diff --git a/zebra-state/src/service.rs b/zebra-state/src/service.rs
index be1df4d7673..d9534008c8e 100644
--- a/zebra-state/src/service.rs
+++ b/zebra-state/src/service.rs
@@ -604,14 +604,17 @@ impl StateService {
             .contains(&prepared.hash)
         {
             let (rsp_tx, rsp_rx) = oneshot::channel();
-            let _ = rsp_tx.send(Err("block already sent to be committed to the state".into()));
+            let _ = rsp_tx.send(Err(
+                "block has already been sent to be committed to the state".into(),
+            ));
             return rsp_rx;
         }
 
         if self.read_service.db.contains_height(prepared.height) {
             let (rsp_tx, rsp_rx) = oneshot::channel();
             let _ = rsp_tx.send(Err(
-                "block height is already committed to the finalized state".into(),
+                "block height is in the finalized state: block is already committed to the state"
+                    .into(),
             ));
             return rsp_rx;
         }
diff --git a/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs b/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs
index 31f57a6d15e..f04fcf62e32 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs
@@ -1040,9 +1040,12 @@ where
             BlockDownloadVerifyError::Invalid {
                 error: VerifyChainError::Block(VerifyBlockError::Commit(ref source)),
                 ..
-            } if format!("{source:?}").contains("block is already committed to the state") => {
+            } if format!("{source:?}").contains("block is already committed to the state")
+                || format!("{source:?}")
+                    .contains("block has already been sent to be committed to the state") =>
+            {
                 // TODO: improve this by checking the type (#2908)
-                debug!(error = ?e, "block is already committed, possibly from a previous sync run, continuing");
+                debug!(error = ?e, "block is already committed or pending a commit, possibly from a previous sync run, continuing");
                 false
             }
             BlockDownloadVerifyError::DownloadFailed { ref error, .. }
@@ -1072,6 +1075,7 @@ where
                 if err_str.contains("AlreadyVerified")
                     || err_str.contains("AlreadyInChain")
                     || err_str.contains("block is already committed to the state")
+                    || err_str.contains("block has already been sent to be committed to the state")
                     || err_str.contains("NotFound")
                 {
                     error!(?e,