diff --git a/genesis/bootstrappers.go b/genesis/bootstrappers.go
index 4aec33f9c3d9..d261050a8d19 100644
--- a/genesis/bootstrappers.go
+++ b/genesis/bootstrappers.go
@@ -36,10 +36,17 @@ type Bootstrapper struct {
 	IP ips.IPDesc `json:"ip"`
 }
 
-// SampleBootstrappers returns the some beacons this node should connect to
-func SampleBootstrappers(networkID uint32, count int) []Bootstrapper {
+// GetBootstrappers returns all the default bootstrappers for the provided
+// network
+func GetBootstrappers(networkID uint32) []Bootstrapper {
 	networkName := constants.NetworkIDToNetworkName[networkID]
-	bootstrappers := bootstrappersPerNetwork[networkName]
+	return bootstrappersPerNetwork[networkName]
+}
+
+// SampleBootstrappers returns some bootstrappers this node can connect to when
+// joining the provided network
+func SampleBootstrappers(networkID uint32, count int) []Bootstrapper {
+	bootstrappers := GetBootstrappers(networkID)
 	count = math.Min(count, len(bootstrappers))
 
 	s := sampler.NewUniform()
diff --git a/network/network.go b/network/network.go
index 3f89e0ea00ef..765d35fd8f59 100644
--- a/network/network.go
+++ b/network/network.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/api/health"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/genesis"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/ids"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/message"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/network/dialer"
@@ -685,20 +686,14 @@ func (n *network) Peers(peerID ids.NodeID) ([]ips.ClaimedIPPort, error) {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
-	// We select a random sample of validators to gossip to avoid starving out a
-	// validator from being gossiped for an extended period of time.
-	s := sampler.NewUniform()
-	s.Initialize(uint64(len(unknownValidators)))
+	var bootstrapperIDs set.Set[ids.NodeID]
+	for _, bootstrapper := range genesis.GetBootstrappers(n.config.NetworkID) {
+		bootstrapperIDs.Add(bootstrapper.ID)
+	}
 
 	// Calculate the unknown information we need to send to this peer.
 	validatorIPs := make([]ips.ClaimedIPPort, 0, int(n.config.PeerListNumValidatorIPs))
-	for i := 0; i < len(unknownValidators) && len(validatorIPs) < int(n.config.PeerListNumValidatorIPs); i++ {
-		drawn, err := s.Next()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-
-		validator := unknownValidators[drawn]
+	tryAddValidator := func(validator peer.ValidatorID) {
 		n.peersLock.RLock()
 		_, isConnected := n.connectedPeers.GetByID(validator.NodeID)
 		peerIP := n.peerIPs[validator.NodeID]
@@ -708,7 +703,7 @@ func (n *network) Peers(peerID ids.NodeID) ([]ips.ClaimedIPPort, error) {
 				"unable to find validator in connected peers",
 				zap.Stringer("nodeID", validator.NodeID),
 			)
-			continue
+			return
 		}
 
 		// Note: peerIP isn't used directly here because the TxID may be
@@ -723,6 +718,32 @@ func (n *network) Peers(peerID ids.NodeID) ([]ips.ClaimedIPPort, error) {
 			},
 		)
 	}
+	for _, validator := range unknownValidators {
+		if !bootstrapperIDs.Contains(validator.NodeID) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		tryAddValidator(validator)
+	}
+
+	// We select a random sample of validators to gossip to avoid starving out a
+	// validator from being gossiped for an extended period of time.
+	s := sampler.NewUniform()
+	s.Initialize(uint64(len(unknownValidators)))
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(unknownValidators) && len(validatorIPs) < int(n.config.PeerListNumValidatorIPs); i++ {
+		drawn, err := s.Next()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		validator := unknownValidators[drawn]
+		if bootstrapperIDs.Contains(validator.NodeID) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		tryAddValidator(validator)
+	}
 
 	return validatorIPs, nil
 }
diff --git a/utils/constants/networking.go b/utils/constants/networking.go
index a9417eac37c9..8638d96c6ba7 100644
--- a/utils/constants/networking.go
+++ b/utils/constants/networking.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const (
 
 	MaxContainersLen = int(4 * DefaultMaxMessageSize / 5)
 
-	DefaultNetworkPeerListNumValidatorIPs        = 15
+	DefaultNetworkPeerListNumValidatorIPs        = 30
 	DefaultNetworkPeerListValidatorGossipSize    = 20
 	DefaultNetworkPeerListNonValidatorGossipSize = 0
 	DefaultNetworkPeerListPeersGossipSize        = 10