diff --git a/store/store.go b/store/store.go
index 83303fd1..8e81bf30 100644
--- a/store/store.go
+++ b/store/store.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"sync/atomic"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	lru "github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru/v2"
@@ -45,14 +45,13 @@ type Store[H header.Header[H]] struct {
 
 	// writing to datastore
 	//
-	// queue of headers to be written
-	writes chan []H
+	writesMu sync.Mutex
+	// writesPending keeps headers pending to be written in one batch
+	writesPending *batch[H]
+	// queue of batches to be written
+	writesCh chan *batch[H]
 	// signals when writes are finished
 	writesDn chan struct{}
-	// writeHead maintains the current write head
-	writeHead atomic.Pointer[H]
-	// pending keeps headers pending to be written in one batch
-	pending *batch[H]
 
 	Params Parameters
 }
@@ -99,15 +98,15 @@ func newStore[H header.Header[H]](ds datastore.Batching, opts ...Option) (*Store
 	}
 
 	return &Store[H]{
-		ds:          wrappedStore,
-		cache:       cache,
-		metrics:     metrics,
-		heightIndex: index,
-		heightSub:   newHeightSub[H](),
-		writes:      make(chan []H, 16),
-		writesDn:    make(chan struct{}),
-		pending:     newBatch[H](params.WriteBatchSize),
-		Params:      params,
+		ds:            wrappedStore,
+		cache:         cache,
+		metrics:       metrics,
+		heightIndex:   index,
+		heightSub:     newHeightSub[H](),
+		writesCh:      make(chan *batch[H], 4),
+		writesDn:      make(chan struct{}),
+		writesPending: newBatch[H](params.WriteBatchSize),
+		Params:        params,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -126,11 +125,14 @@ func (s *Store[H]) Init(ctx context.Context, initial H) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Start starts or restarts the Store.
 func (s *Store[H]) Start(context.Context) error {
 	// closed s.writesDn means that store was stopped before, recreate chan.
 	select {
 	case <-s.writesDn:
+		s.writesCh = make(chan *batch[H], 4)
 		s.writesDn = make(chan struct{})
+		s.writesPending = newBatch[H](s.Params.WriteBatchSize)
 	default:
 	}
 
@@ -138,19 +140,26 @@ func (s *Store[H]) Start(context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Stop stops the store and cleans up resources.
+// Canceling context while stopping may leave the store in an inconsistent state.
 func (s *Store[H]) Stop(ctx context.Context) error {
+	s.writesMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writesMu.Unlock()
+	// check if store was already stopped
 	select {
 	case <-s.writesDn:
 		return errStoppedStore
 	default:
 	}
-	// signal to prevent further writes to Store
+	// write the pending leftover
 	select {
-	case s.writes <- nil:
+	case s.writesCh <- s.writesPending:
+		// signal closing to flushLoop
+		close(s.writesCh)
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 		return ctx.Err()
 	}
-	// wait till it is done writing
+	// wait till flushLoop is done writing
 	select {
 	case <-s.writesDn:
 	case <-ctx.Done():
@@ -193,7 +202,7 @@ func (s *Store[H]) Get(ctx context.Context, hash header.Hash) (H, error) {
 		return v, nil
 	}
 	// check if the requested header is not yet written on disk
-	if h := s.pending.Get(hash); !h.IsZero() {
+	if h := s.writesPending.Get(hash); !h.IsZero() {
 		return h, nil
 	}
 
@@ -227,7 +236,8 @@ func (s *Store[H]) GetByHeight(ctx context.Context, height uint64) (H, error) {
 	// which means the requested 'height' should be present
 	//
 	// check if the requested header is not yet written on disk
-	if h := s.pending.GetByHeight(height); !h.IsZero() {
+	// TODO: Synchronize with prepareWrite?
+	if h := s.writesPending.GetByHeight(height); !h.IsZero() {
 		return h, nil
 	}
 
@@ -287,7 +297,7 @@ func (s *Store[H]) Has(ctx context.Context, hash header.Hash) (bool, error) {
 		return ok, nil
 	}
 	// check if the requested header is not yet written on disk
-	if ok := s.pending.Has(hash); ok {
+	if ok := s.writesPending.Has(hash); ok {
 		return ok, nil
 	}
 
@@ -304,23 +314,15 @@ func (s *Store[H]) Append(ctx context.Context, headers ...H) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	var err error
 	// take current write head to verify headers against
-	var head H
-	headPtr := s.writeHead.Load()
-	if headPtr == nil {
-		head, err = s.Head(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	} else {
-		head = *headPtr
+	head, err := s.Head(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// collect valid headers
 	verified := make([]H, 0, lh)
 	for i, h := range headers {
-
 		err = head.Verify(h)
 		if err != nil {
 			var verErr *header.VerifyError
@@ -344,27 +346,27 @@ func (s *Store[H]) Append(ctx context.Context, headers ...H) error {
 		head = h
 	}
 
-	onWrite := func() {
-		newHead := verified[len(verified)-1]
-		s.writeHead.Store(&newHead)
-		log.Infow("new head", "height", newHead.Height(), "hash", newHead.Hash())
-		s.metrics.newHead(newHead.Height())
+	// prepare headers to be written
+	toWrite, err := s.prepareWrite(verified)
+	switch {
+	case err != nil:
+		return err
+	case toWrite == nil:
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// queue headers to be written on disk
 	select {
-	case s.writes <- verified:
+	case s.writesCh <- toWrite:
 		// we return an error here after writing,
 		// as there might be an invalid header in between of a given range
-		onWrite()
 		return err
 	default:
 		s.metrics.writesQueueBlocked(ctx)
 	}
-	// if the writes queue is full, we block until it is not
+	// if the writesCh queue is full - we block anyway
 	select {
-	case s.writes <- verified:
-		onWrite()
+	case s.writesCh <- toWrite:
 		return err
 	case <-s.writesDn:
 		return errStoppedStore
@@ -373,28 +375,50 @@ func (s *Store[H]) Append(ctx context.Context, headers ...H) error {
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *Store[H]) prepareWrite(headers []H) (*batch[H], error) {
+	s.writesMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writesMu.Unlock()
+	// check if store was stopped
+	select {
+	case <-s.writesDn:
+		return nil, errStoppedStore
+	default:
+	}
+
+	// keep verified headers as pending writes and ensure they are accessible for reads
+	s.writesPending.Append(headers...)
+	// notify waiters if any
+	// it is important to do Pub after updating pending
+	// so pending is consistent with atomic Height counter on the heightSub
+	s.heightSub.Pub(headers...)
+
+	// TODO: Head advancing
+	// announce our new head
+	newHead := headers[len(headers)-1]
+	s.metrics.newHead(newHead.Height())
+	log.Infow("new head", "height", newHead.Height(), "hash", newHead.Hash())
+
+	// don't flush and continue if pending write batch is not grown enough,
+	if s.writesPending.Len() < s.Params.WriteBatchSize {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	toWrite := s.writesPending
+	s.writesPending = newBatch[H](s.Params.WriteBatchSize)
+	return toWrite, nil
+}
+
 // flushLoop performs writing task to the underlying datastore in a separate routine
-// This way writes are controlled and manageable from one place allowing
-// (1) Appends not to be blocked on long disk IO writes and underlying DB compactions
-// (2) Batching header writes
+// This way writesCh are controlled and manageable from one place allowing
+// (1) Appends not to be blocked on long disk IO writesCh and underlying DB compactions
+// (2) Batching header writesCh
 func (s *Store[H]) flushLoop() {
 	defer close(s.writesDn)
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	for headers := range s.writes {
-		// add headers to the pending and ensure they are accessible
-		s.pending.Append(headers...)
-		// and notify waiters if any + increase current read head height
-		// it is important to do Pub after updating pending
-		// so pending is consistent with atomic Height counter on the heightSub
-		s.heightSub.Pub(headers...)
-		// don't flush and continue if pending batch is not grown enough,
-		// and Store is not stopping(headers == nil)
-		if s.pending.Len() < s.Params.WriteBatchSize && headers != nil {
-			continue
-		}
 
+	for headers := range s.writesCh {
 		startTime := time.Now()
-		toFlush := s.pending.GetAll()
+		toFlush := headers.GetAll()
 
 		for i := 0; ; i++ {
 			err := s.flush(ctx, toFlush...)
@@ -404,25 +428,19 @@ func (s *Store[H]) flushLoop() {
 
 			from, to := toFlush[0].Height(), toFlush[len(toFlush)-1].Height()
 			log.Errorw("writing header batch", "try", i+1, "from", from, "to", to, "err", err)
-			s.metrics.flush(ctx, time.Since(startTime), s.pending.Len(), true)
+			s.metrics.flush(ctx, time.Since(startTime), s.writesPending.Len(), true)
 
 			const maxRetrySleep = time.Second
 			sleep := min(10*time.Duration(i+1)*time.Millisecond, maxRetrySleep)
 			time.Sleep(sleep)
 		}
 
-		s.metrics.flush(ctx, time.Since(startTime), s.pending.Len(), false)
-		// reset pending
-		s.pending.Reset()
-
-		if headers == nil {
-			// a signal to stop
-			return
-		}
+		s.metrics.flush(ctx, time.Since(startTime), s.writesPending.Len(), false)
+		headers.Reset()
 	}
 }
 
-// flush writes the given batch to datastore.
+// flush writesCh the given batch to datastore.
 func (s *Store[H]) flush(ctx context.Context, headers ...H) error {
 	ln := len(headers)
 	if ln == 0 {