diff --git a/src/mapeo-manager.js b/src/mapeo-manager.js
index a4bc8d42..4d02c247 100644
--- a/src/mapeo-manager.js
+++ b/src/mapeo-manager.js
@@ -792,6 +792,9 @@ export class MapeoManager extends TypedEmitter {
     // in the config store - defining the name of the project.
     // TODO: Enforce adding a project name in the invite method
     const isConfigSynced = configState.want === 0 && configState.have > 0
+    if (isRoleSynced && ownRole.sync.config === 'blocked' && isAuthSynced) {
+      return true
+    }
     if (
       isRoleSynced &&
       isProjectSettingsSynced &&
@@ -803,6 +806,7 @@ export class MapeoManager extends TypedEmitter {
       this.#l.log(
         'Pending initial sync: role %s, projectSettings %o, auth %o, config %o',
         isRoleSynced,
+        isProjectSettingsSynced,
         isAuthSynced,
         isConfigSynced
       )
@@ -811,12 +815,15 @@ export class MapeoManager extends TypedEmitter {
       /** @param {import('./sync/sync-state.js').State} syncState */
       const onSyncState = (syncState) => {
         clearTimeout(timeoutId)
-        if (syncState.auth.dataToSync || syncState.config.dataToSync) {
+        if (
+          syncState.auth.dataToSync ||
+          (syncState.config.dataToSync && ownRole.sync.config === 'allowed')
+        ) {
           timeoutId = setTimeout(onTimeout, timeoutMs)
           return
         }
         project.$sync[kSyncState].off('state', onSyncState)
-        resolve(this.#waitForInitialSync(project, { timeoutMs }))
+        this.#waitForInitialSync(project, { timeoutMs }).then(resolve, reject)
       }
       const onTimeout = () => {
         project.$sync[kSyncState].off('state', onSyncState)
diff --git a/test-e2e/sync.js b/test-e2e/sync.js
index f696792b..0aa95872 100644
--- a/test-e2e/sync.js
+++ b/test-e2e/sync.js
@@ -900,6 +900,8 @@ test('no sync capabilities === no namespaces sync apart from auth', async (t) =>
   const [invitor, invitee, blocked] = managers
   const disconnect1 = connectPeers(managers)
 
+  t.after(() => disconnect1())
+
   const projectId = await invitor.createProject({ name: 'Mapeo' })
 
   await invite({
@@ -919,6 +921,8 @@ test('no sync capabilities === no namespaces sync apart from auth', async (t) =>
     managers.map((m) => m.getProject(projectId))
   )
 
+  t.after(() => Promise.all(projects.map((p) => p.close())))
+
   const [invitorProject, inviteeProject] = projects
 
   assert.equal(
@@ -955,18 +959,15 @@ test('no sync capabilities === no namespaces sync apart from auth', async (t) =>
   assert.equal(blockedState.data.localState.have, 0) // no data docs synced
 
   for (const ns of NAMESPACES) {
-    assert.equal(invitorState[ns].coreCount, 3, ns)
-    assert.equal(inviteeState[ns].coreCount, 3, ns)
-    assert.equal(blockedState[ns].coreCount, 3, ns)
+    assert.equal(invitorState[ns].coreCount, 3, `invitor got cores for ${ns}`)
+    assert.equal(inviteeState[ns].coreCount, 3, `invitee got cores for ${ns}`)
+    assert.equal(blockedState[ns].coreCount, 3, `blocked got cores for ${ns}`)
     assert.deepEqual(
       invitorState[ns].localState,
       inviteeState[ns].localState,
-      ns
+      `invitor/invitee have same local state for ${ns}`
     )
   }
-
-  await disconnect1()
-  await Promise.all(projects.map((p) => p.close()))
 })
 
 test('Sync state emitted when starting and stopping sync', async function (t) {