diff --git a/libraries/chain/controller.cpp b/libraries/chain/controller.cpp
index 167a5875b6..11a38855b4 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/controller.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/controller.cpp
@@ -3524,6 +3524,9 @@ void controller::set_disable_replay_opts( bool v ) {
 uint32_t controller::head_block_num()const {
    return my->head->block_num();
 }
+block_timestamp_type controller::head_block_timestamp()const {
+   return my->head->header.timestamp;
+}
 time_point controller::head_block_time()const {
    return my->head->header.timestamp;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/controller.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/controller.hpp
index 09c3679db8..8c4bfebac7 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/controller.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/controller.hpp
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ namespace eosio::chain {
 
          uint32_t             head_block_num()const;
          time_point           head_block_time()const;
+         block_timestamp_type head_block_timestamp()const;
          block_id_type        head_block_id()const;
          account_name         head_block_producer()const;
          const block_header&  head_block_header()const;
diff --git a/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp b/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp
index 234c3e09f8..d64884a2a4 100644
--- a/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp
@@ -734,9 +734,8 @@ class producer_plugin_impl : public std::enable_shared_from_this<producer_plugin
          handle_error(fc::std_exception_wrapper::from_current_exception(e));
       }
 
-      const auto& hb = chain.head_block();
       now             = fc::time_point::now();
-      if (hb && hb->timestamp.next().to_time_point() >= now) {
+      if (chain.head_block_timestamp().next().to_time_point() >= now) {
          _production_enabled = true;
       }
 
@@ -748,7 +747,8 @@ class producer_plugin_impl : public std::enable_shared_from_this<producer_plugin
               ("net", br.total_net_usage)("cpu", br.total_cpu_usage_us)
               ("elapsed", br.total_elapsed_time)("time", br.total_time)("latency", (now - block->timestamp).count() / 1000));
          const auto& hb_id = chain.head_block_id();
-         if (chain.get_read_mode() != db_read_mode::IRREVERSIBLE && hb_id != id && hb != nullptr) { // not applied to head
+         const auto& hb = chain.head_block();
+         if (chain.get_read_mode() != db_read_mode::IRREVERSIBLE && hb && hb_id != id && hb != nullptr) { // not applied to head
             ilog("Block not applied to head ${id}... #${n} @ ${t} signed by ${p} "
                  "[trxs: ${count}, lib: ${lib}, net: ${net}, cpu: ${cpu}, elapsed: ${elapsed}, time: ${time}, latency: ${latency} ms]",
                  ("p", hb->producer)("id", hb_id.str().substr(8, 16))("n", hb->block_num())("t", hb->timestamp)