diff --git a/consensus/src/commons.rs b/consensus/src/commons.rs
index e94a18a839..6afeda26d1 100644
--- a/consensus/src/commons.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/commons.rs
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ pub struct RoundUpdate {
     seed: Seed,
     hash: [u8; 32],
     cert: Certificate,
+    timestamp: u64,
 
     pub base_timeouts: TimeoutSet,
 }
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ impl RoundUpdate {
             cert: mrb_header.cert,
             hash: mrb_header.hash,
             seed: mrb_header.seed,
+            timestamp: mrb_header.timestamp,
             base_timeouts,
         }
     }
@@ -68,6 +70,10 @@ impl RoundUpdate {
     pub fn cert(&self) -> &Certificate {
         &self.cert
     }
+
+    pub fn timestamp(&self) -> u64 {
+        self.timestamp
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Error)]
@@ -100,6 +106,7 @@ pub enum ConsensusError {
     InvalidQuorumType,
     InvalidVote(Vote),
     InvalidMsgIteration(u8),
+    InvalidTimestamp,
     FutureEvent,
     PastEvent,
     NotCommitteeMember,
diff --git a/consensus/src/proposal/handler.rs b/consensus/src/proposal/handler.rs
index 13d8fdabfc..a11002ae27 100644
--- a/consensus/src/proposal/handler.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/proposal/handler.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
 //
 // Copyright (c) DUSK NETWORK. All rights reserved.
 
-use crate::commons::{ConsensusError, Database, RoundUpdate};
+use crate::commons::{
+    get_current_timestamp, ConsensusError, Database, RoundUpdate,
+};
 use crate::merkle::merkle_root;
 use crate::msg_handler::{HandleMsgOutput, MsgHandler};
 use crate::user::committee::Committee;
@@ -42,11 +44,16 @@ impl<D: Database> MsgHandler for ProposalHandler<D> {
     async fn collect(
         &mut self,
         msg: Message,
-        _ru: &RoundUpdate,
+        ru: &RoundUpdate,
         _committee: &Committee,
     ) -> Result<HandleMsgOutput, ConsensusError> {
         // store candidate block
         let p = Self::unwrap_msg(&msg)?;
+
+        if p.candidate.header().timestamp < ru.timestamp() {
+            return Err(ConsensusError::InvalidTimestamp);
+        }
+
         self.db
             .lock()
             .await
@@ -84,10 +91,17 @@ impl<D: Database> ProposalHandler<D> {
         //  Verify new_block msg signature
         p.verify_signature()?;
 
+        // We only check the consistency of the declared hash.
+        // The actual bound with the tip.block_hash is done by
+        // MsgHandler.is_valid()
         if msg.header.prev_block_hash != p.candidate.header().prev_block_hash {
             return Err(ConsensusError::InvalidBlockHash);
         }
 
+        if p.candidate.header().timestamp > get_current_timestamp() {
+            return Err(ConsensusError::InvalidTimestamp);
+        }
+
         let tx_hashes: Vec<[u8; 32]> =
             p.candidate.txs().iter().map(|t| t.hash()).collect();
         let tx_root = merkle_root(&tx_hashes[..]);
diff --git a/node/src/chain/header_validation.rs b/node/src/chain/header_validation.rs
index b37e8e03df..060c33d6d2 100644
--- a/node/src/chain/header_validation.rs
+++ b/node/src/chain/header_validation.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use crate::database;
 use crate::database::Ledger;
 use anyhow::anyhow;
 use dusk_bytes::Serializable;
+use dusk_consensus::commons::get_current_timestamp;
+use dusk_consensus::config::{MAX_STEP_TIMEOUT, RELAX_ITERATION_THRESHOLD};
 use dusk_consensus::quorum::verifiers;
 use dusk_consensus::quorum::verifiers::QuorumResult;
 use dusk_consensus::user::committee::CommitteeSet;
@@ -78,29 +80,50 @@ impl<'a, DB: database::DB> Validator<'a, DB> {
         candidate_block: &'a ledger::Header,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         if candidate_block.version > 0 {
-            return Err(anyhow!("unsupported block version"));
+            anyhow::bail!("unsupported block version");
         }
 
         if candidate_block.hash == [0u8; 32] {
-            return Err(anyhow!("empty block hash"));
+            anyhow::bail!("empty block hash");
         }
 
         if candidate_block.height != self.prev_header.height + 1 {
-            return Err(anyhow!(
+            anyhow::bail!(
                 "invalid block height block_height: {:?}, curr_height: {:?}",
                 candidate_block.height,
                 self.prev_header.height,
-            ));
+            );
         }
 
         if candidate_block.prev_block_hash != self.prev_header.hash {
-            return Err(anyhow!("invalid previous block hash"));
+            anyhow::bail!("invalid previous block hash");
+        }
+
+        if candidate_block.timestamp > get_current_timestamp() {
+            anyhow::bail!("invalid future timestamp");
+        }
+
+        if candidate_block.timestamp < self.prev_header.timestamp {
+            anyhow::bail!("invalid timestamp");
+        }
+
+        if candidate_block.iteration < RELAX_ITERATION_THRESHOLD {
+            let max_delta = candidate_block.iteration as u64
+                * MAX_STEP_TIMEOUT.as_secs()
+                * 3;
+            let current_delta =
+                candidate_block.timestamp - self.prev_header.timestamp;
+            if current_delta > max_delta {
+                anyhow::bail!(
+                    "invalid timestamp, delta: {current_delta}/{max_delta}"
+                );
+            }
         }
 
         // Ensure block is not already in the ledger
         self.db.read().await.view(|v| {
             if Ledger::get_block_exists(&v, &candidate_block.hash)? {
-                return Err(anyhow!("block already exists"));
+                anyhow::bail!("block already exists");
             }
 
             Ok(())