diff --git a/bin/reth/src/share_blocks.rs b/bin/reth/src/share_blocks.rs
index 6383bb4c1..8edee53a6 100644
--- a/bin/reth/src/share_blocks.rs
+++ b/bin/reth/src/share_blocks.rs
@@ -88,9 +88,10 @@ where
                 let mut bf = backfiller.lock().await;
                 if bf.client.max_block < bf.max_block_seen {
                     let block = bf.client.max_block + 1;
-                    let _ = bf.fetch_if_missing(block).await;
+                    let new_height = bf.fetch_if_missing(block).await.expect("new height");
+                    bf.client.max_block = new_height.unwrap();
                 }
-                sleep(Duration::from_secs(1)).await;
+                sleep(Duration::from_millis(50)).await;
             }
         }
     });
diff --git a/crates/net/hlfs/src/lib.rs b/crates/net/hlfs/src/lib.rs
index a5c739a02..d8ba3a059 100644
--- a/crates/net/hlfs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/net/hlfs/src/lib.rs
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ impl Backfiller {
     pub async fn fetch_if_missing(
         &mut self,
         number: u64,
-    ) -> Result<Option<usize>, HlfsError> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<u64>, HlfsError> {
         let rr_index = number as usize;
         let n = number.saturating_sub(1); // 0 -> 0, others -> number-1
         let f = (n / 1_000_000) * 1_000_000;
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ impl Backfiller {
                     return Ok(None);
                 }
                 debug!(block = number, "hlfs: got block");
-                Ok(Some(data.len()))
+                Ok(Some(number))
             }
         }
     }