diff --git a/logos_delivery/waku/rln/proof.nim b/logos_delivery/waku/rln/proof.nim
index 8cf303e38..10a5fff6d 100644
--- a/logos_delivery/waku/rln/proof.nim
+++ b/logos_delivery/waku/rln/proof.nim
@@ -71,6 +71,27 @@ proc generateRLNProof*(
     return err("could not generate rln-v2 proof: " & $error)
   return ok(proof.encode().buffer)
 
+proc generateRLNProofWithRootRefresh*(
+    rln: Rln, input: seq[byte], senderEpochTime: float64
+): Future[Result[seq[byte], string]] {.async.} =
+  ## Generates an RLN proof and self-validates its merkle root against the
+  ## acceptable-root window. If the cached path has slid out of that window
+  ## (typical after a long inactivity or on-chain group churn), force-refreshes
+  ## the merkle path and regenerates the proof once. Returns the proof bytes
+  ## the caller can attach to the message.
+  let proofBytes = (await rln.generateRLNProof(input, senderEpochTime)).valueOr:
+    return err(error)
+
+  let rlnProof = RateLimitProof.init(proofBytes).valueOr:
+    return err("could not decode proof for root check: " & $error)
+
+  if await rln.groupManager.validateRoot(rlnProof.merkleRoot):
+    return ok(proofBytes)
+
+  info "RLN: stale merkle root detected; force-refreshing merkle path"
+  return
+    await rln.generateRLNProof(input, senderEpochTime, forceMerkleProofRefresh = true)
+
 proc checkAndGenerateRLNProof*(
     rln: Option[Rln],
     message: WakuMessage,
diff --git a/logos_delivery/waku/rln/rln.nim b/logos_delivery/waku/rln/rln.nim
index 99f88cccb..fa952822b 100644
--- a/logos_delivery/waku/rln/rln.nim
+++ b/logos_delivery/waku/rln/rln.nim
@@ -233,23 +233,11 @@ proc mount(
     proc(
         msg: WakuMessage, senderEpochTime: float64
     ): Future[Result[RequestGenerateRlnProof, string]] {.async.} =
-      let proofBytes = (await rln.generateRLNProof(msg.toRLNSignal(), senderEpochTime)).valueOr:
-        return err("Could not create RLN proof: " & error)
-
-      let rlnProof = RateLimitProof.init(proofBytes).valueOr:
-        return err("Could not decode RLN proof for root check: " & $error)
-      if await rln.groupManager.validateRoot(rlnProof.merkleRoot):
-        return ok(RequestGenerateRlnProof(proof: proofBytes))
-
-      # Cached merkle proof path root has slid out of the valid window; force-refresh and regenerate
-      info "RLN broker provider: stale merkle root detected; force-refreshing merkle path"
-      let retryProof = (
-        await rln.generateRLNProof(
-          msg.toRLNSignal(), senderEpochTime, forceMerkleProofRefresh = true
-        )
+      let proofBytes = (
+        await rln.generateRLNProofWithRootRefresh(msg.toRLNSignal(), senderEpochTime)
       ).valueOr:
-        return err("Could not create RLN proof on retry: " & error)
-      return ok(RequestGenerateRlnProof(proof: retryProof)),
+        return err("Could not create RLN proof: " & error)
+      return ok(RequestGenerateRlnProof(proof: proofBytes)),
   ).isOkOr:
     return err("Proof generator provider cannot be set: " & $error)