diff --git a/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim b/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim
index 8e8027e2b..8b78c5a8d 100644
--- a/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim
+++ b/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
     check:
       response.status == 400
       $response.contentType == $MIMETYPE_TEXT
-      response.data == fmt"Failed to publish: Message size exceeded maximum of {DefaultMaxWakuMessageSizeStr}"
+      response.data == fmt"Failed to publish: Message size exceeded maximum of {MaxWakuMessageSize} bytes"
 
     await restServer.stop()
     await restServer.closeWait()
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
     check:
       response.status == 400
       $response.contentType == $MIMETYPE_TEXT
-      response.data == fmt"Failed to publish: Message size exceeded maximum of {DefaultMaxWakuMessageSizeStr}"
+      response.data == fmt"Failed to publish: Message size exceeded maximum of {MaxWakuMessageSize} bytes"
 
     await restServer.stop()
     await restServer.closeWait()
diff --git a/waku/waku_relay/protocol.nim b/waku/waku_relay/protocol.nim
index 3544ea55f..cef60cb13 100644
--- a/waku/waku_relay/protocol.nim
+++ b/waku/waku_relay/protocol.nim
@@ -216,21 +216,15 @@ proc generateOrderedValidator*(w: WakuRelay): auto {.gcsafe.} =
     return ValidationResult.Accept
   return wrappedValidator
 
-proc isValidSize(message: WakuMessage): Future[Result[void, string]] {.async.} =
-  let messageSizeBytes = uint64(message.encode().buffer.len)
-
-  if(messageSizeBytes > MaxWakuMessageSize):
-      let message = fmt"Message size exceeded maximum of {DefaultMaxWakuMessageSizeStr}"
-      debug "Invalid Waku Message", error=message
-      return err(message)
-    
-  return ok()
-
 proc validateMessage*(w: WakuRelay, pubsubTopic: string, msg: WakuMessage):
   Future[Result[void, string]] {.async.} =
 
-    (await msg.isValidSize()).isOkOr:
-      return err(error)
+    let messageSizeBytes = msg.encode().buffer.len
+
+    if messageSizeBytes > w.maxMessageSize:
+      let message = fmt"Message size exceeded maximum of {w.maxMessageSize} bytes"
+      debug "Invalid Waku Message", error=message
+      return err(message)
 
     for (validator, message) in w.wakuValidators:
         let validatorRes = await validator(pubsubTopic, msg)