diff --git a/api/api_test.go b/api/api_test.go
index 8ff56a1..acdc282 100644
--- a/api/api_test.go
+++ b/api/api_test.go
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ func TestTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	hdbTO := historydb.NewHistoryDB(databaseTO, apiConnConTO)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	// L2DB
-	l2DBTO := l2db.NewL2DB(databaseTO, 10, 1000, 0.0, 24*time.Hour, apiConnConTO)
+	l2DBTO := l2db.NewL2DB(databaseTO, 10, 1000, 1.0, 24*time.Hour, apiConnConTO)
 
 	// API
 	apiGinTO := gin.Default()
diff --git a/api/state.go b/api/state.go
index d5c03b3..f5448ce 100644
--- a/api/state.go
+++ b/api/state.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package api
 import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"math/big"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
@@ -297,10 +298,17 @@ func (a *API) UpdateRecommendedFee() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return tracerr.Wrap(err)
 	}
+	var minFeeUSD float64
+	if a.l2 != nil {
+		minFeeUSD = a.l2.MinFeeUSD()
+	}
 	a.status.Lock()
-	a.status.RecommendedFee.ExistingAccount = feeExistingAccount
-	a.status.RecommendedFee.CreatesAccount = createAccountExtraFeePercentage * feeExistingAccount
-	a.status.RecommendedFee.CreatesAccountAndRegister = createAccountInternalExtraFeePercentage * feeExistingAccount
+	a.status.RecommendedFee.ExistingAccount =
+		math.Max(feeExistingAccount, minFeeUSD)
+	a.status.RecommendedFee.CreatesAccount =
+		math.Max(createAccountExtraFeePercentage*feeExistingAccount, minFeeUSD)
+	a.status.RecommendedFee.CreatesAccountAndRegister =
+		math.Max(createAccountInternalExtraFeePercentage*feeExistingAccount, minFeeUSD)
 	a.status.Unlock()
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/api/state_test.go b/api/state_test.go
index fb7a183..d720859 100644
--- a/api/state_test.go
+++ b/api/state_test.go
@@ -149,7 +149,11 @@ func TestUpdateMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 func TestUpdateRecommendedFee(t *testing.T) {
 	err := api.UpdateRecommendedFee()
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Greater(t, api.status.RecommendedFee.ExistingAccount, float64(0))
+	var minFeeUSD float64
+	if api.l2 != nil {
+		minFeeUSD = api.l2.MinFeeUSD()
+	}
+	assert.Greater(t, api.status.RecommendedFee.ExistingAccount, minFeeUSD)
 	assert.Equal(t, api.status.RecommendedFee.CreatesAccount,
 		api.status.RecommendedFee.ExistingAccount*createAccountExtraFeePercentage)
 	assert.Equal(t, api.status.RecommendedFee.CreatesAccountAndRegister,
diff --git a/db/l2db/l2db.go b/db/l2db/l2db.go
index 518fc03..26a1840 100644
--- a/db/l2db/l2db.go
+++ b/db/l2db/l2db.go
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ func (l2db *L2DB) DB() *sqlx.DB {
 	return l2db.db
 }
 
+// MinFeeUSD returns the minimum fee in USD that is required to accept txs into
+// the pool
+func (l2db *L2DB) MinFeeUSD() float64 {
+	return l2db.minFeeUSD
+}
+
 // AddAccountCreationAuth inserts an account creation authorization into the DB
 func (l2db *L2DB) AddAccountCreationAuth(auth *common.AccountCreationAuth) error {
 	_, err := l2db.db.Exec(
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 1a7d45e..a7874e0 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -649,6 +649,10 @@ func (n *Node) StartNodeAPI() {
 
 	n.wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
+		// Do an initial update on startup
+		if err := n.nodeAPI.api.UpdateMetrics(); err != nil {
+			log.Errorw("API.UpdateMetrics", "err", err)
+		}
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-n.ctx.Done():
@@ -665,6 +669,10 @@ func (n *Node) StartNodeAPI() {
 
 	n.wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
+		// Do an initial update on startup
+		if err := n.nodeAPI.api.UpdateRecommendedFee(); err != nil {
+			log.Errorw("API.UpdateRecommendedFee", "err", err)
+		}
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-n.ctx.Done():