diff --git a/common/client/node.go b/common/client/node.go
index ee9ff5eb1c0..082b1b45f99 100644
--- a/common/client/node.go
+++ b/common/client/node.go
@@ -240,6 +240,10 @@ func (n *node[CHAIN_ID, HEAD, RPC]) verifyChainID(callerCtx context.Context, lgg
 
 	st := n.State()
 	switch st {
+	case nodeStateClosed:
+		// The node is already closed, and any subsequent transition is invalid.
+		// To make spotting such transitions a bit easier, return the invalid node state.
+		return nodeStateLen
 	case nodeStateDialed, nodeStateOutOfSync, nodeStateInvalidChainID, nodeStateSyncing:
 	default:
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("cannot verify node in state %v", st))
diff --git a/common/client/node_fsm.go b/common/client/node_fsm.go
index 4cb020893b5..e9105dcc060 100644
--- a/common/client/node_fsm.go
+++ b/common/client/node_fsm.go
@@ -243,6 +243,9 @@ func (n *node[CHAIN_ID, HEAD, RPC]) transitionToUnreachable(fn func()) {
 }
 
 func (n *node[CHAIN_ID, HEAD, RPC]) declareState(state nodeState) {
+	if n.State() == nodeStateClosed {
+		return
+	}
 	switch state {
 	case nodeStateInvalidChainID:
 		n.declareInvalidChainID()
diff --git a/common/client/node_lifecycle_test.go b/common/client/node_lifecycle_test.go
index 7c31c085dd3..437bc4a655b 100644
--- a/common/client/node_lifecycle_test.go
+++ b/common/client/node_lifecycle_test.go
@@ -808,8 +808,8 @@ func TestUnit_NodeLifecycle_unreachableLoop(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		defer func() { assert.NoError(t, node.close()) }()
 
-		rpc.On("Dial", mock.Anything).Return(nil).Twice()
-		rpc.On("ChainID", mock.Anything).Return(nodeChainID, nil).Twice()
+		rpc.On("Dial", mock.Anything).Return(nil)
+		rpc.On("ChainID", mock.Anything).Return(nodeChainID, nil)
 		rpc.On("IsSyncing", mock.Anything).Return(true, nil)
 
 		setupRPCForAliveLoop(t, rpc)