diff --git a/nodebuilder/core/config.go b/nodebuilder/core/config.go
index c0261c7c86..d0455be86c 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/core/config.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/core/config.go
@@ -18,14 +18,18 @@ type Config struct {
 // node's connection to a Celestia-Core endpoint.
 func DefaultConfig() Config {
 	return Config{
-		IP:       "0.0.0.0",
-		RPCPort:  "0",
-		GRPCPort: "0",
+		IP:       "",
+		RPCPort:  "",
+		GRPCPort: "",
 	}
 }
 
 // Validate performs basic validation of the config.
 func (cfg *Config) Validate() error {
+	if !cfg.IsEndpointConfigured() {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	ip, err := utils.ValidateAddr(cfg.IP)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -41,3 +45,9 @@ func (cfg *Config) Validate() error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// IsEndpointConfigured returns whether a core endpoint has been set
+// on the config (true if set).
+func (cfg *Config) IsEndpointConfigured() bool {
+	return cfg.IP != ""
+}
diff --git a/nodebuilder/fraud/lifecycle.go b/nodebuilder/fraud/lifecycle.go
index 24ed402f5d..cffa4d0f56 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/fraud/lifecycle.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/fraud/lifecycle.go
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ type ServiceBreaker[S service] struct {
 // Start starts the inner service if there are no fraud proofs stored.
 // Subscribes for fraud and stops the service whenever necessary.
 func (breaker *ServiceBreaker[S]) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if breaker == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	proofs, err := breaker.FraudServ.Get(ctx, breaker.FraudType)
 	switch err {
 	default:
@@ -57,6 +61,10 @@ func (breaker *ServiceBreaker[S]) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 // Stop stops the service and cancels subscription.
 func (breaker *ServiceBreaker[S]) Stop(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if breaker == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	if breaker.ctx.Err() != nil {
 		// short circuit if the service was already stopped
 		return nil
diff --git a/nodebuilder/module.go b/nodebuilder/module.go
index 51edc26c72..719705e35c 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/module.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/module.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func ConstructModule(tp node.Type, network p2p.Network, cfg *Config, store Store
 		fx.Supply(signer),
 		// modules provided by the node
 		p2p.ConstructModule(tp, &cfg.P2P),
-		state.ConstructModule(tp, &cfg.State),
+		state.ConstructModule(tp, &cfg.State, &cfg.Core),
 		header.ConstructModule(tp, &cfg.Header),
 		share.ConstructModule(tp, &cfg.Share),
 		rpc.ConstructModule(tp, &cfg.RPC),
diff --git a/nodebuilder/node_light_test.go b/nodebuilder/node_light_test.go
index a7a70d0622..7138a23c9e 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/node_light_test.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/node_light_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package nodebuilder
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	nodebuilder "github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/nodebuilder/node"
 	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/nodebuilder/p2p"
+	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/nodebuilder/state"
 )
 
 func TestNewLightWithP2PKey(t *testing.T) {
@@ -44,3 +46,11 @@ func TestLight_WithNetwork(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(t, node)
 	assert.Equal(t, p2p.Private, node.Network)
 }
+
+// TestLight_WithStubbedCoreAccessor ensures that a node started without
+// a core connection will return a stubbed StateModule.
+func TestLight_WithStubbedCoreAccessor(t *testing.T) {
+	node := TestNode(t, nodebuilder.Light)
+	_, err := node.StateServ.Balance(context.Background())
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, state.ErrNoStateAccess, err)
+}
diff --git a/nodebuilder/node_test.go b/nodebuilder/node_test.go
index f481162b5c..3fc3f4f02a 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/node_test.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/node_test.go
@@ -43,14 +43,8 @@ func TestLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
 			err := node.Start(ctx)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			// ensure the state service is running
-			require.False(t, node.StateServ.IsStopped(ctx))
-
 			err = node.Stop(ctx)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
-
-			// ensure the state service is stopped
-			require.True(t, node.StateServ.IsStopped(ctx))
 		})
 	}
 }
@@ -96,14 +90,8 @@ func TestLifecycle_WithMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 			err := node.Start(ctx)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			// ensure the state service is running
-			require.False(t, node.StateServ.IsStopped(ctx))
-
 			err = node.Stop(ctx)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
-
-			// ensure the state service is stopped
-			require.True(t, node.StateServ.IsStopped(ctx))
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/nodebuilder/settings.go b/nodebuilder/settings.go
index b2a29723db..97440fa7dc 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/settings.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/settings.go
@@ -74,7 +74,12 @@ func WithMetrics(metricOpts []otlpmetrichttp.Option, nodeType node.Type) fx.Opti
 	baseComponents := fx.Options(
 		fx.Supply(metricOpts),
 		fx.Invoke(initializeMetrics),
-		fx.Invoke(state.WithMetrics),
+		fx.Invoke(func(ca *state.CoreAccessor) {
+			if ca == nil {
+				return
+			}
+			state.WithMetrics(ca)
+		}),
 		fx.Invoke(fraud.WithMetrics),
 		fx.Invoke(node.WithMetrics),
 		fx.Invoke(modheader.WithMetrics),
diff --git a/nodebuilder/state/core.go b/nodebuilder/state/core.go
index a3eb7f7b6d..4636e0f099 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/state/core.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/state/core.go
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ func coreAccessor(
 	signer *apptypes.KeyringSigner,
 	sync *sync.Syncer[*header.ExtendedHeader],
 	fraudServ libfraud.Service,
-) (*state.CoreAccessor, *modfraud.ServiceBreaker[*state.CoreAccessor]) {
+) (*state.CoreAccessor, Module, *modfraud.ServiceBreaker[*state.CoreAccessor]) {
 	ca := state.NewCoreAccessor(signer, sync, corecfg.IP, corecfg.RPCPort, corecfg.GRPCPort)
 
-	return ca, &modfraud.ServiceBreaker[*state.CoreAccessor]{
+	return ca, ca, &modfraud.ServiceBreaker[*state.CoreAccessor]{
 		Service:   ca,
 		FraudType: byzantine.BadEncoding,
 		FraudServ: fraudServ,
diff --git a/nodebuilder/state/module.go b/nodebuilder/state/module.go
index 24305dabe1..fe90d023eb 100644
--- a/nodebuilder/state/module.go
+++ b/nodebuilder/state/module.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 	"go.uber.org/fx"
 
+	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/libs/fxutil"
+	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/nodebuilder/core"
 	modfraud "github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/nodebuilder/fraud"
 	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/nodebuilder/node"
 	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/state"
@@ -15,14 +17,14 @@ var log = logging.Logger("module/state")
 
 // ConstructModule provides all components necessary to construct the
 // state service.
-func ConstructModule(tp node.Type, cfg *Config) fx.Option {
+func ConstructModule(tp node.Type, cfg *Config, coreCfg *core.Config) fx.Option {
 	// sanitize config values before constructing module
 	cfgErr := cfg.Validate()
 
 	baseComponents := fx.Options(
 		fx.Supply(*cfg),
 		fx.Error(cfgErr),
-		fx.Provide(fx.Annotate(
+		fxutil.ProvideIf(coreCfg.IsEndpointConfigured(), fx.Annotate(
 			coreAccessor,
 			fx.OnStart(func(ctx context.Context, breaker *modfraud.ServiceBreaker[*state.CoreAccessor]) error {
 				return breaker.Start(ctx)
@@ -31,9 +33,8 @@ func ConstructModule(tp node.Type, cfg *Config) fx.Option {
 				return breaker.Stop(ctx)
 			}),
 		)),
-		// the module is needed for the handler
-		fx.Provide(func(ca *state.CoreAccessor) Module {
-			return ca
+		fxutil.ProvideIf(!coreCfg.IsEndpointConfigured(), func() (*state.CoreAccessor, Module) {
+			return nil, &stubbedStateModule{}
 		}),
 	)
 
diff --git a/nodebuilder/state/stub.go b/nodebuilder/state/stub.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..94326fed5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nodebuilder/state/stub.go
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+package state
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/staking/types"
+
+	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/blob"
+	"github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node/state"
+)
+
+var ErrNoStateAccess = errors.New("node is running without state access")
+
+// stubbedStateModule provides a stub for the state module to return
+// errors when state endpoints are accessed without a running connection
+// to a core endpoint.
+type stubbedStateModule struct{}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) IsStopped(context.Context) bool {
+	return true
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) AccountAddress(context.Context) (state.Address, error) {
+	return state.Address{}, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) Balance(context.Context) (*state.Balance, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) BalanceForAddress(
+	context.Context,
+	state.Address,
+) (*state.Balance, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) Transfer(
+	_ context.Context,
+	_ state.AccAddress,
+	_, _ state.Int,
+	_ uint64,
+) (*state.TxResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) SubmitTx(context.Context, state.Tx) (*state.TxResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) SubmitPayForBlob(
+	context.Context,
+	state.Int,
+	uint64,
+	[]*blob.Blob,
+) (*state.TxResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) CancelUnbondingDelegation(
+	_ context.Context,
+	_ state.ValAddress,
+	_, _, _ state.Int,
+	_ uint64,
+) (*state.TxResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) BeginRedelegate(
+	_ context.Context,
+	_, _ state.ValAddress,
+	_, _ state.Int,
+	_ uint64,
+) (*state.TxResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) Undelegate(
+	_ context.Context,
+	_ state.ValAddress,
+	_, _ state.Int,
+	_ uint64,
+) (*state.TxResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) Delegate(
+	_ context.Context,
+	_ state.ValAddress,
+	_, _ state.Int,
+	_ uint64,
+) (*state.TxResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) QueryDelegation(
+	context.Context,
+	state.ValAddress,
+) (*types.QueryDelegationResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) QueryUnbonding(
+	context.Context,
+	state.ValAddress,
+) (*types.QueryUnbondingDelegationResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
+
+func (s stubbedStateModule) QueryRedelegations(
+	_ context.Context,
+	_, _ state.ValAddress,
+) (*types.QueryRedelegationsResponse, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoStateAccess
+}
diff --git a/state/core_access.go b/state/core_access.go
index 3fefaa3ed9..1a50b15b72 100644
--- a/state/core_access.go
+++ b/state/core_access.go
@@ -90,7 +90,11 @@ func (ca *CoreAccessor) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	// dial given celestia-core endpoint
 	endpoint := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", ca.coreIP, ca.grpcPort)
-	client, err := grpc.DialContext(ctx, endpoint, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()))
+	client, err := grpc.DialContext(
+		ctx,
+		endpoint,
+		grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()),
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}