diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/data_availability_checker.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/data_availability_checker.rs
index d6cc8d8947..4dbc634b24 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/data_availability_checker.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/data_availability_checker.rs
@@ -617,48 +617,45 @@ impl<T: BeaconChainTypes> DataAvailabilityChecker<T> {
             ));
         };
 
-        let data_columns_to_publish = all_data_columns
-            .into_iter()
-            .filter(|d| !existing_column_indices.contains(&d.index()))
-            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-
-        let Some(slot) = data_columns_to_publish
-            .first()
-            .map(|d| d.as_data_column().slot())
-        else {
+        let Some(slot) = all_data_columns.first().map(|d| d.as_data_column().slot()) else {
             return Ok(DataColumnReconstructionResult::RecoveredColumnsNotImported(
                 "No new columns to import and publish",
             ));
         };
 
+        let columns_to_sample = self
+            .custody_context()
+            .sampling_columns_for_epoch(slot.epoch(T::EthSpec::slots_per_epoch()), &self.spec);
+
+        // We only need to import and publish columns that we need to sample
+        // and columns that we haven't already received
+        let data_columns_to_import_and_publish = all_data_columns
+            .into_iter()
+            .filter(|d| {
+                columns_to_sample.contains(&d.index())
+                    && !existing_column_indices.contains(&d.index())
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
         metrics::stop_timer(timer);
         metrics::inc_counter_by(
             &metrics::DATA_AVAILABILITY_RECONSTRUCTED_COLUMNS,
-            data_columns_to_publish.len() as u64,
+            data_columns_to_import_and_publish.len() as u64,
         );
 
         debug!(
-            count = data_columns_to_publish.len(),
+            count = data_columns_to_import_and_publish.len(),
             ?block_root,
             %slot,
             "Reconstructed columns"
         );
 
-        let columns_to_sample = self
-            .custody_context()
-            .sampling_columns_for_epoch(slot.epoch(T::EthSpec::slots_per_epoch()), &self.spec);
-        let data_columns_to_import: Vec<_> = data_columns_to_publish
-            .iter()
-            .filter(|column| columns_to_sample.contains(&column.index()))
-            .cloned()
-            .collect();
-
         self.availability_cache
-            .put_kzg_verified_data_columns(*block_root, data_columns_to_import)
+            .put_kzg_verified_data_columns(*block_root, data_columns_to_import_and_publish.clone())
             .map(|availability| {
                 DataColumnReconstructionResult::Success((
                     availability,
-                    data_columns_to_publish
+                    data_columns_to_import_and_publish
                         .into_iter()
                         .map(|d| d.clone_arc())
                         .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
@@ -1163,8 +1160,8 @@ mod test {
         // Remaining 64 columns should be reconstructed
         assert_eq!(
             reconstructed_columns.len(),
-            64,
-            "should reconstruct the remaining 64 columns"
+            sampling_requirement - spec.number_of_custody_groups as usize / 2,
+            "should reconstruct the remaining 1 columns"
         );
 
         // Only the columns required for custody (65) should be imported into the cache
diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/metrics.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/metrics.rs
index 0d34ffdcd1..8f1da7b67b 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/metrics.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/metrics.rs
@@ -1875,7 +1875,7 @@ pub static DATA_AVAILABILITY_RECONSTRUCTED_COLUMNS: LazyLock<Result<IntCounter>>
     LazyLock::new(|| {
         try_create_int_counter(
             "beacon_data_availability_reconstructed_columns_total",
-            "Total count of reconstructed columns",
+            "Total count of useful reconstructed columns",
         )
     });