diff --git a/applications/tari_validator_node/src/p2p/services/mempool/service.rs b/applications/tari_validator_node/src/p2p/services/mempool/service.rs
index 086568011..0c26d4c09 100644
--- a/applications/tari_validator_node/src/p2p/services/mempool/service.rs
+++ b/applications/tari_validator_node/src/p2p/services/mempool/service.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ where TValidator: Validator<Transaction, Context = (), Error = TransactionValida
                         info!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Mempool service subscribing transaction messages for {shard_group} in {epoch}");
                         self.gossip.subscribe(shard_group).await?;
                     } else {
-                        info!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Not registered for epoch {epoch}, unsubscribing from gossip");
+                        info!(target: LOG_TARGET, "Not registered for epoch {epoch}, unsubscribing from gossip if necessary");
                         self.gossip.unsubscribe().await?;
                     }
                 },
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ where TValidator: Validator<Transaction, Context = (), Error = TransactionValida
             let transaction_id = *transaction.id();
             self.state_store.with_write_tx(|tx| {
                 TransactionRecord::new(transaction)
-                    .abort(RejectReason::InvalidTransaction(format!(
+                    .abort_and_finalize(RejectReason::InvalidTransaction(format!(
                         "Mempool validation failed: {e}"
                     )))
                     .insert(tx)
diff --git a/dan_layer/storage/src/consensus_models/transaction.rs b/dan_layer/storage/src/consensus_models/transaction.rs
index 3d088644d..18a838a9e 100644
--- a/dan_layer/storage/src/consensus_models/transaction.rs
+++ b/dan_layer/storage/src/consensus_models/transaction.rs
@@ -175,6 +175,21 @@ impl TransactionRecord {
         self
     }
 
+    pub fn abort_and_finalize(&mut self, reason: RejectReason) -> &mut Self {
+        self.abort(reason.clone());
+        let exec_result = self.execution_result.as_ref().filter(|r| r.finalize.result.is_reject());
+        let execution_time = exec_result.as_ref().map(|r| r.execution_time).unwrap_or_default();
+        self.final_decision = Some(Decision::Abort(AbortReason::from(&reason)));
+        self.finalized_time = Some(execution_time);
+        self.execution_result = Some(ExecuteResult {
+            finalize: exec_result
+                .map(|r| r.finalize.clone())
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| FinalizeResult::new_rejected(self.transaction.id().into_array().into(), reason)),
+            execution_time,
+        });
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn is_involved_in_inputs(&self, local_committee_info: &CommitteeInfo) -> bool {
         self.transaction
             .all_inputs_iter()