diff --git a/src/komodo.h b/src/komodo.h
index 0cf395c51..702de9d67 100644
--- a/src/komodo.h
+++ b/src/komodo.h
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ void komodo_connectblock(CBlockIndex *pindex,CBlock& block)
         txn_count = block.vtx.size();
         for (i=0; i<txn_count; i++)
         {
-            if ( is_STAKED(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL) != 0 && staked_era == 0 ) {
+            if ( (is_STAKED(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL) != 0 && staked_era == 0) || (is_STAKED(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL) == 255) ) {
                 // in era gap no point checking any invlaid notarisations.
                 break;
             }
diff --git a/src/notaries_staked.cpp b/src/notaries_staked.cpp
index ad1a2132f..5e52a0db1 100644
--- a/src/notaries_staked.cpp
+++ b/src/notaries_staked.cpp
@@ -14,15 +14,14 @@ int8_t is_STAKED(const char *chain_name) {
   static int8_t STAKED,doneinit;
   if (doneinit == 1 && ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL[0] != 0)
     return(STAKED);
-  if ( (strcmp(chain_name, "LABS") == 0) || (strncmp(chain_name, "LABS", 4) == 0) )
+  if ( (strcmp(chain_name, "LABS") == 0) || (strcmp(chain_name, "PAYME") == 0) )
     STAKED = 1;
-  else if ( (strcmp(chain_name, "LABT2") == 0) || (strncmp(chain_name, "LABT2", 3) == 0) )
+  else if ( (strncmp(chain_name, "LABS", 4) == 0) )
     STAKED = 2;
   else if ( (strcmp(chain_name, "CFEK") == 0) || (strncmp(chain_name, "CFEK", 4) == 0) )
     STAKED =  3;
-  else 
-    STAKED = 0;
-  //fprintf(stderr, "This chain is: %s which is: %d\n", chain_name,STAKED);
+  else if ( (strcmp(chain_name, "THIS_CHAIN_IS_BANNED") == 0) )
+    STAKED = 255; // This means that all notarisations for chains that are in 255 group are invalid. 
   doneinit = 1;
   return(STAKED);
 };
diff --git a/src/notarisationdb.cpp b/src/notarisationdb.cpp
index 3b0746d80..201743dbd 100644
--- a/src/notarisationdb.cpp
+++ b/src/notarisationdb.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ NotarisationsInBlock ScanBlockNotarisations(const CBlock &block, int nHeight)
             if (staked_era == 0) {
               // this is an ERA GAP, so we will ignore this notarization
               continue;
+             if ( is_STAKED(data.symbol) == 255 )
+              // this chain is banned... we will discard its notarisation. 
+              continue;
             } else {
               // pass era slection off to notaries_staked.cpp file
               auth_STAKED = Choose_auth_STAKED(staked_era);