diff --git a/blockchain/accept.go b/blockchain/accept.go
index 6a99bac7..a409aacc 100644
--- a/blockchain/accept.go
+++ b/blockchain/accept.go
@@ -64,11 +64,20 @@ func (b *BlockChain) maybeAcceptBlock(block *btcutil.Block, flags BehaviorFlags)
 	// Create a new block node for the block and add it to the node index. Even
 	// if the block ultimately gets connected to the main chain, it starts out
 	// on a side chain.
-	blockHeader := &block.MsgBlock().Header
-	newNode := newBlockNode(blockHeader, prevNode)
-	newNode.status = statusDataStored
-
-	b.index.AddNode(newNode)
+	//
+	// If a header-only node already exists (from maybeAcceptBlockHeader),
+	// upgrade its status rather than creating a new node.  Creating a new
+	// node would overwrite the index entry, orphaning the pointer held by
+	// bestHeader's chainView and breaking Contains checks.
+	newNode := b.index.LookupNode(block.Hash())
+	if newNode != nil {
+		b.index.SetStatusFlags(newNode, statusDataStored)
+	} else {
+		blockHeader := &block.MsgBlock().Header
+		newNode = newBlockNode(blockHeader, prevNode)
+		newNode.status = statusDataStored | statusHeaderStored
+		b.index.AddNode(newNode)
+	}
 	err = b.index.flushToDB()
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
diff --git a/blockchain/accept_test.go b/blockchain/accept_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..28a1ff69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blockchain/accept_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2013-2026 The btcsuite developers
+// Use of this source code is governed by an ISC
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package blockchain
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/blockchain/internal/testhelper"
+	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/btcutil"
+)
+
+// TestMaybeAcceptBlockReusesHeaderNode ensures that when a block header is
+// processed first via ProcessBlockHeader and later the full block arrives via
+// ProcessBlock, the existing blockNode pointer is reused rather than replaced.
+// Replacing the pointer would orphan the entry held by bestHeader's chainView,
+// causing bestHeader.Contains(index.LookupNode(hash)) to return false and
+// breaking IsValidHeader and downstream netsync checks.
+func TestMaybeAcceptBlockReusesHeaderNode(t *testing.T) {
+	chain, params, tearDown := utxoCacheTestChain(
+		"TestMaybeAcceptBlockReusesHeaderNode")
+	defer tearDown()
+
+	// Build a base chain of 3 blocks.
+	//
+	// genesis -> 1 -> 2 -> 3
+	tip := btcutil.NewBlock(params.GenesisBlock)
+	_, _, err := addBlocks(3, chain, tip, []*testhelper.SpendableOut{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to build base chain: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Create block 4 without processing it.
+	prevBlock, err := chain.BlockByHeight(3)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to get block at height 3: %v", err)
+	}
+	block4, _, err := newBlock(chain, prevBlock, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create block 4: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Process block 4's header first.
+	block4Hash := block4.Hash()
+	_, err = chain.ProcessBlockHeader(
+		&block4.MsgBlock().Header, BFNone, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ProcessBlockHeader fail: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Capture the header-only node pointer from the index.
+	headerNode := chain.index.LookupNode(block4Hash)
+	if headerNode == nil {
+		t.Fatal("header node not found in block index")
+	}
+
+	// Now process the full block.
+	_, _, err = chain.ProcessBlock(block4, BFNone)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ProcessBlock fail: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// The index must still hold the same pointer that bestHeader has.
+	// Before the fix, maybeAcceptBlock would create a fresh node and
+	// overwrite the index entry, orphaning the pointer in bestHeader.
+	fullBlockNode := chain.index.LookupNode(block4Hash)
+	if fullBlockNode != headerNode {
+		t.Fatal("ProcessBlock replaced the header node pointer " +
+			"instead of reusing it")
+	}
+	if !chain.bestHeader.Contains(fullBlockNode) {
+		t.Fatal("node no longer in bestHeader after ProcessBlock")
+	}
+}