diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/filter/filter.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/filter/filter.ts
index 146fcd73c2..f76203fbfb 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/filter/filter.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/filter/filter.ts
@@ -42,20 +42,30 @@ export class FilterCore {
 
   public constructor(
     private handleIncomingMessage: IncomingMessageHandler,
-    libp2p: Libp2p
+    private libp2p: Libp2p
   ) {
     this.streamManager = new StreamManager(
       FilterCodecs.SUBSCRIBE,
       libp2p.components
     );
+  }
 
-    libp2p
-      .handle(FilterCodecs.PUSH, this.onRequest.bind(this), {
+  public async start(): Promise<void> {
+    try {
+      await this.libp2p.handle(FilterCodecs.PUSH, this.onRequest.bind(this), {
         maxInboundStreams: 100
-      })
-      .catch((e) => {
-        log.error("Failed to register ", FilterCodecs.PUSH, e);
       });
+    } catch (e) {
+      log.error("Failed to register ", FilterCodecs.PUSH, e);
+    }
+  }
+
+  public async stop(): Promise<void> {
+    try {
+      await this.libp2p.unhandle(FilterCodecs.PUSH);
+    } catch (e) {
+      log.error("Failed to unregister ", FilterCodecs.PUSH, e);
+    }
   }
 
   public async subscribe(
diff --git a/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts b/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts
index 1eff38e21b..cf383fcf4e 100644
--- a/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts
+++ b/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@ import type { Callback } from "./protocols.js";
 export type IFilter = {
   readonly multicodec: string;
 
+  /**
+   * Starts the filter protocol.
+   */
+  start(): Promise<void>;
+
+  /**
+   * Stops the filter protocol.
+   */
+  stop(): Promise<void>;
+
   /**
    * Subscribes to messages that match the filtering criteria defined in the specified decoders.
    * Executes a callback upon receiving each message.
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/filter/filter.ts b/packages/sdk/src/filter/filter.ts
index 43895fab7c..4d12f8d32d 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/filter/filter.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/filter/filter.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@ export class Filter implements IFilter {
     return this.protocol.multicodec;
   }
 
+  public async start(): Promise<void> {
+    await this.protocol.start();
+  }
+
+  public async stop(): Promise<void> {
+    await this.protocol.stop();
+  }
+
   public unsubscribeAll(): void {
     for (const subscription of this.subscriptions.values()) {
       subscription.stop();
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/waku/waku.ts b/packages/sdk/src/waku/waku.ts
index 4f89080215..a568474b1a 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/waku/waku.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/waku/waku.ts
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ export class WakuNode implements IWaku {
     this._nodeStateLock = true;
 
     await this.libp2p.start();
+    await this.filter?.start();
     this.connectionManager.start();
     this.peerManager.start();
     this.healthIndicator.start();
@@ -231,6 +232,7 @@ export class WakuNode implements IWaku {
     this._nodeStateLock = true;
 
     this.lightPush?.stop();
+    await this.filter?.stop();
     this.healthIndicator.stop();
     this.peerManager.stop();
     this.connectionManager.stop();