diff --git a/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes.go b/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes.go
index fef5f5ddb38..12fa0cd4dd7 100644
--- a/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes.go
+++ b/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type EngineController interface {
 	TryUpdateLocalSafe(ctx context.Context, ref eth.L2BlockRef, concluding bool, source eth.L1BlockRef)
 	RequestForkchoiceUpdate(ctx context.Context)
 	RequestPendingSafeUpdate(ctx context.Context)
+	IsEngineInitialELSyncing() bool
 }
 
 type L2 interface {
@@ -203,6 +204,17 @@ func (eq *AttributesHandler) consolidateNextSafeAttributes(attributes *derive.At
 	envelope, err := eq.l2.PayloadByNumber(ctx, attributes.Parent.Number+1)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, ethereum.NotFound) {
+			if eq.engineController.IsEngineInitialELSyncing() {
+				// The EL has accepted a future EL-sync target but hasn't filled in
+				// pending_safe+1 yet. Resetting now would issue a forkchoice update
+				// that re-targets the EL away from its sync target and prevents EL
+				// sync from ever completing. Stall consolidation and retry once
+				// the EL catches up.
+				eq.emitter.Emit(eq.ctx, rollup.EngineTemporaryErrorEvent{
+					Err: fmt.Errorf("waiting for EL sync to fill in block %d for consolidation: %w", attributes.Parent.Number+1, err),
+				})
+				return
+			}
 			// engine may have restarted, or inconsistent safe head. We need to reset
 			eq.emitter.Emit(eq.ctx, rollup.ResetEvent{
 				Err: fmt.Errorf("expected engine was synced and had unsafe block to reconcile, but cannot find the block: %w", err),
diff --git a/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes_test.go b/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes_test.go
index 168255dbc61..08cb3455204 100644
--- a/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes_test.go
+++ b/op-node/rollup/attributes/attributes_test.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/holiman/uint256"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
@@ -339,6 +340,63 @@ func TestAttributesHandler(t *testing.T) {
 				fn(t, false)
 			})
 		})
+		t.Run("not found during EL sync stalls without reset", func(t *testing.T) {
+			logger := testlog.Logger(t, log.LevelInfo)
+			l2 := &testutils.MockL2Client{}
+			emitter := &testutils.MockEmitter{}
+			engDeriver := &MockEngineController{}
+			ah := NewAttributesHandler(logger, cfg, context.Background(), l2, engDeriver)
+			ah.AttachEmitter(emitter)
+
+			emitter.ExpectOnce(derive.ConfirmReceivedAttributesEvent{})
+			engDeriver.On("RequestPendingSafeUpdate", context.Background()).Once()
+			ah.OnEvent(context.Background(), derive.DerivedAttributesEvent{Attributes: attrA1})
+			engDeriver.AssertExpectations(t)
+			emitter.AssertExpectations(t)
+			require.NotNil(t, ah.attributes, "queued up derived attributes")
+
+			// EL has accepted a future EL-sync target but hasn't filled in
+			// block refA1.Number yet, so the consolidate lookup returns NotFound.
+			l2.ExpectPayloadByNumber(refA1.Number, nil, ethereum.NotFound)
+			engDeriver.On("IsEngineInitialELSyncing").Return(true).Once()
+
+			emitter.ExpectOnceType("EngineTemporaryErrorEvent")
+			ah.OnEvent(context.Background(), engine.PendingSafeUpdateEvent{
+				PendingSafe: refA0,
+				Unsafe:      refA1,
+			})
+			engDeriver.AssertExpectations(t)
+			l2.AssertExpectations(t)
+			emitter.AssertExpectations(t)
+			require.NotNil(t, ah.attributes,
+				"attributes stay queued so consolidation retries once EL sync fills in the block")
+		})
+		t.Run("not found without EL sync resets", func(t *testing.T) {
+			logger := testlog.Logger(t, log.LevelInfo)
+			l2 := &testutils.MockL2Client{}
+			emitter := &testutils.MockEmitter{}
+			engDeriver := &MockEngineController{}
+			ah := NewAttributesHandler(logger, cfg, context.Background(), l2, engDeriver)
+			ah.AttachEmitter(emitter)
+
+			emitter.ExpectOnce(derive.ConfirmReceivedAttributesEvent{})
+			engDeriver.On("RequestPendingSafeUpdate", context.Background()).Once()
+			ah.OnEvent(context.Background(), derive.DerivedAttributesEvent{Attributes: attrA1})
+			engDeriver.AssertExpectations(t)
+			emitter.AssertExpectations(t)
+
+			l2.ExpectPayloadByNumber(refA1.Number, nil, ethereum.NotFound)
+			engDeriver.On("IsEngineInitialELSyncing").Return(false).Once()
+
+			emitter.ExpectOnceType("ResetEvent")
+			ah.OnEvent(context.Background(), engine.PendingSafeUpdateEvent{
+				PendingSafe: refA0,
+				Unsafe:      refA1,
+			})
+			engDeriver.AssertExpectations(t)
+			l2.AssertExpectations(t)
+			emitter.AssertExpectations(t)
+		})
 	})
 
 	t.Run("pending equals unsafe", func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/op-node/rollup/attributes/testutils.go b/op-node/rollup/attributes/testutils.go
index bd6542c70df..9e52f3644e5 100644
--- a/op-node/rollup/attributes/testutils.go
+++ b/op-node/rollup/attributes/testutils.go
@@ -28,3 +28,8 @@ func (m *MockEngineController) RequestForkchoiceUpdate(ctx context.Context) {
 func (m *MockEngineController) RequestPendingSafeUpdate(ctx context.Context) {
 	m.Mock.MethodCalled("RequestPendingSafeUpdate", ctx)
 }
+
+func (m *MockEngineController) IsEngineInitialELSyncing() bool {
+	out := m.Mock.MethodCalled("IsEngineInitialELSyncing")
+	return out.Bool(0)
+}
diff --git a/op-node/rollup/sequencing/sequencer_test.go b/op-node/rollup/sequencing/sequencer_test.go
index 9fd1f774db7..47843023dd9 100644
--- a/op-node/rollup/sequencing/sequencer_test.go
+++ b/op-node/rollup/sequencing/sequencer_test.go
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ func (fakeEngController) TryUpdateLocalSafe(ctx context.Context, ref eth.L2Block
 
 func (fakeEngController) RequestPendingSafeUpdate(ctx context.Context) {}
 
+func (fakeEngController) IsEngineInitialELSyncing() bool { return false }
+
 // TestSequencer_StartStop runs through start/stop state back and forth to test state changes.
 func TestSequencer_StartStop(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := testlog.Logger(t, log.LevelError)