diff --git a/light/client.go b/light/client.go
index f741f1bee..5c5b206ce 100644
--- a/light/client.go
+++ b/light/client.go
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ func (c *Client) sequence(
 		} else { // intermediate headers
 			interimHeader, interimVals, err = c.signedHeaderAndValSetFromPrimary(height)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				return ErrVerificationFailed{From: trustedHeader.Height, To: height, Reason: err}
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -644,11 +644,18 @@ func (c *Client) sequence(
 		err = VerifyAdjacent(c.chainID, trustedHeader, interimHeader, interimVals,
 			c.trustingPeriod, now, c.maxClockDrift)
 		if err != nil {
-			err := fmt.Errorf("verify adjacent from #%d to #%d failed: %w",
-				trustedHeader.Height, interimHeader.Height, err)
+			err := ErrVerificationFailed{From: trustedHeader.Height, To: interimHeader.Height, Reason: err}
 
 			switch errors.Unwrap(err).(type) {
 			case ErrInvalidHeader:
+				// If the target header is invalid, return immediately.
+				if err.To == newHeader.Height {
+					c.logger.Debug("Target header is invalid", "err", err)
+					return err
+				}
+
+				// If some intermediate header is invalid, replace the primary and try
+				// again.
 				c.logger.Error("primary sent invalid header -> replacing", "err", err)
 				replaceErr := c.replacePrimaryProvider()
 				if replaceErr != nil {
@@ -656,8 +663,28 @@ func (c *Client) sequence(
 					// return original error
 					return err
 				}
+
+				replacementHeader, replacementVals, fErr := c.signedHeaderAndValSetFromPrimary(newHeader.Height)
+				if fErr != nil {
+					c.logger.Error("Can't fetch header/vals from primary", "err", fErr)
+					// return original error
+					return err
+				}
+
+				if !bytes.Equal(replacementHeader.Hash(), newHeader.Hash()) ||
+					!bytes.Equal(replacementVals.Hash(), newVals.Hash()) {
+					c.logger.Error("Replacement provider has a different header/vals",
+						"newHash", newHeader.Hash(),
+						"newVals", newVals.Hash(),
+						"replHash", replacementHeader.Hash(),
+						"replVals", replacementVals.Hash())
+					// return original error
+					return err
+				}
+
 				// attempt to verify header again
 				height--
+
 				continue
 			default:
 				return err
@@ -728,15 +755,14 @@ func (c *Client) bisection(
 					Height)*bisectionNumerator/bisectionDenominator
 				interimHeader, interimVals, err := c.signedHeaderAndValSetFrom(pivotHeight, source)
 				if err != nil {
-					return err
+					return ErrVerificationFailed{From: trustedHeader.Height, To: pivotHeight, Reason: err}
 				}
 				headerCache = append(headerCache, headerSet{interimHeader, interimVals})
 			}
 			depth++
 
 		default:
-			return fmt.Errorf("verify non adjacent from #%d to #%d failed: %w",
-				trustedHeader.Height, headerCache[depth].sh.Height, err)
+			return ErrVerificationFailed{From: trustedHeader.Height, To: headerCache[depth].sh.Height, Reason: err}
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -755,6 +781,15 @@ func (c *Client) bisectionAgainstPrimary(
 
 	switch errors.Unwrap(err).(type) {
 	case ErrInvalidHeader:
+		// If the target header is invalid, return immediately.
+		invalidHeaderHeight := err.(ErrVerificationFailed).To
+		if invalidHeaderHeight == newHeader.Height {
+			c.logger.Debug("Target header is invalid", "err", err)
+			return err
+		}
+
+		// If some intermediate header is invalid, replace the primary and try
+		// again.
 		c.logger.Error("primary sent invalid header -> replacing", "err", err)
 		replaceErr := c.replacePrimaryProvider()
 		if replaceErr != nil {
diff --git a/light/client_test.go b/light/client_test.go
index a97281a6e..5e0c520bf 100644
--- a/light/client_test.go
+++ b/light/client_test.go
@@ -982,7 +982,7 @@ func TestClientRemovesWitnessIfItSendsUsIncorrectHeader(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, len(c.Witnesses()))
 }
 
-func TestClientTrustedValidatorSet(t *testing.T) {
+func TestClient_TrustedValidatorSet(t *testing.T) {
 	noValSetNode := mockp.New(
 		chainID,
 		headerSet,
@@ -997,7 +997,15 @@ func TestClientTrustedValidatorSet(t *testing.T) {
 
 	badValSetNode := mockp.New(
 		chainID,
-		headerSet,
+		map[int64]*types.SignedHeader{
+			1: h1,
+			// 3/3 signed, but validator set at height 2 below is invalid -> witness
+			// should be removed.
+			2: keys.GenSignedHeaderLastBlockID(chainID, 2, bTime.Add(30*time.Minute), nil, vals, vals,
+				hash("app_hash2"), hash("cons_hash"), hash("results_hash"),
+				0, len(keys), types.BlockID{Hash: h1.Hash()}),
+			3: h3,
+		},
 		map[int64]*types.ValidatorSet{
 			1: vals,
 			2: differentVals,
@@ -1009,19 +1017,16 @@ func TestClientTrustedValidatorSet(t *testing.T) {
 		chainID,
 		trustOptions,
 		noValSetNode,
-		[]provider.Provider{badValSetNode, fullNode, fullNode},
+		[]provider.Provider{fullNode, badValSetNode, fullNode},
 		dbs.New(dbm.NewMemDB(), chainID),
 		light.Logger(log.TestingLogger()),
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, 2, len(c.Witnesses()))
 
-	_, err = c.VerifyHeaderAtHeight(2, bTime.Add(2*time.Hour).Add(1*time.Second))
-	assert.Error(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(c.Witnesses()))
-
 	_, err = c.VerifyHeaderAtHeight(2, bTime.Add(2*time.Hour).Add(1*time.Second))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(c.Witnesses()))
 
 	valSet, height, err := c.TrustedValidatorSet(0)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/light/errors.go b/light/errors.go
index a592d1c60..3846b00b3 100644
--- a/light/errors.go
+++ b/light/errors.go
@@ -56,6 +56,25 @@ func (e ErrConflictingHeaders) Error() string {
 		e.H2.Hash(), e.Witness)
 }
 
+// ErrVerificationFailed means either sequential or skipping verification has
+// failed to verify from header #1 to header #2 due to some reason.
+type ErrVerificationFailed struct {
+	From   int64
+	To     int64
+	Reason error
+}
+
+// Unwrap returns underlying reason.
+func (e ErrVerificationFailed) Unwrap() error {
+	return e.Reason
+}
+
+func (e ErrVerificationFailed) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(
+		"verify from #%d to #%d failed: %v",
+		e.From, e.To, e.Reason)
+}
+
 // errNoWitnesses means that there are not enough witnesses connected to
 // continue running the light client.
 type errNoWitnesses struct{}