diff --git a/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go b/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go
index 21f8acb1..4d7d0395 100644
--- a/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go
+++ b/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ type TreeHeads struct {
 
 type HeadSync interface {
 	Init(objectIds []string, deletionState settingsstate.ObjectDeletionState)
+	Run()
 
 	UpdateHeads(id string, heads []string)
 	HandleRangeRequest(ctx context.Context, req *spacesyncproto.HeadSyncRequest) (resp *spacesyncproto.HeadSyncResponse, err error)
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ type headSync struct {
 	syncer         DiffSyncer
 	configuration  nodeconf.NodeConf
 	spaceIsDeleted *atomic.Bool
+	isRunning      bool
 
 	syncPeriod int
 }
@@ -93,7 +95,11 @@ func NewHeadSync(
 func (d *headSync) Init(objectIds []string, deletionState settingsstate.ObjectDeletionState) {
 	d.fillDiff(objectIds)
 	d.syncer.Init(deletionState)
+}
+
+func (d *headSync) Run() {
 	d.periodicSync.Run()
+	d.isRunning = true
 }
 
 func (d *headSync) HandleRangeRequest(ctx context.Context, req *spacesyncproto.HeadSyncRequest) (resp *spacesyncproto.HeadSyncResponse, err error) {
@@ -135,8 +141,10 @@ func (d *headSync) RemoveObjects(ids []string) {
 }
 
 func (d *headSync) Close() (err error) {
-	d.periodicSync.Close()
-	return nil
+	if d.isRunning {
+		d.periodicSync.Close()
+	}
+	return
 }
 
 func (d *headSync) fillDiff(objectIds []string) {
diff --git a/commonspace/headsync/headsync_test.go b/commonspace/headsync/headsync_test.go
index c803edc4..3f83cdab 100644
--- a/commonspace/headsync/headsync_test.go
+++ b/commonspace/headsync/headsync_test.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ func TestDiffService(t *testing.T) {
 		storageMock.EXPECT().WriteSpaceHash(hash)
 		pSyncMock.EXPECT().Run()
 		service.Init([]string{initId}, delState)
+		service.Run()
 	})
 
 	t.Run("update heads", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -64,7 +65,9 @@ func TestDiffService(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("close", func(t *testing.T) {
+		pSyncMock.EXPECT().Run()
 		pSyncMock.EXPECT().Close()
+		service.Run()
 		service.Close()
 	})
 }
diff --git a/commonspace/space.go b/commonspace/space.go
index 9a22f453..332a0c0e 100644
--- a/commonspace/space.go
+++ b/commonspace/space.go
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ func NewSpaceId(id string, repKey uint64) string {
 type Space interface {
 	Id() string
 	Init(ctx context.Context) error
+	StartHeadSync()
 
 	StoredIds() []string
 	DebugAllHeads() []headsync.TreeHeads
@@ -231,6 +232,10 @@ func (s *space) Init(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (s *space) StartHeadSync() {
+	s.headSync.Run()
+}
+
 func (s *space) ObjectSync() objectsync.ObjectSync {
 	return s.objectSync
 }