diff --git a/go/enclave/enclave.go b/go/enclave/enclave.go
index 65ddd98f7d..9a06d043f8 100644
--- a/go/enclave/enclave.go
+++ b/go/enclave/enclave.go
@@ -198,9 +198,6 @@ func NewEnclave(
 	sharedSecretProcessor := components.NewSharedSecretProcessor(mgmtContractLib, attestationProvider, storage, logger)
 
 	blockchain := ethblockchain.NewEthBlockchain(big.NewInt(config.ObscuroChainID), registry, storage, logger)
-	if err != nil {
-		logger.Crit("unable to init the eth blockchain construct", log.ErrKey, err)
-	}
 	mempool, err := txpool.NewTxPool(blockchain)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Crit("unable to init eth tx pool", log.ErrKey, err)
diff --git a/go/enclave/txpool/txpool.go b/go/enclave/txpool/txpool.go
index b09f84f800..44fb2dba6e 100644
--- a/go/enclave/txpool/txpool.go
+++ b/go/enclave/txpool/txpool.go
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ func NewTxPool(blockchain *ethblockchain.EthBlockchain) (*TxPool, error) {
 // Start starts the pool
 // can only be started after t.blockchain has at least one block inside
 func (t *TxPool) Start() error {
+	if t.pool != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("tx pool already started")
+	}
+
 	memp, err := gethtxpool.New(new(big.Int).SetUint64(0), t.blockchain, []gethtxpool.SubPool{t.legacyPool})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to init geth tx pool - %w", err)