diff --git a/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts b/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts
index b615c9ade5..94d9efdab9 100644
--- a/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts
+++ b/packages/interfaces/src/filter.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ export type IFilterSDK = IReceiver &
       message: WakuMessage,
       peerIdStr: PeerIdStr
     ) => void;
+    readonly defaultHandleIncomingMessage: (
+      pubsubTopic: ContentTopic,
+      message: WakuMessage,
+      peerIdStr: PeerIdStr
+    ) => void;
   };
 
 export type SubscribeResult = SubscriptionSuccess | SubscriptionError;
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/protocols/filter/index.ts b/packages/sdk/src/protocols/filter/index.ts
index b830c26ecf..2acd1c4fe2 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/protocols/filter/index.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/protocols/filter/index.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class FilterSDK extends BaseProtocolSDK implements IFilterSDK {
 
   public activeSubscriptions = new Map<PubsubTopic, SubscriptionManager>();
 
-  public handleIncomingMessage = (
+  public readonly defaultHandleIncomingMessage = (
     pubsubTopic: PubsubTopic,
     message: WakuMessage,
     peerIdStr: PeerIdStr
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ class FilterSDK extends BaseProtocolSDK implements IFilterSDK {
     void subscription.processIncomingMessage(message);
   };
 
+  public handleIncomingMessage = this.defaultHandleIncomingMessage;
+
   public constructor(
     connectionManager: ConnectionManager,
     libp2p: Libp2p,
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@ class FilterSDK extends BaseProtocolSDK implements IFilterSDK {
     ) => void
   ): void {
     this.handleIncomingMessage = handler;
+    this.protocol.incomingMessageHandler = handler;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/protocols/message_reliability_monitor.ts b/packages/sdk/src/protocols/message_reliability_monitor.ts
index baff2a96eb..ee49cf5cb2 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/protocols/message_reliability_monitor.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/protocols/message_reliability_monitor.ts
@@ -38,10 +38,7 @@ export class MessageReliabilityMonitor {
       all: new Set(),
       nodes: {}
     };
-    this.initializeListeners();
-  }
 
-  private initializeListeners(): void {
     this.filter.setIncomingMessageHandler(this.handleFilterMessage.bind(this));
   }
 
@@ -61,7 +58,7 @@ export class MessageReliabilityMonitor {
 
     void this.validatePreviousMessage();
 
-    this.filter.handleIncomingMessage(pubsubTopic, message, peerIdStr);
+    this.filter.defaultHandleIncomingMessage(pubsubTopic, message, peerIdStr);
   }
 
   private isMessageAlreadyReceived(