diff --git a/core/src/banking_stage.rs b/core/src/banking_stage.rs
index 6b435e58d6..b68b5e9734 100644
--- a/core/src/banking_stage.rs
+++ b/core/src/banking_stage.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ use solana_runtime::accounts_db::ErrorCounters;
 use solana_runtime::bank::Bank;
 use solana_runtime::locked_accounts_results::LockedAccountsResults;
 use solana_sdk::pubkey::Pubkey;
-use solana_sdk::timing::{self, duration_as_us, DEFAULT_TICKS_PER_SLOT, MAX_RECENT_BLOCKHASHES};
+use solana_sdk::timing::{
+    self, duration_as_us, DEFAULT_TICKS_PER_SLOT, MAX_RECENT_BLOCKHASHES,
+    MAX_TRANSACTION_FORWARDING_DELAY,
+};
 use solana_sdk::transaction::{self, Transaction, TransactionError};
 use std::cmp;
 use std::net::UdpSocket;
@@ -114,17 +117,19 @@ impl BankingStage {
         Self { bank_thread_hdls }
     }
 
+    fn filter_valid_packets_for_forwarding(all_packets: &[(Packets, Vec<usize>)]) -> Vec<&Packet> {
+        all_packets
+            .iter()
+            .flat_map(|(p, valid_indexes)| valid_indexes.iter().map(move |x| &p.packets[*x]))
+            .collect()
+    }
+
     fn forward_buffered_packets(
         socket: &std::net::UdpSocket,
         tpu_via_blobs: &std::net::SocketAddr,
         unprocessed_packets: &[(Packets, Vec<usize>)],
     ) -> std::io::Result<()> {
-        let packets: Vec<&Packet> = unprocessed_packets
-            .iter()
-            .flat_map(|(p, unprocessed_indexes)| {
-                unprocessed_indexes.iter().map(move |x| &p.packets[*x])
-            })
-            .collect();
+        let packets = Self::filter_valid_packets_for_forwarding(unprocessed_packets);
         inc_new_counter_info!("banking_stage-forwarded_packets", packets.len());
         let blobs = packet::packets_to_blobs(&packets);
 
@@ -577,7 +582,7 @@ impl BankingStage {
         let result = bank.check_transactions(
             &transactions,
             &filter,
-            MAX_RECENT_BLOCKHASHES / 2,
+            (MAX_RECENT_BLOCKHASHES - MAX_TRANSACTION_FORWARDING_DELAY) / 2,
             &mut error_counters,
         );
 
@@ -621,13 +626,17 @@ impl BankingStage {
                 .filter_map(|(index, ver)| if *ver != 0 { Some(index) } else { None })
                 .collect();
             if bank_shutdown {
-                unprocessed_packets.push((msgs, packet_indexes));
+                if !packet_indexes.is_empty() {
+                    unprocessed_packets.push((msgs, packet_indexes));
+                }
                 continue;
             }
 
             let bank = poh.lock().unwrap().bank();
             if bank.is_none() {
-                unprocessed_packets.push((msgs, packet_indexes));
+                if !packet_indexes.is_empty() {
+                    unprocessed_packets.push((msgs, packet_indexes));
+                }
                 continue;
             }
             let bank = bank.unwrap();
@@ -718,6 +727,7 @@ mod tests {
     use crate::packet::to_packets;
     use crate::poh_recorder::WorkingBank;
     use crate::{get_tmp_ledger_path, tmp_ledger_name};
+    use itertools::Itertools;
     use solana_sdk::instruction::InstructionError;
     use solana_sdk::signature::{Keypair, KeypairUtil};
     use solana_sdk::system_transaction;
@@ -1402,4 +1412,41 @@ mod tests {
         }
         Blocktree::destroy(&ledger_path).unwrap();
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_filter_valid_packets() {
+        solana_logger::setup();
+
+        let all_packets = (0..16)
+            .map(|packets_id| {
+                let packets = Packets::new(
+                    (0..32)
+                        .map(|packet_id| {
+                            let mut p = Packet::default();
+                            p.meta.port = packets_id << 8 | packet_id;
+                            p
+                        })
+                        .collect_vec(),
+                );
+                let valid_indexes = (0..32)
+                    .filter_map(|x| if x % 2 != 0 { Some(x as usize) } else { None })
+                    .collect_vec();
+                (packets, valid_indexes)
+            })
+            .collect_vec();
+
+        let result = BankingStage::filter_valid_packets_for_forwarding(&all_packets);
+
+        assert_eq!(result.len(), 256);
+
+        let _ = result
+            .into_iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .map(|(index, p)| {
+                let packets_id = index / 16;
+                let packet_id = (index % 16) * 2 + 1;
+                assert_eq!(p.meta.port, (packets_id << 8 | packet_id) as u16);
+            })
+            .collect_vec();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/sdk/src/timing.rs b/sdk/src/timing.rs
index b663323c6e..9858b94c17 100644
--- a/sdk/src/timing.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/timing.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ pub const MAX_HASH_AGE_IN_SECONDS: usize = 120;
 // This must be <= MAX_HASH_AGE_IN_SECONDS, otherwise there's risk for DuplicateSignature errors
 pub const MAX_RECENT_BLOCKHASHES: usize = MAX_HASH_AGE_IN_SECONDS;
 
+/// This is maximum time consumed in forwarding a transaction from one node to next, before
+/// it can be processed in the target node
+pub const MAX_TRANSACTION_FORWARDING_DELAY: usize = 3;
+
 pub fn duration_as_ns(d: &Duration) -> u64 {
     d.as_secs() * 1_000_000_000 + u64::from(d.subsec_nanos())
 }