diff --git a/epochStart/shardchain/trigger.go b/epochStart/shardchain/trigger.go
index f1de14fa7e1..e6100f3ab3b 100644
--- a/epochStart/shardchain/trigger.go
+++ b/epochStart/shardchain/trigger.go
@@ -649,15 +649,18 @@ func (t *trigger) shouldUpdateTrigger(metaHdr *block.MetaBlock, metaBlockHash []
 		return false
 	}
 
-	isMetaStartOfEpochForCurrentEpoch := metaHdr.Epoch == t.epoch && metaHdr.IsStartOfEpochBlock()
-	if isMetaStartOfEpochForCurrentEpoch {
+	isMetaStartOfEpochForCurrentOrOlderEpoch := metaHdr.Epoch <= t.epoch && metaHdr.IsStartOfEpochBlock()
+	if isMetaStartOfEpochForCurrentOrOlderEpoch {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if _, ok := t.mapHashHdr[string(metaBlockHash)]; ok {
-		return false
-	}
-	if _, ok := t.mapEpochStartHdrs[string(metaBlockHash)]; ok {
+	_, foundHdrInMap := t.mapHashHdr[string(metaBlockHash)]
+	_, foundHdrInEpochStartMap := t.mapEpochStartHdrs[string(metaBlockHash)]
+
+	finalizedMetaBlockHash, ok := t.mapFinalizedEpochs[metaHdr.Epoch]
+	foundHdrInFinalizedMap := ok && bytes.Equal(metaBlockHash, []byte(finalizedMetaBlockHash))
+
+	if foundHdrInMap && foundHdrInEpochStartMap && foundHdrInFinalizedMap {
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/epochStart/shardchain/trigger_test.go b/epochStart/shardchain/trigger_test.go
index be4c6ccb00e..4a5d2e40998 100644
--- a/epochStart/shardchain/trigger_test.go
+++ b/epochStart/shardchain/trigger_test.go
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ func TestTrigger_RevertStateToBlockBehindEpochStartNoBlockInAnEpoch(t *testing.T
 	assert.Equal(t, et.epochStartShardHeader.GetEpoch(), prevEpochHdr.Epoch)
 }
 
-func TestTrigger_ReceivedHeaderChangeEpochFinalityAttestingRound(t *testing.T) {
+func TestTrigger_ReceivedEpochStartHeaderChangeEpochFinalityAttestingRound(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	args := createMockShardEpochStartTriggerArguments()
@@ -668,6 +668,104 @@ func TestTrigger_ReceivedHeaderChangeEpochFinalityAttestingRound(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, uint64(102), epochStartTrigger.EpochFinalityAttestingRound())
 }
 
+func TestTrigger_ReceivedHeaderChangeEpochWithoutPrevHeader(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	args := createMockShardEpochStartTriggerArguments()
+	args.Validity = 1
+	args.Finality = 1
+
+	oldEpHeader := &block.MetaBlock{Nonce: 99, Round: 99, Epoch: 0}
+	oldHash, _ := core.CalculateHash(args.Marshalizer, args.Hasher, oldEpHeader)
+
+	hash := []byte("hash")
+	epochStartHeader := &block.MetaBlock{Nonce: 100, Round: 100, Epoch: 1, PrevHash: oldHash}
+	epochStartHeader.EpochStart.LastFinalizedHeaders = []block.EpochStartShardData{{ShardID: 0, RootHash: hash, HeaderHash: hash}}
+	epochStartHash, _ := core.CalculateHash(args.Marshalizer, args.Hasher, epochStartHeader)
+
+	nextHeader := &block.MetaBlock{Nonce: 101, Round: 101, Epoch: 1, PrevHash: epochStartHash}
+	nextHeaderHash, _ := core.CalculateHash(args.Marshalizer, args.Hasher, nextHeader)
+
+	numGetHeadersFromPoolCalls := 0
+	args.DataPool = &dataRetrieverMock.PoolsHolderStub{
+		HeadersCalled: func() dataRetriever.HeadersPool {
+			return &mock.HeadersCacherStub{
+				GetHeaderByHashCalled: func(hash []byte) (data.HeaderHandler, error) {
+					if bytes.Equal(hash, oldHash) {
+						if numGetHeadersFromPoolCalls == 0 {
+							numGetHeadersFromPoolCalls++
+							return nil, errors.New("not found")
+						}
+
+						return oldEpHeader, nil
+					}
+
+					if bytes.Equal(hash, epochStartHash) {
+						return epochStartHeader, nil
+					}
+					if bytes.Equal(hash, nextHeaderHash) {
+						return nextHeader, nil
+					}
+
+					return &block.MetaBlock{}, nil
+				},
+				GetHeaderByNonceAndShardIdCalled: func(hdrNonce uint64, shardId uint32) ([]data.HeaderHandler, [][]byte, error) {
+					if hdrNonce == epochStartHeader.Nonce {
+						return []data.HeaderHandler{epochStartHeader}, [][]byte{epochStartHash}, nil
+					}
+
+					if hdrNonce == nextHeader.Nonce {
+						return []data.HeaderHandler{nextHeader}, [][]byte{nextHeaderHash}, nil
+					}
+
+					return make([]data.HeaderHandler, 0), make([][]byte, 0), nil
+				},
+			}
+		},
+		MiniBlocksCalled: func() storage.Cacher {
+			return cache.NewCacherStub()
+		},
+		CurrEpochValidatorInfoCalled: func() dataRetriever.ValidatorInfoCacher {
+			return &vic.ValidatorInfoCacherStub{}
+		},
+		ProofsCalled: func() dataRetriever.ProofsPool {
+			return &dataRetrieverMock.ProofsPoolMock{}
+		},
+	}
+
+	args.Storage = &storageStubs.ChainStorerStub{
+		GetStorerCalled: func(unitType dataRetriever.UnitType) (storage.Storer, error) {
+			return &storageStubs.StorerStub{
+				GetCalled: func(key []byte) (b []byte, err error) {
+					if bytes.Equal(key, oldHash) {
+						return nil, errors.New("failed to get header from storage")
+					}
+
+					if bytes.Equal(key, nextHeaderHash) {
+						return nextHeaderHash, nil
+					}
+
+					return []byte("hash"), nil
+				},
+				PutCalled: func(key, data []byte) error {
+					return nil
+				},
+			}, nil
+		},
+	}
+
+	epochStartTrigger, err := NewEpochStartTrigger(args)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+
+	epochStartTrigger.receivedMetaBlock(epochStartHeader, epochStartHash)
+
+	require.False(t, epochStartTrigger.isEpochStart)
+
+	epochStartTrigger.receivedMetaBlock(epochStartHeader, epochStartHash)
+
+	require.True(t, epochStartTrigger.isEpochStart)
+}
+
 func TestTrigger_ClearMissingValidatorsInfoMapShouldWork(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()