diff --git a/internal/consensus/state.go b/internal/consensus/state.go
index cfc8ec209..f3d60b709 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/state.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/state.go
@@ -1902,7 +1902,7 @@ func (cs *State) defaultSetProposal(proposal *types.Proposal) error {
 		Precision:    cs.state.ConsensusParams.Timing.Precision,
 		MessageDelay: cs.state.ConsensusParams.Timing.MessageDelay,
 	}
-	if proposal.POLRound == -1 && !proposal.IsTimely(tmtime.DefaultSource{}, tp) {
+	if proposal.POLRound == -1 && !proposal.IsTimely(tmtime.DefaultSource{}, tp, cs.state.InitialHeight) {
 		return ErrInvalidProposalNotTimely
 	}
 
diff --git a/types/proposal.go b/types/proposal.go
index 07e8464d7..fa5918a6c 100644
--- a/types/proposal.go
+++ b/types/proposal.go
@@ -88,11 +88,11 @@ func (p *Proposal) ValidateBasic() error {
 //
 // For more information on the meaning of 'timely', see the proposer-based timestamp specification:
 // https://github.com/tendermint/spec/tree/master/spec/consensus/proposer-based-timestamp
-func (p *Proposal) IsTimely(clock tmtime.Source, tp TimingParams) bool {
+func (p *Proposal) IsTimely(clock tmtime.Source, tp TimingParams, genesisHeight int64) bool {
 	lt := clock.Now()
 	lhs := lt.Add(-tp.Precision).Add(-tp.MessageDelay)
 	rhs := lt.Add(tp.Precision)
-	if lhs.Before(p.Timestamp) && rhs.After(p.Timestamp) {
+	if (p.Height == genesisHeight || lhs.Before(p.Timestamp)) && rhs.After(p.Timestamp) {
 		return true
 	}
 	return false