diff --git a/node/actors/executor/src/attestation.rs b/node/actors/executor/src/attestation.rs
index c949b9bd..8ccee89c 100644
--- a/node/actors/executor/src/attestation.rs
+++ b/node/actors/executor/src/attestation.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use anyhow::Context;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use zksync_concurrency::{ctx, sync, time};
 use zksync_consensus_network::gossip::{
-    AttestationStatus, AttestationStatusReceiver, AttestationStatusWatch, BatchVotesPublisher,
+    AttestationStatusReceiver, AttestationStatusWatch, BatchVotesPublisher,
 };
 use zksync_consensus_roles::attester;
 use zksync_consensus_storage::{BatchStore, BlockStore};
@@ -58,9 +58,12 @@ impl AttesterRunner {
         self.status.mark_changed();
 
         loop {
-            let batch_number = sync::changed(ctx, &mut self.status)
+            let Some(batch_number) = sync::changed(ctx, &mut self.status)
                 .await?
-                .next_batch_to_attest;
+                .next_batch_to_attest
+            else {
+                continue;
+            };
 
             tracing::info!(%batch_number, "attestation status");
 
@@ -123,7 +126,10 @@ pub trait AttestationStatusClient: 'static + Send + Sync {
     ///
     /// The genesis hash is returned along with the new batch number to facilitate detecting reorgs
     /// on the main node as soon as possible and prevent inconsistent state from entering the system.
-    async fn attestation_status(&self, ctx: &ctx::Ctx) -> ctx::Result<Option<AttestationStatus>>;
+    async fn attestation_status(
+        &self,
+        ctx: &ctx::Ctx,
+    ) -> ctx::Result<Option<(attester::GenesisHash, attester::BatchNumber)>>;
 }
 
 /// Use an [AttestationStatusClient] to periodically poll the main node and update the [AttestationStatusWatch].
@@ -140,21 +146,19 @@ impl AttestationStatusRunner {
     ///
     /// It polls the [AttestationStatusClient] until it returns a value to initialize the status with.
     pub async fn init(
-        ctx: &ctx::Ctx,
+        _ctx: &ctx::Ctx,
         client: Box<dyn AttestationStatusClient>,
         poll_interval: time::Duration,
         genesis: attester::GenesisHash,
     ) -> ctx::Result<(Arc<AttestationStatusWatch>, Self)> {
-        let status = Arc::new(AttestationStatusWatch::new(
-            genesis,
-            attester::BatchNumber::default(),
-        ));
-        let mut runner = Self {
+        let status = Arc::new(AttestationStatusWatch::new(genesis));
+        let runner = Self {
             status: status.clone(),
             client,
             poll_interval,
         };
-        runner.poll_until_some(ctx).await?;
+        // This would initialise the status to some value, however the EN was rolled out first without the main node API.
+        // runner.poll_until_some(ctx).await?;
         Ok((status, runner))
     }
 
@@ -197,10 +201,8 @@ impl AttestationStatusRunner {
     async fn poll_until_some(&mut self, ctx: &ctx::Ctx) -> ctx::Result<()> {
         loop {
             match self.client.attestation_status(ctx).await {
-                Ok(Some(status)) => {
-                    self.status
-                        .update(status.genesis, status.next_batch_to_attest)
-                        .await?;
+                Ok(Some((genesis, next_batch_to_attest))) => {
+                    self.status.update(genesis, next_batch_to_attest).await?;
                     return Ok(());
                 }
                 Ok(None) => {
@@ -228,11 +230,12 @@ struct LocalAttestationStatusClient {
 
 #[async_trait::async_trait]
 impl AttestationStatusClient for LocalAttestationStatusClient {
-    async fn attestation_status(&self, ctx: &ctx::Ctx) -> ctx::Result<Option<AttestationStatus>> {
-        let batch_number = self.batch_store.next_batch_to_attest(ctx).await?;
-        Ok(batch_number.map(|n| AttestationStatus {
-            genesis: self.genesis,
-            next_batch_to_attest: n,
-        }))
+    async fn attestation_status(
+        &self,
+        ctx: &ctx::Ctx,
+    ) -> ctx::Result<Option<(attester::GenesisHash, attester::BatchNumber)>> {
+        let next_batch_to_attest = self.batch_store.next_batch_to_attest(ctx).await?;
+
+        Ok(next_batch_to_attest.map(|n| (self.genesis, n)))
     }
 }
diff --git a/node/actors/executor/src/tests.rs b/node/actors/executor/src/tests.rs
index 287a2717..fbaaea93 100644
--- a/node/actors/executor/src/tests.rs
+++ b/node/actors/executor/src/tests.rs
@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@ use rand::Rng as _;
 use tracing::Instrument as _;
 use zksync_concurrency::{sync, testonly::abort_on_panic};
 use zksync_consensus_bft as bft;
-use zksync_consensus_network::{
-    gossip::AttestationStatus,
-    testonly::{new_configs, new_fullnode},
-};
+use zksync_consensus_network::testonly::{new_configs, new_fullnode};
 use zksync_consensus_roles::validator::{testonly::Setup, BlockNumber};
 use zksync_consensus_storage::{
     testonly::{in_memory, TestMemoryStorage},
@@ -36,10 +33,7 @@ fn config(cfg: &network::Config) -> Config {
 /// The test executors below are not running with attesters, so we just create an [AttestationStatusWatch]
 /// that will never be updated.
 fn never_attest(genesis: &validator::Genesis) -> Arc<AttestationStatusWatch> {
-    Arc::new(AttestationStatusWatch::new(
-        genesis.hash(),
-        attester::BatchNumber::default(),
-    ))
+    Arc::new(AttestationStatusWatch::new(genesis.hash()))
 }
 
 fn validator(
@@ -345,7 +339,7 @@ async fn test_attestation_status_runner() {
         async fn attestation_status(
             &self,
             _ctx: &ctx::Ctx,
-        ) -> ctx::Result<Option<AttestationStatus>> {
+        ) -> ctx::Result<Option<(attester::GenesisHash, attester::BatchNumber)>> {
             let curr = self
                 .batch_number
                 .fetch_add(1u64, std::sync::atomic::Ordering::Relaxed);
@@ -354,11 +348,9 @@ async fn test_attestation_status_runner() {
                 Ok(None)
             } else {
                 // The first actual result will be 1 on the 2nd poll.
-                let status = AttestationStatus {
-                    genesis: *self.genesis.lock().unwrap(),
-                    next_batch_to_attest: attester::BatchNumber(curr),
-                };
-                Ok(Some(status))
+                let genesis = *self.genesis.lock().unwrap();
+                let next_batch_to_attest = attester::BatchNumber(curr);
+                Ok(Some((genesis, next_batch_to_attest)))
             }
         }
     }
@@ -380,17 +372,18 @@ async fn test_attestation_status_runner() {
         let mut recv_status = status.subscribe();
         recv_status.mark_changed();
 
-        // Check that the value has been initialised to a non-default value.
+        // Check that the value has *not* been initialised to a non-default value.
         {
             let status = sync::changed(ctx, &mut recv_status).await?;
-            assert_eq!(status.next_batch_to_attest.0, 1);
+            assert!(status.next_batch_to_attest.is_none());
         }
         // Now start polling for new values. Starting in the foreground because we want it to fail in the end.
         s.spawn(runner.run(ctx));
         // Check that polling sets the value.
         {
             let status = sync::changed(ctx, &mut recv_status).await?;
-            assert_eq!(status.next_batch_to_attest.0, 2);
+            assert!(status.next_batch_to_attest.is_some());
+            assert_eq!(status.next_batch_to_attest.unwrap().0, 1);
         }
         // Change the genesis returned by the client. It should cause the scope to fail.
         {
@@ -405,7 +398,7 @@ async fn test_attestation_status_runner() {
         Ok(()) => panic!("expected to fail when the genesis changed"),
         Err(e) => assert!(
             e.to_string().contains("genesis changed"),
-            "only expect failures due to genesis change"
+            "only expect failures due to genesis change; got: {e}"
         ),
     }
 }
diff --git a/node/actors/network/src/gossip/attestation_status.rs b/node/actors/network/src/gossip/attestation_status.rs
index 514bb84b..629845b8 100644
--- a/node/actors/network/src/gossip/attestation_status.rs
+++ b/node/actors/network/src/gossip/attestation_status.rs
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ use crate::watch::Watch;
 pub struct AttestationStatus {
     /// Next batch number where voting is expected.
     ///
-    /// The node is expected to poll the main node during initialization until
-    /// the batch to start from is established.
-    pub next_batch_to_attest: attester::BatchNumber,
+    /// The field is optional so that we can start an external node without the main node API
+    /// already deployed, which is how the initial rollout is.
+    pub next_batch_to_attest: Option<attester::BatchNumber>,
     /// The hash of the genesis of the chain to which the L1 batches belong.
     ///
     /// We don't expect to handle a regenesis on the fly without restarting the
@@ -37,14 +37,11 @@ impl fmt::Debug for AttestationStatusWatch {
 }
 
 impl AttestationStatusWatch {
-    /// Create a new watch going from a specific batch number.
-    pub fn new(
-        genesis: attester::GenesisHash,
-        next_batch_to_attest: attester::BatchNumber,
-    ) -> Self {
+    /// Create a new watch with the current genesis, and a yet-to-be-determined batch number.
+    pub fn new(genesis: attester::GenesisHash) -> Self {
         Self(Watch::new(AttestationStatus {
             genesis,
-            next_batch_to_attest,
+            next_batch_to_attest: None,
         }))
     }
 
@@ -77,18 +74,20 @@ impl AttestationStatusWatch {
             // votes below the expected minimum: even if we clear the votes, we might
             // not get them again from any peer. By returning an error we can cause
             // the node to be restarted and connections re-established for fresh gossip.
-            anyhow::ensure!(
-                status.next_batch_to_attest <= next_batch_to_attest,
-                "next batch to attest moved backwards: {} -> {}",
-                status.next_batch_to_attest,
-                next_batch_to_attest
-            );
+            if let Some(old_batch_to_attest) = status.next_batch_to_attest {
+                anyhow::ensure!(
+                    old_batch_to_attest <= next_batch_to_attest,
+                    "next batch to attest moved backwards: {} -> {}",
+                    old_batch_to_attest,
+                    next_batch_to_attest
+                );
+            }
         }
         this.send_if_modified(|status| {
-            if status.next_batch_to_attest == next_batch_to_attest {
+            if status.next_batch_to_attest == Some(next_batch_to_attest) {
                 return false;
             }
-            status.next_batch_to_attest = next_batch_to_attest;
+            status.next_batch_to_attest = Some(next_batch_to_attest);
             true
         });
         Ok(())
diff --git a/node/actors/network/src/gossip/mod.rs b/node/actors/network/src/gossip/mod.rs
index 90e5a1d5..88663383 100644
--- a/node/actors/network/src/gossip/mod.rs
+++ b/node/actors/network/src/gossip/mod.rs
@@ -173,14 +173,15 @@ impl Network {
 
         loop {
             // Wait until the status indicates that we're ready to sign the next batch.
-            let next_batch_number = sync::changed(ctx, &mut recv_status)
+            let Some(batch_number) = sync::changed(ctx, &mut recv_status)
                 .await?
-                .next_batch_to_attest;
+                .next_batch_to_attest
+            else {
+                continue;
+            };
 
             // Get rid of all previous votes. We don't expect this to go backwards without regenesis, which will involve a restart.
-            self.batch_votes
-                .set_min_batch_number(next_batch_number)
-                .await;
+            self.batch_votes.set_min_batch_number(batch_number).await;
 
             // Now wait until we find the next quorum, whatever it is:
             // * on the main node, if attesters are honest, they will vote on the next batch number and the main node will not see gaps
diff --git a/node/actors/network/src/testonly.rs b/node/actors/network/src/testonly.rs
index 00de2120..7728bc45 100644
--- a/node/actors/network/src/testonly.rs
+++ b/node/actors/network/src/testonly.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use zksync_concurrency::{
     ctx::{self, channel},
     io, limiter, net, scope, sync, time,
 };
-use zksync_consensus_roles::{attester, node, validator};
+use zksync_consensus_roles::{node, validator};
 use zksync_consensus_storage::{BatchStore, BlockStore};
 use zksync_consensus_utils::pipe;
 
@@ -204,10 +204,8 @@ impl Instance {
     ) -> (Self, InstanceRunner) {
         // Semantically we'd want this to be created at the same level as the stores,
         // but doing so would introduce a lot of extra cruft in setting up tests.
-        let attestation_status = Arc::new(AttestationStatusWatch::new(
-            block_store.genesis().hash(),
-            attester::BatchNumber::default(),
-        ));
+        let attestation_status =
+            Arc::new(AttestationStatusWatch::new(block_store.genesis().hash()));
 
         let (actor_pipe, dispatcher_pipe) = pipe::new();
         let (net, net_runner) = Network::new(