diff --git a/activation/handler_v2.go b/activation/handler_v2.go
index 9004e123fc..b4b58b8eb8 100644
--- a/activation/handler_v2.go
+++ b/activation/handler_v2.go
@@ -797,18 +797,32 @@ func (h *HandlerV2) checkDoubleMerge(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, atx *activ
 
 func (h *HandlerV2) checkPrevAtx(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, atx *activationTx) (bool, error) {
 	for id, data := range atx.ids {
-		prevID, err := atxs.PrevIDByNodeID(tx, id, atx.PublishEpoch)
+		expectedPrevID, err := atxs.PrevIDByNodeID(tx, id, atx.PublishEpoch)
 		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNotFound) {
 			return false, fmt.Errorf("get last atx by node id: %w", err)
 		}
-		if prevID == data.previous {
+		if expectedPrevID == data.previous {
 			continue
 		}
 
 		h.logger.Debug("atx references a wrong previous ATX",
 			log.ZShortStringer("smesherID", id),
 			log.ZShortStringer("actual", data.previous),
-			log.ZShortStringer("expected", prevID),
+			log.ZShortStringer("expected", expectedPrevID),
+		)
+
+		atx1, atx2, err := atxs.PrevATXCollision(tx, data.previous, id)
+		switch {
+		case errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNotFound):
+			continue
+		case err != nil:
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("checking for previous ATX collision: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		h.logger.Debug("creating a malfeasance proof for invalid previous ATX",
+			log.ZShortStringer("smesherID", id),
+			log.ZShortStringer("atx1", atx1),
+			log.ZShortStringer("atx2", atx2),
 		)
 
 		// TODO(mafa): finish proof
diff --git a/sql/atxs/atxs.go b/sql/atxs/atxs.go
index fd0c8bc02a..6cfd2c51d9 100644
--- a/sql/atxs/atxs.go
+++ b/sql/atxs/atxs.go
@@ -874,46 +874,26 @@ func IterateAtxIdsWithMalfeasance(
 	return err
 }
 
-type PrevATXCollision struct {
-	NodeID1 types.NodeID
-	ATX1    types.ATXID
-
-	NodeID2 types.NodeID
-	ATX2    types.ATXID
-}
-
-func PrevATXCollisions(db sql.Executor) ([]PrevATXCollision, error) {
-	var result []PrevATXCollision
-
+func PrevATXCollision(db sql.Executor, prev types.ATXID, id types.NodeID) (types.ATXID, types.ATXID, error) {
+	var atxs []types.ATXID
+	enc := func(stmt *sql.Statement) {
+		stmt.BindBytes(1, prev[:])
+		stmt.BindBytes(2, id[:])
+	}
 	dec := func(stmt *sql.Statement) bool {
-		var nodeID1, nodeID2 types.NodeID
-		stmt.ColumnBytes(0, nodeID1[:])
-		stmt.ColumnBytes(1, nodeID2[:])
-
-		var id1, id2 types.ATXID
-		stmt.ColumnBytes(2, id1[:])
-		stmt.ColumnBytes(3, id2[:])
-
-		result = append(result, PrevATXCollision{
-			NodeID1: nodeID1,
-			ATX1:    id1,
-
-			NodeID2: nodeID2,
-			ATX2:    id2,
-		})
-		return true
+		var id types.ATXID
+		stmt.ColumnBytes(0, id[:])
+		atxs = append(atxs, id)
+		return len(atxs) < 2
 	}
-	// we are joining the table with itself to find ATXs with the same prevATX
-	// the WHERE clause ensures that we only get the pairs once
-	if _, err := db.Exec(`
-		SELECT p1.pubkey, p2.pubkey, p1.atxid, p2.atxid
-		FROM posts p1
-		INNER JOIN posts p2 ON p1.prev_atxid = p2.prev_atxid
-		WHERE p1.atxid < p2.atxid;`, nil, dec); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error getting ATXs with same prevATX: %w", err)
+	_, err := db.Exec("SELECT atxid FROM posts WHERE prev_atxid = ?1 AND pubkey = ?2;", enc, dec)
+	if err != nil {
+		return types.EmptyATXID, types.EmptyATXID, fmt.Errorf("error getting ATXs with same prevATX: %w", err)
 	}
-
-	return result, nil
+	if len(atxs) != 2 {
+		return types.EmptyATXID, types.EmptyATXID, sql.ErrNotFound
+	}
+	return atxs[0], atxs[1], nil
 }
 
 func Units(db sql.Executor, atxID types.ATXID, nodeID types.NodeID) (uint32, error) {
diff --git a/sql/atxs/atxs_test.go b/sql/atxs/atxs_test.go
index 77833a9f68..aaebce0755 100644
--- a/sql/atxs/atxs_test.go
+++ b/sql/atxs/atxs_test.go
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ func TestLatest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func Test_PrevATXCollisions(t *testing.T) {
+func Test_PrevATXCollision(t *testing.T) {
 	db := sql.InMemory()
 	sig, err := signing.NewEdSigner()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -1048,29 +1048,29 @@ func Test_PrevATXCollisions(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, atx2, got2)
 
-	// add 10 valid ATXs by 10 other smeshers
+	// add 10 valid ATXs by 10 other smeshers, using the same previous but no collision
+	var otherIds []types.NodeID
 	for i := 2; i < 6; i++ {
 		otherSig, err := signing.NewEdSigner()
 		require.NoError(t, err)
+		otherIds = append(otherIds, otherSig.NodeID())
 
-		atx, blob := newAtx(t, otherSig, withPublishEpoch(types.EpochID(i)))
-		require.NoError(t, atxs.Add(db, atx, blob))
-
-		atx2, blob2 := newAtx(t, otherSig,
-			withPublishEpoch(types.EpochID(i+1)),
-		)
+		atx2, blob2 := newAtx(t, otherSig, withPublishEpoch(types.EpochID(i+1)))
 		require.NoError(t, atxs.Add(db, atx2, blob2))
-		require.NoError(t, atxs.SetPost(db, atx2.ID(), atx.ID(), 0, sig.NodeID(), 10))
+		require.NoError(t, atxs.SetPost(db, atx2.ID(), prevATXID, 0, atx2.SmesherID, 10))
 	}
 
-	// get the collisions
-	got, err := atxs.PrevATXCollisions(db)
+	collision1, collision2, err := atxs.PrevATXCollision(db, prevATXID, sig.NodeID())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Len(t, got, 1)
+	require.ElementsMatch(t, []types.ATXID{atx1.ID(), atx2.ID()}, []types.ATXID{collision1, collision2})
+
+	_, _, err = atxs.PrevATXCollision(db, types.RandomATXID(), sig.NodeID())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, sql.ErrNotFound)
 
-	require.Equal(t, sig.NodeID(), got[0].NodeID1)
-	require.Equal(t, sig.NodeID(), got[0].NodeID2)
-	require.ElementsMatch(t, []types.ATXID{atx1.ID(), atx2.ID()}, []types.ATXID{got[0].ATX1, got[0].ATX2})
+	for _, id := range append(otherIds, types.RandomNodeID()) {
+		_, _, err := atxs.PrevATXCollision(db, prevATXID, id)
+		require.ErrorIs(t, err, sql.ErrNotFound)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestCoinbase(t *testing.T) {