diff --git a/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer.go b/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer.go
index 71213b1dcdd..97852aa3bcd 100644
--- a/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer.go
+++ b/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer.go
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ func (fhps *FullHistoryPruningStorer) getOrOpenPersister(epoch uint32) (storage.
 		}
 
 		fhps.oldEpochsActivePersistersCache.Put([]byte(epochString), newPdata, 0)
+		log.Trace("full history pruning storer - init new storer", "epoch", epoch)
 		fhps.persistersMapByEpoch[epoch] = newPdata
 
 		return newPdata.getPersister(), nil
diff --git a/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer_test.go b/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer_test.go
index 0e0d43877e8..d1274499bb9 100644
--- a/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer_test.go
+++ b/storage/pruning/fullHistoryPruningStorer_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/multiversx/mx-chain-go/storage/factory"
 	"github.com/multiversx/mx-chain-go/storage/pathmanager"
 	"github.com/multiversx/mx-chain-go/storage/pruning"
+	"github.com/multiversx/mx-chain-go/testscommon"
 	logger "github.com/multiversx/mx-chain-logger-go"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -399,3 +400,33 @@ func TestFullHistoryPruningStorer_IsInterfaceNil(t *testing.T) {
 	fhps, _ = pruning.NewFullHistoryPruningStorer(fhArgs)
 	require.False(t, fhps.IsInterfaceNil())
 }
+
+func TestFullHistoryPruningStorer_changeEpochClosesOldDbs(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	shouldCleanCalled := false
+	args := getDefaultArgs()
+	fhArgs := pruning.FullHistoryStorerArgs{
+		StorerArgs:               args,
+		NumOfOldActivePersisters: 2,
+	}
+	fhArgs.OldDataCleanerProvider = &testscommon.OldDataCleanerProviderStub{
+		ShouldCleanCalled: func() bool {
+			shouldCleanCalled = true
+			return true
+		},
+	}
+	fhps, err := pruning.NewFullHistoryPruningStorer(fhArgs)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+
+	numEpochsChanged := 10
+	startEpoch := uint32(0)
+	for i := 0; i < numEpochsChanged; i++ {
+		startEpoch++
+		key := []byte(fmt.Sprintf("key-%d", i))
+		_, _ = fhps.GetFromEpoch(key, startEpoch)
+		err = fhps.ChangeEpochSimple(startEpoch)
+		require.Nil(t, err)
+	}
+	require.True(t, shouldCleanCalled)
+}
diff --git a/storage/pruning/pruningStorer.go b/storage/pruning/pruningStorer.go
index 2007454a7c8..d40680e5c87 100644
--- a/storage/pruning/pruningStorer.go
+++ b/storage/pruning/pruningStorer.go
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ func (ps *PruningStorer) changeEpoch(header data.HeaderHandler) error {
 		}
 		log.Debug("change epoch pruning storer success", "persister", ps.identifier, "epoch", epoch)
 
-		return nil
+		return ps.removeOldPersistersIfNeeded(header)
 	}
 
 	shardID := core.GetShardIDString(ps.shardCoordinator.SelfId())
@@ -802,6 +802,11 @@ func (ps *PruningStorer) changeEpoch(header data.HeaderHandler) error {
 	ps.activePersisters = append(singleItemPersisters, ps.activePersisters...)
 	ps.persistersMapByEpoch[epoch] = newPersister
 
+	return ps.removeOldPersistersIfNeeded(header)
+}
+
+func (ps *PruningStorer) removeOldPersistersIfNeeded(header data.HeaderHandler) error {
+	epoch := header.GetEpoch()
 	wasExtended := ps.extendSavedEpochsIfNeeded(header)
 	if wasExtended {
 		if len(ps.activePersisters) > int(ps.numOfActivePersisters) {
@@ -814,11 +819,12 @@ func (ps *PruningStorer) changeEpoch(header data.HeaderHandler) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	err = ps.closeAndDestroyPersisters(epoch)
+	err := ps.closeAndDestroyPersisters(epoch)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warn("closing persisters", "error", err.Error())
 		return err
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }