diff --git a/core/capabilities/targets/write_target.go b/core/capabilities/targets/write_target.go
index de65cb85199..f178beb5224 100644
--- a/core/capabilities/targets/write_target.go
+++ b/core/capabilities/targets/write_target.go
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ type WriteTarget struct {
 	forwarderAddress string
 	capabilities.CapabilityInfo
 	lggr logger.Logger
+
+	bound bool
 }
 
 func NewWriteTarget(lggr logger.Logger, id string, cr commontypes.ContractReader, cw commontypes.ChainWriter, forwarderAddress string) *WriteTarget {
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ func NewWriteTarget(lggr logger.Logger, id string, cr commontypes.ContractReader
 		forwarderAddress,
 		info,
 		logger,
+		false,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -73,6 +76,21 @@ func success() <-chan capabilities.CapabilityResponse {
 }
 
 func (cap *WriteTarget) Execute(ctx context.Context, request capabilities.CapabilityRequest) (<-chan capabilities.CapabilityResponse, error) {
+	// Bind to the contract address on the write path.
+	// Bind() requires a connection to the node's RPCs and
+	// cannot be run during initialization.
+	if !cap.bound {
+		cap.lggr.Debugw("Binding to forwarder address")
+		err := cap.cr.Bind(ctx, []commontypes.BoundContract{{
+			Address: cap.forwarderAddress,
+			Name:    "forwarder",
+		}})
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		cap.bound = true
+	}
+
 	cap.lggr.Debugw("Execute", "request", request)
 
 	reqConfig, err := parseConfig(request.Config)
diff --git a/core/capabilities/targets/write_target_test.go b/core/capabilities/targets/write_target_test.go
index 9f243389f27..9a752b79483 100644
--- a/core/capabilities/targets/write_target_test.go
+++ b/core/capabilities/targets/write_target_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-common/pkg/capabilities"
+	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-common/pkg/types"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-common/pkg/values"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink/v2/core/capabilities/targets"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink/v2/core/capabilities/targets/mocks"
@@ -47,6 +48,13 @@ func TestWriteTarget(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
+	cr.On("Bind", mock.Anything, []types.BoundContract{
+		{
+			Address: forwarderAddr,
+			Name:    "forwarder",
+		},
+	}).Return(nil)
+
 	cr.On("GetLatestValue", mock.Anything, "forwarder", "getTransmitter", mock.Anything, mock.Anything).Return(nil).Run(func(args mock.Arguments) {
 		transmitter := args.Get(4).(*common.Address)
 		*transmitter = common.HexToAddress("0x0")
diff --git a/core/services/registrysyncer/syncer.go b/core/services/registrysyncer/syncer.go
index 5a4ce4b6ba5..6b44d7b2c86 100644
--- a/core/services/registrysyncer/syncer.go
+++ b/core/services/registrysyncer/syncer.go
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ type contractReaderFactory interface {
 	NewContractReader(context.Context, []byte) (types.ContractReader, error)
 }
 
+// NOTE: this can't be called while initializing the syncer and needs to be called in the sync loop.
+// This is because Bind() makes an onchain call to verify that the contract address exists, and if
+// called during initialization, this results in a "no live nodes" error.
 func newReader(ctx context.Context, lggr logger.Logger, relayer contractReaderFactory, remoteRegistryAddress string) (types.ContractReader, error) {
 	contractReaderConfig := evmrelaytypes.ChainReaderConfig{
 		Contracts: map[string]evmrelaytypes.ChainContractReader{
diff --git a/core/services/relay/evm/write_target.go b/core/services/relay/evm/write_target.go
index dc1a3635330..fb1c694a2e7 100644
--- a/core/services/relay/evm/write_target.go
+++ b/core/services/relay/evm/write_target.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 
 	chainselectors "github.com/smartcontractkit/chain-selectors"
 
-	commontypes "github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-common/pkg/types"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink/v2/core/capabilities/targets"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink/v2/core/chains/legacyevm"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink/v2/core/gethwrappers/keystone/generated/forwarder"
@@ -46,13 +45,6 @@ func NewWriteTarget(ctx context.Context, relayer *Relayer, chain legacyevm.Chain
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	err = cr.Bind(ctx, []commontypes.BoundContract{{
-		Address: config.ForwarderAddress().String(),
-		Name:    "forwarder",
-	}})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 
 	chainWriterConfig := relayevmtypes.ChainWriterConfig{
 		Contracts: map[string]*relayevmtypes.ContractConfig{