diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go
index 7b4a112e24..4b30818503 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go
@@ -111,6 +111,11 @@ func (s *Service) onBlock(ctx context.Context, signed block.SignedBeaconBlock, b
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not verify new payload")
 	}
 
+	// TODO(10261) Check optimistic status
+	if err := s.savePostStateInfo(ctx, blockRoot, signed, postState, false /* reg sync */, false /*optimistic sync*/); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// We add a proposer score boost to fork choice for the block root if applicable, right after
 	// running a successful state transition for the block.
 	if err := s.cfg.ForkChoiceStore.BoostProposerRoot(
@@ -119,11 +124,6 @@ func (s *Service) onBlock(ctx context.Context, signed block.SignedBeaconBlock, b
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// TODO(10261) Check optimistic status
-	if err := s.savePostStateInfo(ctx, blockRoot, signed, postState, false /* reg sync */, false /*optimistic sync*/); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// If slasher is configured, forward the attestations in the block via
 	// an event feed for processing.
 	if features.Get().EnableSlasher {
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
index 688c6d471e..2a2dede2f0 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
@@ -229,6 +229,24 @@ func TestStore_OnBlock_DoublyLinkedTree(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestStore_OnBlock_ProposerBoostEarly(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	beaconDB := testDB.SetupDB(t)
+	fcs := doublylinkedtree.New(0, 0)
+	opts := []Option{
+		WithStateGen(stategen.New(beaconDB)),
+		WithForkChoiceStore(fcs),
+	}
+
+	service, err := NewService(ctx, opts...)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, service.cfg.ForkChoiceStore.BoostProposerRoot(ctx, 0, [32]byte{'A'}, time.Now()))
+	_, err = service.cfg.ForkChoiceStore.Head(ctx, 0,
+		params.BeaconConfig().ZeroHash, []uint64{}, 0)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, "could not apply proposer boost score: invalid proposer boost root", err)
+}
+
 func TestStore_OnBlockBatch_ProtoArray(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	beaconDB := testDB.SetupDB(t)