diff --git a/consensus/src/pipeline/body_processor/body_validation_in_context.rs b/consensus/src/pipeline/body_processor/body_validation_in_context.rs
index 17e1bd888c..308c5fabd0 100644
--- a/consensus/src/pipeline/body_processor/body_validation_in_context.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/pipeline/body_processor/body_validation_in_context.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ impl BlockBodyProcessor {
     }
 
     fn check_block_transactions_in_context(self: &Arc<Self>, block: &Block) -> BlockProcessResult<()> {
+        // TODO: this is somewhat expensive during ibd, as it incurs cache misses. 
         let pmt = Lazy::new(|| {
             let (pmt, _) = self
                 .window_manager
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@ impl BlockBodyProcessor {
         });
 
         for tx in block.transactions.iter() {
+            
+            // quick check to avoid the expensive Lazy eval (in most cases).
+            if tx.lock_time == 0 {
+                continue;
+            };
+            
             if let Err(e) = self.transaction_validator.utxo_free_tx_validation(tx, block.header.daa_score, &pmt) {
                 return Err(RuleError::TxInContextFailed(tx.id(), e));
             }