diff --git a/discovery/syncer.go b/discovery/syncer.go
index 488e271f..1b441786 100644
--- a/discovery/syncer.go
+++ b/discovery/syncer.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwire"
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 // syncerState is an enum that represents the current state of the
 // gossipSyncer.  As the syncer is a state machine, we'll gate our actions
 // based off of the current state and the next incoming message.
-type syncerState uint8
+type syncerState uint32
 
 const (
 	// syncingChans is the default state of the gossipSyncer. We start in
@@ -183,7 +184,9 @@ type gossipSyncer struct {
 	localUpdateHorizon *lnwire.GossipTimestampRange
 
 	// state is the current state of the gossipSyncer.
-	state syncerState
+	//
+	// NOTE: This variable MUST be used atomically.
+	state uint32
 
 	// gossipMsgs is a channel that all messages from the target peer will
 	// be sent over.
@@ -252,9 +255,10 @@ func (g *gossipSyncer) channelGraphSyncer() {
 	//  * needed if we want to sync chan state very few blocks?
 
 	for {
-		log.Debugf("gossipSyncer(%x): state=%v", g.peerPub[:], g.state)
+		state := atomic.LoadUint32(&g.state)
+		log.Debugf("gossipSyncer(%x): state=%v", g.peerPub[:], state)
 
-		switch g.state {
+		switch syncerState(state) {
 		// When we're in this state, we're trying to synchronize our
 		// view of the network with the remote peer. We'll kick off
 		// this sync by asking them for the set of channels they
@@ -279,7 +283,7 @@ func (g *gossipSyncer) channelGraphSyncer() {
 
 			// With the message sent successfully, we'll transition
 			// into the next state where we wait for their reply.
-			g.state = waitingQueryRangeReply
+			atomic.StoreUint32(&g.state, uint32(waitingQueryRangeReply))
 
 		// In this state, we've sent out our initial channel range
 		// query and are waiting for the final response from the remote
@@ -336,13 +340,13 @@ func (g *gossipSyncer) channelGraphSyncer() {
 			// If this wasn't our last query, then we'll need to
 			// transition to our waiting state.
 			if !done {
-				g.state = waitingQueryChanReply
+				atomic.StoreUint32(&g.state, uint32(waitingQueryChanReply))
 				continue
 			}
 
 			// If we're fully synchronized, then we can transition
 			// to our terminal state.
-			g.state = chansSynced
+			atomic.StoreUint32(&g.state, uint32(chansSynced))
 
 		// In this state, we've just sent off a new query for channels
 		// that we don't yet know of. We'll remain in this state until
@@ -359,7 +363,7 @@ func (g *gossipSyncer) channelGraphSyncer() {
 				// state to send of the remaining query chunks.
 				_, ok := msg.(*lnwire.ReplyShortChanIDsEnd)
 				if ok {
-					g.state = queryNewChannels
+					atomic.StoreUint32(&g.state, uint32(queryNewChannels))
 					continue
 				}
 
@@ -518,14 +522,14 @@ func (g *gossipSyncer) processChanRangeReply(msg *lnwire.ReplyChannelRange) erro
 		log.Infof("gossipSyncer(%x): remote peer has no new chans",
 			g.peerPub[:])
 
-		g.state = chansSynced
+		atomic.StoreUint32(&g.state, uint32(chansSynced))
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	// Otherwise, we'll set the set of channels that we need to query for
 	// the next state, and also transition our state.
 	g.newChansToQuery = newChans
-	g.state = queryNewChannels
+	atomic.StoreUint32(&g.state, uint32(queryNewChannels))
 
 	log.Infof("gossipSyncer(%x): starting query for %v new chans",
 		g.peerPub[:], len(newChans))
@@ -852,7 +856,6 @@ func (g *gossipSyncer) FilterGossipMsgs(msgs ...msgWithSenders) {
 					log.Warnf("no channel updates found for "+
 						"short_chan_id=%v",
 						msg.ShortChannelID)
-					msgsToSend = append(msgsToSend, msg)
 					continue
 				}
 			}
@@ -904,3 +907,8 @@ func (g *gossipSyncer) ProcessQueryMsg(msg lnwire.Message) {
 		return
 	}
 }
+
+// SyncerState returns the current syncerState of the target gossipSyncer.
+func (g *gossipSyncer) SyncState() syncerState {
+	return syncerState(atomic.LoadUint32(&g.state))
+}
diff --git a/discovery/syncer_test.go b/discovery/syncer_test.go
index 9bd1c22b..8aa6415c 100644
--- a/discovery/syncer_test.go
+++ b/discovery/syncer_test.go
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ func TestGossipSyncerProcessChanRangeReply(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to process reply: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if syncer.state != queryNewChannels {
+	if syncer.SyncState() != queryNewChannels {
 		t.Fatalf("wrong state: expected %v instead got %v",
 			queryNewChannels, syncer.state)
 	}
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ func TestGossipSyncerProcessChanRangeReply(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to process reply: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if syncer.state != chansSynced {
+	if syncer.SyncState() != chansSynced {
 		t.Fatalf("wrong state: expected %v instead got %v",
 			chansSynced, syncer.state)
 	}