diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index dc780590..68cbc048 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ lazy val commonSettings = Seq(
     Wart.OptionPartial),
   organization := "io.horizen",
   organizationName := "Zen Blockchain Foundation",
-  version := "2.0.2",
+  version := "2.0.3",
   licenses := Seq("CC0" -> url("https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode")),
   homepage := Some(url("https://github.com/HorizenOfficial/Sparkz")),
   pomExtra :=
diff --git a/release-notes.md b/release-notes.md
index f681d7c6..d7bcf8fb 100644
--- a/release-notes.md
+++ b/release-notes.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2.0.3
+---------
+* Fix in the handshake process - start connecting to nodes only after the Synchronizer is initialized
+
 2.0.2
 ---------
 * P2p rate limitng feature - added tx rebroadcast when rate limiting is reenabled
diff --git a/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NetworkController.scala b/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NetworkController.scala
index 1bb5d51c..471e1eed 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NetworkController.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NetworkController.scala
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ class NetworkController(settings: NetworkSettings,
 
   override def receive: Receive =
     bindingLogic orElse
+      startConnectingCommand orElse
       businessLogic orElse
       peerCommands orElse
       connectionEvents orElse
@@ -92,8 +93,6 @@ class NetworkController(settings: NetworkSettings,
   private def bindingLogic: Receive = {
     case Bound(_) =>
       log.info("Successfully bound to the port " + settings.bindAddress.getPort)
-      scheduleConnectionToPeer()
-      scheduleDroppingDeadConnections()
 
     case CommandFailed(_: Bind) =>
       log.error("Network port " + settings.bindAddress.getPort + " already in use!")
@@ -101,6 +100,13 @@ class NetworkController(settings: NetworkSettings,
       context stop self
   }
 
+  private def startConnectingCommand: Receive = {
+    case StartConnectingPeers =>
+      log.info("Start connecting to peers")
+      scheduleConnectionToPeer()
+      scheduleDroppingDeadConnections()
+  }
+
   private def networkTime(): Time = sparkzContext.timeProvider.time()
 
   private def businessLogic: Receive = {
@@ -253,14 +259,14 @@ class NetworkController(settings: NetworkSettings,
     * Schedule a periodic connection to a random known peer
     */
   private def scheduleConnectionToPeer(): Unit = {
-    context.system.scheduler.scheduleWithFixedDelay(5.seconds, tryNewConnectionAttemptDelay) {
-      () => {
-        if (canEstablishNewOutgoingConnection) {
-          log.trace(s"Looking for a new random connection")
-          connectionToPeer(connections, unconfirmedConnections)
-        }
+    val connectionTask: Runnable = () => {
+      if (canEstablishNewOutgoingConnection) {
+        log.trace(s"Looking for a new random connection")
+        connectionToPeer(connections, unconfirmedConnections)
       }
     }
+    context.system.scheduler.scheduleWithFixedDelay(5.seconds, tryNewConnectionAttemptDelay)(connectionTask)
+    connectionTask.run()
   }
 
   private def canEstablishNewOutgoingConnection: Boolean = {
@@ -583,6 +589,8 @@ object NetworkController {
 
     case object GetConnectedPeers
 
+    case object StartConnectingPeers
+
     /**
       * Get p2p network status
       */
diff --git a/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizer.scala b/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizer.scala
index d2ad5181..98cb9370 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizer.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizer.scala
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import sparkz.core.NodeViewHolder.ReceivableMessages.{GetNodeViewChanges, Modifi
 import sparkz.core.consensus.History._
 import sparkz.core.consensus.{History, HistoryReader, SyncInfo}
 import sparkz.core.network.ModifiersStatus.Requested
-import sparkz.core.network.NetworkController.ReceivableMessages.{PenalizePeer, RegisterMessageSpecs, SendToNetwork}
+import sparkz.core.network.NetworkController.ReceivableMessages.{PenalizePeer, RegisterMessageSpecs, SendToNetwork, StartConnectingPeers}
 import sparkz.core.network.NodeViewSynchronizer.ReceivableMessages._
 import sparkz.core.network.message._
 import sparkz.core.network.peer.PenaltyType
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ class NodeViewSynchronizer[TX <: Transaction, SI <: SyncInfo, SIS <: SyncInfoMes
     // register as a handler for synchronization-specific types of messages
     val messageSpecs: Seq[MessageSpec[_]] = Seq(invSpec, requestModifierSpec, modifiersSpec, syncInfoSpec)
     networkControllerRef ! RegisterMessageSpecs(messageSpecs, self)
+    // trigger connecting to peers
+    networkControllerRef ! StartConnectingPeers
 
     // register as a listener for peers got connected (handshaked) or disconnected
     context.system.eventStream.subscribe(self, classOf[HandshakedPeer])
@@ -169,9 +171,13 @@ class NodeViewSynchronizer[TX <: Transaction, SI <: SyncInfo, SIS <: SyncInfoMes
   }
 
   protected def sendSync(syncTracker: SyncTracker, history: HR): Unit = {
+    logger.debug("SYNC INFO: Trying to send sync info")
     val peers = statusTracker.peersToSyncWith()
     if (peers.nonEmpty) {
+      logger.debug(s"SYNC INFO: Sending sync info to peers $peers")
       networkControllerRef ! SendToNetwork(Message(syncInfoSpec, Right(history.syncInfo), None), SendToPeers(peers))
+    } else {
+      logger.debug("SYNC INFO: No peers to send sync info to")
     }
   }
 
@@ -181,6 +187,7 @@ class NodeViewSynchronizer[TX <: Transaction, SI <: SyncInfo, SIS <: SyncInfoMes
 
   //sync info is coming from another node
   protected def processSync(syncInfo: SI, remote: ConnectedPeer): Unit = {
+    log.debug(s"SYNC INFO: Got sync info from $remote")
     historyReaderOpt match {
       case Some(historyReader) =>
         val ext = historyReader.continuationIds(syncInfo, networkSettings.desiredInvObjects)
diff --git a/src/test/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizerSpecification.scala b/src/test/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizerSpecification.scala
index 7cb4a937..1d447f0a 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizerSpecification.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/sparkz/core/network/NodeViewSynchronizerSpecification.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package sparkz.core.network
 import akka.actor.{ActorRef, ActorSystem, Props}
 import akka.testkit.TestProbe
 import sparkz.core.NodeViewHolder.ReceivableMessages.{GetNodeViewChanges, TransactionsFromRemote}
-import sparkz.core.network.NetworkController.ReceivableMessages.{PenalizePeer, RegisterMessageSpecs, SendToNetwork}
+import sparkz.core.network.NetworkController.ReceivableMessages.{PenalizePeer, RegisterMessageSpecs, SendToNetwork, StartConnectingPeers}
 import sparkz.core.network.NodeViewSynchronizer.ReceivableMessages.{ChangedHistory, ChangedMempool, FailedTransaction, SuccessfulTransaction}
 import sparkz.core.network.message._
 import sparkz.core.network.peer.PenaltyType
@@ -291,7 +291,9 @@ class NodeViewSynchronizerSpecification extends NetworkTests with TestImplementa
         }
       }
     ))
+
     networkControllerProbe.expectMsgType[RegisterMessageSpecs](5000.millis)
+    networkControllerProbe.expectMsgType[StartConnectingPeers.type](5000.millis)
     viewHolderProbe.expectMsgType[GetNodeViewChanges](5000.millis)
 
     (nodeViewSynchronizerRef, networkControllerProbe, viewHolderProbe)