diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 1c27dc0..16c45b9 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -312,14 +312,6 @@ func mainLoop(oracleInstance *oracle.Oracle, onchain *oracle.Onchain, cfg *oracl
 		// Every X slots we update the onchain validators and cleanup any stranded oracle validators
 		if oracleInstance.State().LatestProcessedSlot%UpdateValidatorsIntervalSlots == 0 {
 			onchain.RefreshBeaconValidators()
-
-			// Do the validator cleanup: redisitribute the pending rewards of validators subscribed to the pool
-			// that are not in the beacon chain anymore (e.g. slashed)
-			err := oracleInstance.ValidatorCleanup(oracleInstance.State().LatestProcessedSlot)
-			// As precaution, we stop the oracle if anything happened during the cleanup
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Fatal("Could not cleanup validators: ", err)
-			}
 		}
 
 		// Every CheckPointSizeInSlots we commit the state given some conditions, starting from
diff --git a/oracle/oracle.go b/oracle/oracle.go
index 9e93819..1b3e5e2 100644
--- a/oracle/oracle.go
+++ b/oracle/oracle.go
@@ -206,6 +206,16 @@ func (or *Oracle) AdvanceStateToNextSlot(fullBlock *FullBlock) (uint64, error) {
 	// Handle the donations from this block
 	or.handleDonations(blockDonations)
 
+	// Handle validator cleanup: redisitribute the pending rewards of validators subscribed to the pool
+	// that are not in the beacon chain anymore (exited/slashed). We dont run this on every slot because
+	// its expensive. Runs every 4 hours.
+	if or.state.NextSlotToProcess%uint64(1200) == 0 {
+		err = or.ValidatorCleanup(or.state.NextSlotToProcess)
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, errors.Wrap(err, "could not cleanup validators")
+		}
+	}
+
 	processedSlot := or.state.NextSlotToProcess
 	or.state.LatestProcessedSlot = processedSlot
 	or.state.NextSlotToProcess++
@@ -217,8 +227,6 @@ func (or *Oracle) AdvanceStateToNextSlot(fullBlock *FullBlock) (uint64, error) {
 
 // Unsubscribes validators that are not active. Shares their pending rewards to the pool
 func (or *Oracle) ValidatorCleanup(slot uint64) error {
-	or.mutex.Lock()
-	defer or.mutex.Unlock()
 
 	// Only cleanup if we're past the cleanup slot fork
 	if slot >= SlotFork1[or.cfg.Network] {
diff --git a/oracle/oracle_test.go b/oracle/oracle_test.go
index c1e3590..9567496 100644
--- a/oracle/oracle_test.go
+++ b/oracle/oracle_test.go
@@ -2534,7 +2534,6 @@ func Test_ValidatorCleanup_1(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(99), oracle.state.Validators[22].AccumulatedRewardsWei)
 	require.Equal(t, Active, oracle.state.Validators[22].ValidatorStatus)
 	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(76548235), oracle.state.PoolAccumulatedFees)
-	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(76548235), oracle.state.PoolAccumulatedFees)
 
 	// Test5:
 	log.Info("Test5: Exited validator rewards are reset and go to the rest (including yellow)")
@@ -2581,7 +2580,6 @@ func Test_ValidatorCleanup_1(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(99), oracle.state.Validators[22].AccumulatedRewardsWei)
 	require.Equal(t, Active, oracle.state.Validators[22].ValidatorStatus)
 	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(76548235), oracle.state.PoolAccumulatedFees)
-	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(76548235), oracle.state.PoolAccumulatedFees)
 
 	// Test6:
 	log.Info("Test6: Slashed validator in the beacon chain. Pending goes to the rest")
@@ -2628,7 +2626,6 @@ func Test_ValidatorCleanup_1(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(99), oracle.state.Validators[22].AccumulatedRewardsWei)
 	require.Equal(t, Active, oracle.state.Validators[22].ValidatorStatus)
 	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(76548235), oracle.state.PoolAccumulatedFees)
-	require.Equal(t, big.NewInt(76548235), oracle.state.PoolAccumulatedFees)
 
 	// Test7:
 	log.Info("Test7: Exited validator rewards are reset and go to the rest (not red)")