diff --git a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/group.rs b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/group.rs
index b4321234b097d..69a519134a6ff 100644
--- a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/group.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/group.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ use libp2p::swarm::{
 	SubstreamProtocol,
 	NegotiatedSubstream,
 };
-use log::error;
+use log::{debug, error};
+use sp_runtime::ConsensusEngineId;
 use std::{borrow::Cow, error, io, str, task::{Context, Poll}};
 
 /// Implements the `IntoProtocolsHandler` trait of libp2p.
@@ -289,6 +290,9 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 	fn inject_event(&mut self, message: NotifsHandlerIn) {
 		match message {
 			NotifsHandlerIn::Enable => {
+				if let EnabledState::Enabled = self.enabled {
+					debug!("enabling already-enabled handler");
+				}
 				self.enabled = EnabledState::Enabled;
 				self.legacy.inject_event(LegacyProtoHandlerIn::Enable);
 				for handler in &mut self.out_handlers {
@@ -301,6 +305,9 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 				}
 			},
 			NotifsHandlerIn::Disable => {
+				if let EnabledState::Disabled = self.enabled {
+					debug!("disabling already-disabled handler");
+				}
 				self.legacy.inject_event(LegacyProtoHandlerIn::Disable);
 				// The notifications protocols start in the disabled state. If we were in the
 				// "Initial" state, then we shouldn't disable the notifications protocols again.
diff --git a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/notif_in.rs b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/notif_in.rs
index 4e16fb1af419f..7558d1d361fd7 100644
--- a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/notif_in.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler/notif_in.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ use libp2p::swarm::{
 };
 use log::{error, warn};
 use smallvec::SmallVec;
-use std::{borrow::Cow, fmt, pin::Pin, str, task::{Context, Poll}};
+use std::{borrow::Cow, fmt, pin::Pin, task::{Context, Poll}};
 
 /// Implements the `IntoProtocolsHandler` trait of libp2p.
 ///
@@ -156,16 +156,19 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsInHandler {
 		&mut self,
 		(msg, proto): <Self::InboundProtocol as InboundUpgrade<NegotiatedSubstream>>::Output
 	) {
+		// If a substream already exists, we drop it and replace it with the new incoming one.
 		if self.substream.is_some() {
-			warn!(
-				target: "sub-libp2p",
-				"Received duplicate inbound notifications substream for {:?}",
-				str::from_utf8(self.in_protocol.protocol_name()),
-			);
-			return;
+			self.events_queue.push(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(NotifsInHandlerOut::Closed));
 		}
 
+		// Note that we drop the existing substream, which will send an equivalent to a TCP "RST"
+		// to the remote and force-close the substream. It  might seem like an unclean way to get
+		// rid of a substream. However, keep in mind that it is invalid for the remote to open
+		// multiple such substreams, and therefore sending a "RST" is the correct thing to do.
+		// Also note that we have already closed our writing side during the initial handshake,
+		// and we can't close "more" than that anyway.
 		self.substream = Some(proto);
+
 		self.events_queue.push(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(NotifsInHandlerOut::OpenRequest(msg)));
 		self.pending_accept_refuses = self.pending_accept_refuses
 			.checked_add(1)
@@ -235,8 +238,15 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsInHandler {
 
 		match self.substream.as_mut().map(|s| Stream::poll_next(Pin::new(s), cx)) {
 			None | Some(Poll::Pending) => {},
-			Some(Poll::Ready(Some(Ok(msg)))) =>
-				return Poll::Ready(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(NotifsInHandlerOut::Notif(msg))),
+			Some(Poll::Ready(Some(Ok(msg)))) => {
+				if self.pending_accept_refuses != 0 {
+					warn!(
+						target: "sub-libp2p",
+						"Bad state in inbound-only handler: notif before accepting substream"
+					);
+				}
+				return Poll::Ready(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(NotifsInHandlerOut::Notif(msg)))
+			},
 			Some(Poll::Ready(None)) | Some(Poll::Ready(Some(Err(_)))) => {
 				self.substream = None;
 				return Poll::Ready(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(NotifsInHandlerOut::Closed));
diff --git a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/upgrade/notifications.rs b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/upgrade/notifications.rs
index 68898a08fe1af..b6ae1425f1161 100644
--- a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/upgrade/notifications.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/upgrade/notifications.rs
@@ -164,12 +164,9 @@ where TSubstream: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite,
 {
 	/// Sends the handshake in order to inform the remote that we accept the substream.
 	pub fn send_handshake(&mut self, message: impl Into<Vec<u8>>) {
-		match self.handshake {
-			NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::NotSent => {}
-			_ => {
-				error!(target: "sub-libp2p", "Tried to send handshake twice");
-				return;
-			}
+		if !matches!(self.handshake, NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::NotSent) {
+			error!(target: "sub-libp2p", "Tried to send handshake twice");
+			return;
 		}
 
 		self.handshake = NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::PendingSend(message.into());
@@ -189,8 +186,10 @@ where TSubstream: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite + Unpin,
 			match mem::replace(this.handshake, NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::Sent) {
 				NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::Sent =>
 					return Stream::poll_next(this.socket.as_mut(), cx),
-				NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::NotSent =>
-					return Poll::Pending,
+				NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::NotSent => {
+					*this.handshake = NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::NotSent;
+					return Poll::Pending
+				},
 				NotificationsInSubstreamHandshake::PendingSend(msg) =>
 					match Sink::poll_ready(this.socket.as_mut(), cx) {
 						Poll::Ready(_) => {