diff --git a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/BuyerAsTakerProtocol.java b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/BuyerAsTakerProtocol.java
index 927997e611..46724fd847 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/BuyerAsTakerProtocol.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/BuyerAsTakerProtocol.java
@@ -98,14 +98,22 @@ public class BuyerAsTakerProtocol extends BuyerProtocol implements TakerProtocol
 
     @Override
     public void handleInitTradeRequest(InitTradeRequest message,
-                                       NodeAddress peer) {
-        log.info(TradeProtocol.LOG_HIGHLIGHT + "handleInitTradeRequest() for {} {} from {}", trade.getClass().getSimpleName(), trade.getShortId(), peer);
+                                       NodeAddress sender) {
+        log.info(TradeProtocol.LOG_HIGHLIGHT + "handleInitTradeRequest() for {} {} from {}", trade.getClass().getSimpleName(), trade.getShortId(), sender);
         ThreadUtils.execute(() -> {
             synchronized (trade.getLock()) {
+
+                // ignore if assigned a different arbitrator
+                NodeAddress nodeAddress = trade.getArbitrator().getNodeAddress();
+                if (nodeAddress != null && !nodeAddress.equals(sender)) {
+                    log.warn("Ignoring InitTradeRequest because sender is not the arbitrator for the trade, tradeId={}, sender={}", message.getOfferId(), sender);
+                    return;
+                }
+
                 latchTrade();
                 expect(phase(Trade.Phase.INIT)
                         .with(message)
-                        .from(peer))
+                        .from(sender))
                         .setup(tasks(
                                 ApplyFilter.class,
                                 ProcessInitTradeRequest.class,
@@ -113,10 +121,10 @@ public class BuyerAsTakerProtocol extends BuyerProtocol implements TakerProtocol
                         .using(new TradeTaskRunner(trade,
                                 () -> {
                                     startTimeout();
-                                    handleTaskRunnerSuccess(peer, message);
+                                    handleTaskRunnerSuccess(sender, message);
                                 },
                                 errorMessage -> {
-                                    handleTaskRunnerFault(peer, message, errorMessage);
+                                    handleTaskRunnerFault(sender, message, errorMessage);
                                 }))
                         .withTimeout(TRADE_STEP_TIMEOUT_SECONDS))
                         .executeTasks(true);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/SellerAsTakerProtocol.java b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/SellerAsTakerProtocol.java
index f4914efe60..cd7c347bc3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/SellerAsTakerProtocol.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/SellerAsTakerProtocol.java
@@ -98,14 +98,22 @@ public class SellerAsTakerProtocol extends SellerProtocol implements TakerProtoc
 
     @Override
     public void handleInitTradeRequest(InitTradeRequest message,
-                                       NodeAddress peer) {
-        log.info(TradeProtocol.LOG_HIGHLIGHT + "handleInitTradeRequest() for {} {} from {}", trade.getClass().getSimpleName(), trade.getShortId(), peer);
+                                       NodeAddress sender) {
+        log.info(TradeProtocol.LOG_HIGHLIGHT + "handleInitTradeRequest() for {} {} from {}", trade.getClass().getSimpleName(), trade.getShortId(), sender);
         ThreadUtils.execute(() -> {
             synchronized (trade.getLock()) {
+
+                // ignore if assigned a different arbitrator
+                NodeAddress nodeAddress = trade.getArbitrator().getNodeAddress();
+                if (nodeAddress != null && !nodeAddress.equals(sender)) {
+                    log.warn("Ignoring InitTradeRequest because sender is not the arbitrator for the trade, tradeId={}, sender={}", message.getOfferId(), sender);
+                    return;
+                }
+
                 latchTrade();
                 expect(phase(Trade.Phase.INIT)
                         .with(message)
-                        .from(peer))
+                        .from(sender))
                         .setup(tasks(
                                 ApplyFilter.class,
                                 ProcessInitTradeRequest.class,
@@ -113,10 +121,10 @@ public class SellerAsTakerProtocol extends SellerProtocol implements TakerProtoc
                         .using(new TradeTaskRunner(trade,
                                 () -> {
                                     startTimeout();
-                                    handleTaskRunnerSuccess(peer, message);
+                                    handleTaskRunnerSuccess(sender, message);
                                 },
                                 errorMessage -> {
-                                    handleTaskRunnerFault(peer, message, errorMessage);
+                                    handleTaskRunnerFault(sender, message, errorMessage);
                                 }))
                         .withTimeout(TRADE_STEP_TIMEOUT_SECONDS))
                         .executeTasks(true);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/tasks/ProcessInitTradeRequest.java b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/tasks/ProcessInitTradeRequest.java
index a97017d1c2..136846e232 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/tasks/ProcessInitTradeRequest.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/trade/protocol/tasks/ProcessInitTradeRequest.java
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ public class ProcessInitTradeRequest extends TradeTask {
                 if (request.getTradePrice() != trade.getPrice().getValue()) throw new RuntimeException("Trade price does not match request's trade price");
                 Arbitrator arbitrator = processModel.getUser().getAcceptedArbitratorByAddress(request.getArbitratorNodeAddress());
                 if (arbitrator == null) throw new RuntimeException("Arbitrator is not accepted by taker");
+                if (trade.getArbitrator().getNodeAddress() != null && !trade.getArbitrator().getNodeAddress().equals(request.getArbitratorNodeAddress())) throw new RuntimeException("Trade's arbitrator node address does not match request");
                 trade.getArbitrator().setNodeAddress(request.getArbitratorNodeAddress());
                 trade.getArbitrator().setPubKeyRing(arbitrator.getPubKeyRing());
                 sender = trade.getTradePeer(processModel.getTempTradePeerNodeAddress());