diff --git a/node/src/components/network.rs b/node/src/components/network.rs
index 3bfe03f615..d2d4039c36 100644
--- a/node/src/components/network.rs
+++ b/node/src/components/network.rs
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ where
             handshake_configuration,
             keylog,
             self.net_metrics.clone(),
+            self.validator_matrix.clone(),
         );
 
         let conman = ConMan::new(
diff --git a/node/src/components/network/conman.rs b/node/src/components/network/conman.rs
index feff7c6400..f8870bb3c4 100644
--- a/node/src/components/network/conman.rs
+++ b/node/src/components/network/conman.rs
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ pub(crate) trait ProtocolHandler: Send + Sync {
     async fn handle_incoming_request(
         &self,
         peer: NodeId,
+        consensus_key: Option<&PublicKey>,
         request: IncomingRequest,
     ) -> Result<(), String>;
 }
@@ -1032,7 +1033,7 @@ impl ActiveRoute {
             if let Err(err) = self
                 .ctx
                 .protocol_handler
-                .handle_incoming_request(self.peer_id, request)
+                .handle_incoming_request(self.peer_id, self.consensus_key.as_deref(), request)
                 .await
             {
                 // The handler return an error, exit and close connection.
diff --git a/node/src/components/network/transport.rs b/node/src/components/network/transport.rs
index 7611247cb4..a80ec2feb0 100644
--- a/node/src/components/network/transport.rs
+++ b/node/src/components/network/transport.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use std::{
     sync::{Arc, Weak},
 };
 
+use casper_types::PublicKey;
 use juliet::rpc::IncomingRequest;
 use openssl::ssl::Ssl;
 use strum::EnumCount;
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ use crate::{
     components::network::{deserialize_network_message, Message},
     reactor::{EventQueueHandle, QueueKind},
     tls,
-    types::{chainspec::JulietConfig, NodeId},
+    types::{chainspec::JulietConfig, NodeId, ValidatorMatrix},
     utils::{rate_limited::rate_limited, LockedLineWriter},
 };
 
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ pub(super) struct TransportHandler<REv: 'static, P> {
     handshake_configuration: HandshakeConfiguration,
     keylog: Option<LockedLineWriter>,
     net_metrics: Arc<Metrics>,
+    validator_matrix: ValidatorMatrix,
     _payload: PhantomData<P>,
 }
 
@@ -152,6 +154,7 @@ where
         handshake_configuration: HandshakeConfiguration,
         keylog: Option<LockedLineWriter>,
         net_metrics: Arc<Metrics>,
+        validator_matrix: ValidatorMatrix,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             event_queue,
@@ -159,6 +162,7 @@ where
             handshake_configuration,
             keylog,
             net_metrics,
+            validator_matrix,
             _payload: PhantomData,
         }
     }
@@ -212,9 +216,10 @@ where
     async fn handle_incoming_request(
         &self,
         peer: NodeId,
+        consensus_key: Option<&PublicKey>,
         request: IncomingRequest,
     ) -> Result<(), String> {
-        self.do_handle_incoming_request(peer, request)
+        self.do_handle_incoming_request(peer, consensus_key, request)
             .await
             .map_err(|err| err.to_string())
     }
@@ -228,6 +233,7 @@ where
     async fn do_handle_incoming_request(
         &self,
         peer: NodeId,
+        consensus_key: Option<&PublicKey>,
         request: IncomingRequest,
     ) -> Result<(), MessageReceiverError> {
         let channel = Channel::from_repr(request.channel().get())
@@ -251,8 +257,10 @@ where
             });
         }
 
-        // TODO: Restore priorization based on validator status.
-        let validator_status = false;
+        let validator_status = consensus_key
+            .map(|key| self.validator_matrix.is_active_or_upcoming_validator(key))
+            .unwrap_or(false);
+
         let queue_kind = if validator_status {
             QueueKind::MessageValidator
         } else if msg.is_low_priority() {
diff --git a/node/src/types/validator_matrix.rs b/node/src/types/validator_matrix.rs
index 21fdad24e0..7e0fee3de6 100644
--- a/node/src/types/validator_matrix.rs
+++ b/node/src/types/validator_matrix.rs
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ impl ValidatorMatrix {
 
     /// Determine if the active validator is in a current or upcoming set of active validators.
     ///
-    /// This function may produce false positives, as it works backwards from the highest known era.
-    /// Depending on the current network state, this may be an upcoming or active era, at least the
+    /// This function may produce false positives, as it works backwards from the highest known
+    /// era. Depending on the current network state, this may be an upcoming or active era, the
     /// previous era validators may be positively identified by this function.
     #[inline]
     pub(crate) fn is_active_or_upcoming_validator(&self, public_key: &PublicKey) -> bool {