterest),
+		C:                  make(chan *protocol.Envelope, 1000),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -99,14 +103,18 @@ func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) SetCriteriaInterest(peerID peer.ID, contentFilt
 }
 
 func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Start(ctx context.Context) {
+	m.runningMutex.RLock()
+	if m.isRunning { //make sure verifier only runs once.
+		m.runningMutex.RUnlock()
+		return
+	}
 	ctx, cancelFunc := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	m.ctx = ctx
 	m.cancel = cancelFunc
-	m.criteriaInterest = make(map[string]criteriaInterest)
-
-	c := make(chan *protocol.Envelope, 1000)
-	m.C = c
 
+	m.runningMutex.Lock()
+	m.isRunning = true
+	m.runningMutex.Unlock()
 	go func() {
 		defer utils.LogOnPanic()
 		t := time.NewTicker(m.params.interval)
@@ -131,7 +139,7 @@ func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 						semaphore <- struct{}{}
 						go func(interest criteriaInterest) {
 							defer utils.LogOnPanic()
-							m.fetchHistory(c, interest)
+							m.fetchHistory(m.C, interest)
 							<-semaphore
 						}(interest)
 					}
@@ -146,6 +154,9 @@ func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 
 func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Stop() {
 	m.cancel()
+	m.runningMutex.Lock()
+	defer m.runningMutex.Unlock()
+	m.isRunning = false
 }
 
 func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) fetchHistory(c chan<- *protocol.Envelope, interest criteriaInterest) {