diff --git a/sync/src/blocks.rs b/sync/src/blocks.rs
index b48085d43..e691f8b76 100644
--- a/sync/src/blocks.rs
+++ b/sync/src/blocks.rs
@@ -120,13 +120,22 @@ impl BlockCollection {
 			if let Some(head) = head {
 				match self.blocks.get(&head) {
 					Some(block) if block.body.is_none() && !self.downloading_bodies.contains(&head) => {
+						self.downloading_bodies.insert(head.clone());
 						needed_bodies.push(head.clone());
 					}
 					_ => (),
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		self.downloading_bodies.extend(needed_bodies.iter());
+		for h in self.header_ids.values() {
+			if needed_bodies.len() >= count {
+				break;
+			}
+			if !self.downloading_bodies.contains(h) {
+				needed_bodies.push(h.clone());
+				self.downloading_bodies.insert(h.clone());
+			}
+		}
 		needed_bodies
 	}
 
@@ -286,6 +295,7 @@ impl BlockCollection {
 
 		self.parents.insert(info.parent_hash.clone(), hash.clone());
 		self.blocks.insert(hash.clone(), block);
+		trace!(target: "sync", "New header: {}", hash.hex());
 		Ok(hash)
 	}
 
diff --git a/sync/src/chain.rs b/sync/src/chain.rs
index 8a2e75383..66e940466 100644
--- a/sync/src/chain.rs
+++ b/sync/src/chain.rs
@@ -111,11 +111,11 @@ const MAX_NODE_DATA_TO_SEND: usize = 1024;
 const MAX_RECEIPTS_TO_SEND: usize = 1024;
 const MAX_RECEIPTS_HEADERS_TO_SEND: usize = 256;
 const MAX_HEADERS_TO_REQUEST: usize = 128;
-const MAX_BODIES_TO_REQUEST: usize = 64;
+const MAX_BODIES_TO_REQUEST: usize = 128;
 const MIN_PEERS_PROPAGATION: usize = 4;
 const MAX_PEERS_PROPAGATION: usize = 128;
 const MAX_PEER_LAG_PROPAGATION: BlockNumber = 20;
-const SUBCHAIN_SIZE: usize = 64;
+const SUBCHAIN_SIZE: usize = 256;
 const MAX_ROUND_PARENTS: usize = 32;
 const MAX_NEW_HASHES: usize = 64;
 const MAX_TX_TO_IMPORT: usize = 512;
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ impl ChainSync {
 		let expected_hash = self.peers.get(&peer_id).and_then(|p| p.asking_hash);
 		let expected_asking = if self.state == SyncState::ChainHead { PeerAsking::Heads } else { PeerAsking::BlockHeaders };
 		if !self.reset_peer_asking(peer_id, expected_asking) || expected_hash.is_none() {
-			trace!(target: "sync", "Ignored unexpected headers");
+			trace!(target: "sync", "{}: Ignored unexpected headers", peer_id);
 			self.continue_sync(io);
 			return Ok(());
 		}
@@ -754,7 +754,9 @@ impl ChainSync {
 					// Request subchain headers
 					trace!(target: "sync", "Starting sync with better chain");
 					let last = self.last_imported_hash.clone();
-					self.request_headers_by_hash(io, peer_id, &last, SUBCHAIN_SIZE, MAX_HEADERS_TO_REQUEST - 1, false, PeerAsking::Heads);
+					// Request MAX_HEADERS_TO_REQUEST - 2 headers apart so that
+					// MAX_HEADERS_TO_REQUEST would include headers for neighbouring subchains
+					self.request_headers_by_hash(io, peer_id, &last, SUBCHAIN_SIZE, MAX_HEADERS_TO_REQUEST - 2, false, PeerAsking::Heads);
 				},
 				SyncState::Blocks | SyncState::NewBlocks => {
 					if io.chain().block_status(BlockID::Hash(peer_latest)) == BlockStatus::Unknown {