diff --git a/gossipd/gossip_store.c b/gossipd/gossip_store.c
index 4ad0d5b2c..bceb0b7c3 100644
--- a/gossipd/gossip_store.c
+++ b/gossipd/gossip_store.c
@@ -879,6 +879,13 @@ u32 gossip_store_load(struct routing_state *rstate, struct gossip_store *gs)
 			stats[1]++;
 			break;
 		case WIRE_NODE_ANNOUNCEMENT:
+			/* In early v23.02 rcs we had zombie node announcements,
+			 * so throw them away here. */
+			if (be16_to_cpu(hdr.flags) & GOSSIP_STORE_ZOMBIE_BIT) {
+				status_unusual("gossip_store: removing zombie"
+					       " node_announcement from v23.02 rcs");
+				break;
+			}
 			if (!routing_add_node_announcement(rstate,
 							   take(msg), gs->len,
 							   NULL, NULL, spam)) {