diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/DefaultUpstream.kt b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/DefaultUpstream.kt
index 451a53b4..0f967fba 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/DefaultUpstream.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/DefaultUpstream.kt
@@ -98,6 +98,11 @@ abstract class DefaultUpstream(
     }
 
     fun statusByLag(lag: Long, proposed: UpstreamAvailability): UpstreamAvailability {
+        if (options.disableValidation == true) {
+            // if we specifically told that this upstream should be _always valid_ then skip
+            // the status calculation and trust the proposed value as is
+            return proposed
+        }
         return if (proposed == UpstreamAvailability.OK) {
             when {
                 lag > 6 -> UpstreamAvailability.SYNCING