diff --git a/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/lib.rs b/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/lib.rs
index 85d12ed473467..05eac9454473f 100644
--- a/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/lib.rs
@@ -1277,12 +1277,17 @@ impl<T: Config> Pallet<T> {
 		let (messages, hashed_messages) = horizontal_messages.messages();
 		let mut mqc_heads = <LastHrmpMqcHeads<T>>::get();
 
+		Self::prune_closed_mqc_heads(ingress_channels, &mut mqc_heads);
+
 		if messages.is_empty() {
 			Self::check_hrmp_mcq_heads(ingress_channels, &mut mqc_heads);
 			let last_processed_msg =
 				InboundMessageId { sent_at: relay_parent_number, reverse_idx: 0 };
+
 			LastProcessedHrmpMessage::<T>::put(last_processed_msg);
 			HrmpWatermark::<T>::put(relay_parent_number);
+			LastHrmpMqcHeads::<T>::put(&mqc_heads); // write back in case of modification
+
 			return T::DbWeight::get().reads_writes(1, 2);
 		}
 
@@ -1302,7 +1307,9 @@ impl<T: Config> Pallet<T> {
 			}
 			last_processed_msg.sent_at = msg.sent_at;
 		}
-		<LastHrmpMqcHeads<T>>::put(&mqc_heads);
+
+		LastHrmpMqcHeads::<T>::put(&mqc_heads);
+
 		for (sender, msg) in hashed_messages {
 			Self::check_hrmp_message_metadata(
 				ingress_channels,
@@ -1334,6 +1341,19 @@ impl<T: Config> Pallet<T> {
 		weight_used.saturating_add(T::DbWeight::get().reads_writes(2, 3))
 	}
 
+	/// Remove all MQC heads that do not correspond to an open channel.
+	fn prune_closed_mqc_heads(
+		ingress_channels: &[(ParaId, cumulus_primitives_core::AbridgedHrmpChannel)],
+		mqc_heads: &mut BTreeMap<ParaId, MessageQueueChain>,
+	) {
+		// Complexity is O(N * lg N) but could be optimized for O(N)
+		mqc_heads.retain(|para, _| {
+			ingress_channels
+				.binary_search_by_key(para, |&(channel_sender, _)| channel_sender)
+				.is_ok()
+		});
+	}
+
 	/// Drop blocks from the unincluded segment with respect to the latest parachain head.
 	fn maybe_drop_included_ancestors(
 		relay_state_proof: &RelayChainStateProof,
diff --git a/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/tests.rs b/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/tests.rs
index 4b69d674e9eca..c5ede55b5875c 100755
--- a/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/tests.rs
+++ b/cumulus/pallets/parachain-system/src/tests.rs
@@ -1422,6 +1422,106 @@ fn receive_hrmp() {
 		.add(3, || {});
 }
 
+// A channel that was force removed from RC state will clean up any remaining state.
+#[test]
+fn receive_hrmp_channel_suddenly_removed_from_relay_state() {
+	BlockTests::new()
+		.with_relay_sproof_builder(|_, relay_block_num, sproof| match relay_block_num {
+			1 => {
+				// 300 - one new message
+				sproof.upsert_inbound_channel(ParaId::from(300)).mqc_head =
+					Some(MessageQueueChain::default().extend_hrmp(&mk_hrmp(1, 1)).head());
+			},
+			2 => {
+				// 300 - is gone, this should trigger the cleanup
+			},
+			_ => unreachable!(),
+		})
+		.with_inherent_data(|_, relay_block_num, data| match relay_block_num {
+			1 => {
+				data.horizontal_messages.insert(ParaId::from(300), vec![mk_hrmp(1, 1)]);
+			},
+			2 => {},
+			_ => unreachable!(),
+		})
+		.add(1, || {
+			HANDLED_XCMP_MESSAGES.with(|m| {
+				let mut m = m.borrow_mut();
+				assert_eq!(&*m, &[(ParaId::from(300), 1, vec![1])], "Received on channel 300");
+				m.clear();
+			});
+			assert!(
+				LastHrmpMqcHeads::<Test>::get().contains_key(&ParaId::from(300)),
+				"Channel 300 should be present"
+			);
+		})
+		.add(2, || {
+			assert_eq!(
+				LastHrmpMqcHeads::<Test>::get()
+					.into_iter()
+					.map(|(para, _)| para)
+					.collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+				vec![],
+				"Channel 300 should be removed"
+			);
+		});
+}
+
+// Same as above but other code path since another channel contains a message.
+#[test]
+fn receive_hrmp_channel_suddenly_removed_from_relay_state2() {
+	BlockTests::new()
+		.with_relay_sproof_builder(|_, relay_block_num, sproof| match relay_block_num {
+			1 => {
+				// 200 - one new message
+				sproof.upsert_inbound_channel(ParaId::from(200)).mqc_head =
+					Some(MessageQueueChain::default().extend_hrmp(&mk_hrmp(1, 1)).head());
+				// 300 - one new message
+				sproof.upsert_inbound_channel(ParaId::from(300)).mqc_head =
+					Some(MessageQueueChain::default().extend_hrmp(&mk_hrmp(1, 1)).head());
+			},
+			2 => {
+				// 200 - no new messages, mqc stayed the same.
+				sproof.upsert_inbound_channel(ParaId::from(200)).mqc_head =
+					Some(MessageQueueChain::default().extend_hrmp(&mk_hrmp(1, 1)).head());
+				// 300 - is gone, this should trigger the cleanup
+			},
+			_ => unreachable!(),
+		})
+		.with_inherent_data(|_, relay_block_num, data| match relay_block_num {
+			1 => {
+				data.horizontal_messages.insert(ParaId::from(200), vec![mk_hrmp(1, 1)]);
+				data.horizontal_messages.insert(ParaId::from(300), vec![mk_hrmp(1, 1)]);
+			},
+			2 => {},
+			_ => unreachable!(),
+		})
+		.add(1, || {
+			HANDLED_XCMP_MESSAGES.with(|m| {
+				let mut m = m.borrow_mut();
+				assert_eq!(
+					&*m,
+					&[(ParaId::from(200), 1, vec![1]), (ParaId::from(300), 1, vec![1])]
+				);
+				m.clear();
+			});
+			assert!(
+				LastHrmpMqcHeads::<Test>::get().contains_key(&ParaId::from(300)),
+				"Channel 300 should be present"
+			);
+		})
+		.add(2, || {
+			assert_eq!(
+				LastHrmpMqcHeads::<Test>::get()
+					.into_iter()
+					.map(|(para, _)| para)
+					.collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+				vec![ParaId::from(200)],
+				"Channel 300 should be removed but 200 should be present"
+			);
+		});
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn receive_hrmp_empty_channel() {
 	BlockTests::new()
diff --git a/prdoc/pr_10324.prdoc b/prdoc/pr_10324.prdoc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..96217312f60c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prdoc/pr_10324.prdoc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+title: Cleanup HRMP channels that were force removed from RC state
+doc:
+- audience: Runtime Dev
+  description: |-
+    Cleanup old LastHrmpMqcHeads entries when the corresponding channel was remove from RC state
+crates:
+- name: cumulus-pallet-parachain-system
+  bump: patch