diff --git a/base_layer/core/src/mempool/mempool_storage.rs b/base_layer/core/src/mempool/mempool_storage.rs
index b7365a8227..e00d970975 100644
--- a/base_layer/core/src/mempool/mempool_storage.rs
+++ b/base_layer/core/src/mempool/mempool_storage.rs
@@ -77,6 +77,11 @@ impl MempoolStorage {
             .map(|k| k.excess_sig.get_signature().to_hex())
             .unwrap_or_else(|| "None?!".into());
         let timer = Instant::now();
+        // This check is almost free, so lets check this before we do any expensive validation.
+        if tx.body.get_total_fee().as_u64() < self.unconfirmed_pool.config.min_fee {
+            debug!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Tx: ({}) fee too low, rejecting",tx_id);
+            return Ok(TxStorageResponse::NotStoredFeeTooLow);
+        }
         debug!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Inserting tx into mempool: {}", tx_id);
         match self.validator.validate(&tx) {
             Ok(()) => {
@@ -88,10 +93,6 @@ impl MempoolStorage {
                 );
                 let timer = Instant::now();
                 let weight = self.get_transaction_weighting();
-                if tx.body.get_total_fee().as_u64() < self.unconfirmed_pool.config.min_fee {
-                    debug!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Tx: ({}) fee too low, rejecting",tx_id);
-                    return Ok(TxStorageResponse::NotStoredFeeTooLow);
-                }
                 self.unconfirmed_pool.insert(tx, None, &weight)?;
                 debug!(
                     target: LOG_TARGET,
@@ -104,10 +105,6 @@ impl MempoolStorage {
             Err(ValidationError::UnknownInputs(dependent_outputs)) => {
                 if self.unconfirmed_pool.contains_all_outputs(&dependent_outputs) {
                     let weight = self.get_transaction_weighting();
-                    if tx.body.get_total_fee().as_u64() < self.unconfirmed_pool.config.min_fee {
-                        debug!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Tx: ({}) fee too low, rejecting",tx_id);
-                        return Ok(TxStorageResponse::NotStoredFeeTooLow);
-                    }
                     self.unconfirmed_pool.insert(tx, Some(dependent_outputs), &weight)?;
                     Ok(TxStorageResponse::UnconfirmedPool)
                 } else {