diff --git a/src/net_processing.cpp b/src/net_processing.cpp
index 53d4638e2e..0231e43bae 100644
--- a/src/net_processing.cpp
+++ b/src/net_processing.cpp
@@ -910,7 +910,7 @@ private:
      * Returns false, still setting pit, if the block was already in flight from the same peer
      * pit will only be valid as long as the same cs_main lock is being held
      */
-    bool BlockRequested(NodeId nodeid, const CBlockIndex* pindex, std::list<QueuedBlock>::iterator** pit = nullptr) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_main);
+    bool BlockRequested(NodeId nodeid, const CBlockIndex& block, std::list<QueuedBlock>::iterator** pit = nullptr) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_main);
 
     bool TipMayBeStale() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_main);
 
@@ -1109,10 +1109,9 @@ void PeerManagerImpl::RemoveBlockRequest(const uint256& hash)
     mapBlocksInFlight.erase(it);
 }
 
-bool PeerManagerImpl::BlockRequested(NodeId nodeid, const CBlockIndex *pindex, std::list<QueuedBlock>::iterator **pit)
+bool PeerManagerImpl::BlockRequested(NodeId nodeid, const CBlockIndex& block, std::list<QueuedBlock>::iterator **pit)
 {
-    assert(pindex);
-    const uint256& hash{pindex->GetBlockHash()};
+    const uint256& hash{block.GetBlockHash()};
 
     CNodeState *state = State(nodeid);
     assert(state != nullptr);
@@ -1130,7 +1129,7 @@ bool PeerManagerImpl::BlockRequested(NodeId nodeid, const CBlockIndex *pindex, s
     RemoveBlockRequest(hash);
 
     std::list<QueuedBlock>::iterator it = state->vBlocksInFlight.insert(state->vBlocksInFlight.end(),
-            {pindex, std::unique_ptr<PartiallyDownloadedBlock>(pit ? new PartiallyDownloadedBlock(&m_mempool) : nullptr)});
+            {&block, std::unique_ptr<PartiallyDownloadedBlock>(pit ? new PartiallyDownloadedBlock(&m_mempool) : nullptr)});
     state->nBlocksInFlight++;
     if (state->nBlocksInFlight == 1) {
         // We're starting a block download (batch) from this peer.
@@ -1138,8 +1137,9 @@ bool PeerManagerImpl::BlockRequested(NodeId nodeid, const CBlockIndex *pindex, s
         m_peers_downloading_from++;
     }
     itInFlight = mapBlocksInFlight.insert(std::make_pair(hash, std::make_pair(nodeid, it))).first;
-    if (pit)
+    if (pit) {
         *pit = &itInFlight->second.second;
+    }
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -1822,7 +1822,7 @@ std::optional<std::string> PeerManagerImpl::FetchBlock(NodeId peer_id, const CBl
     // Mark block as in-flight unless it already is (for this peer).
     // If a block was already in-flight for a different peer, its BLOCKTXN
     // response will be dropped.
-    if (!BlockRequested(peer_id, &block_index)) return "Already requested from this peer";
+    if (!BlockRequested(peer_id, block_index)) return "Already requested from this peer";
 
     // Construct message to request the block
     const uint256& hash{block_index.GetBlockHash()};
@@ -2812,7 +2812,7 @@ void PeerManagerImpl::HeadersDirectFetchBlocks(CNode& pfrom, const Peer& peer, c
                     break;
                 }
                 vGetData.push_back(CInv(MSG_BLOCK, pindex->GetBlockHash()));
-                BlockRequested(pfrom.GetId(), pindex);
+                BlockRequested(pfrom.GetId(), *pindex);
                 LogPrint(BCLog::NET, "Requesting block %s from  peer=%d\n",
                         pindex->GetBlockHash().ToString(), pfrom.GetId());
             }
@@ -4353,7 +4353,7 @@ void PeerManagerImpl::ProcessMessage(
             if ((!fAlreadyInFlight && nodestate->nBlocksInFlight < MAX_BLOCKS_IN_TRANSIT_PER_PEER) ||
                  (fAlreadyInFlight && blockInFlightIt->second.first == pfrom.GetId())) {
                 std::list<QueuedBlock>::iterator *queuedBlockIt = nullptr;
-                if (!BlockRequested(pfrom.GetId(), pindex, &queuedBlockIt)) {
+                if (!BlockRequested(pfrom.GetId(), *pindex, &queuedBlockIt)) {
                     if (!(*queuedBlockIt)->partialBlock)
                         (*queuedBlockIt)->partialBlock.reset(new PartiallyDownloadedBlock(&m_mempool));
                     else {
@@ -5910,7 +5910,7 @@ bool PeerManagerImpl::SendMessages(CNode* pto)
             FindNextBlocksToDownload(*peer, MAX_BLOCKS_IN_TRANSIT_PER_PEER - state.nBlocksInFlight, vToDownload, staller);
             for (const CBlockIndex *pindex : vToDownload) {
                 vGetData.push_back(CInv(MSG_BLOCK, pindex->GetBlockHash()));
-                BlockRequested(pto->GetId(), pindex);
+                BlockRequested(pto->GetId(), *pindex);
                 LogPrint(BCLog::NET, "Requesting block %s (%d) peer=%d\n", pindex->GetBlockHash().ToString(),
                     pindex->nHeight, pto->GetId());
             }