diff --git a/src/net_processing.cpp b/src/net_processing.cpp
index b896c8ef58927..8b68cb3368617 100644
--- a/src/net_processing.cpp
+++ b/src/net_processing.cpp
@@ -1699,8 +1699,7 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, std::string strCommand, CDataStream& vR
                     MarkBlockAsReceived(hashBlock);
                     mapBlockSource.emplace(hashBlock, pfrom->GetId());
                 }
-                bool fAccepted = true;
-                ProcessNewBlock(pblock, nullptr, &fAccepted);
+                ProcessNewBlock(pblock, nullptr);
                 //disconnect this node if its old protocol version
                 pfrom->DisconnectOldProtocol(pfrom->nVersion, ActiveProtocol(), strCommand);
             } else {
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index af15f8933e925..e9714c0eb9d8e 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -3307,7 +3307,7 @@ static bool AcceptBlock(const CBlock& block, CValidationState& state, CBlockInde
     return true;
 }
 
-bool ProcessNewBlock(const std::shared_ptr<const CBlock> pblock, const FlatFilePos* dbp, bool* fAccepted)
+bool ProcessNewBlock(const std::shared_ptr<const CBlock>& pblock, const FlatFilePos* dbp)
 {
     AssertLockNotHeld(cs_main);
 
@@ -3327,7 +3327,6 @@ bool ProcessNewBlock(const std::shared_ptr<const CBlock> pblock, const FlatFileP
         // Store to disk
         CBlockIndex* pindex = nullptr;
         bool ret = AcceptBlock(*pblock, state, &pindex, dbp);
-        if (fAccepted) *fAccepted = ret;
         CheckBlockIndex();
         if (!ret) {
             GetMainSignals().BlockChecked(*pblock, state);
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index 9dc3d4bfb6f86..5b44ce052c3ae 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -167,10 +167,9 @@ extern CBlockIndex* pindexBestHeader;
  *
  * @param[in]   pblock     The block we want to process.
  * @param[out]  dbp        The already known disk position of pblock, or nullptr if not yet stored.
- * @param[out]  fAccepted  Whether the block is accepted or not
  * @return True if state.IsValid()
  */
-bool ProcessNewBlock(const std::shared_ptr<const CBlock> pblock, const FlatFilePos* dbp, bool* fAccepted = nullptr);
+bool ProcessNewBlock(const std::shared_ptr<const CBlock>& pblock, const FlatFilePos* dbp);
 
 /** Open a block file (blk?????.dat) */
 FILE* OpenBlockFile(const FlatFilePos& pos, bool fReadOnly = false);