diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go
index 968b9af1ee..2a3bbccda0 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block.go
@@ -605,11 +605,16 @@ func (s *Service) validateMergeTransitionBlock(ctx context.Context, stateVersion
 	}
 
 	// Skip validation if the block is not a merge transition block.
-	atTransition, err := blocks.IsMergeTransitionBlockUsingPreStatePayloadHeader(stateHeader, blk.Block().Body())
+	// To reach here. The payload must be non-empty. If the state header is empty then it's at transition.
+	wh, err := wrapper.WrappedExecutionPayloadHeader(stateHeader)
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not check if merge block is terminal")
+		return err
 	}
-	if !atTransition {
+	empty, err := wrapper.IsEmptyExecutionData(wh)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !empty {
 		return nil
 	}
 	return s.validateMergeBlock(ctx, blk)
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
index f89c5d7bec..5dbe3ebb59 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
@@ -1622,7 +1622,7 @@ func Test_validateMergeTransitionBlock(t *testing.T) {
 			payload: &enginev1.ExecutionPayload{
 				ParentHash: aHash[:],
 			},
-			errString: "nil header or block body",
+			errString: "attempted to wrap nil object",
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go
index 821cb538f0..627621edca 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go
@@ -49,27 +49,6 @@ func IsMergeTransitionComplete(st state.BeaconState) (bool, error) {
 	return !isEmpty, nil
 }
 
-// IsMergeTransitionBlockUsingPreStatePayloadHeader returns true if the input block is the terminal merge block.
-// Terminal merge block must be associated with an empty payload header.
-// This assumes the header `h` is referenced as the parent state for block body `body.
-func IsMergeTransitionBlockUsingPreStatePayloadHeader(h *enginev1.ExecutionPayloadHeader, body interfaces.BeaconBlockBody) (bool, error) {
-	if h == nil || body == nil {
-		return false, errors.New("nil header or block body")
-	}
-	wrappedHeader, err := wrapper.WrappedExecutionPayloadHeader(h)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-	isEmpty, err := wrapper.IsEmptyExecutionData(wrappedHeader)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-	if !isEmpty {
-		return false, nil
-	}
-	return IsExecutionBlock(body)
-}
-
 // IsExecutionBlock returns whether the block has a non-empty ExecutionPayload.
 //
 // Spec code:
diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go
index 570adb76b1..cc2aad8043 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go
@@ -171,185 +171,6 @@ func Test_IsMergeComplete(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func Test_IsMergeTransitionBlockUsingPayloadHeader(t *testing.T) {
-	tests := []struct {
-		name    string
-		payload *enginev1.ExecutionPayload
-		header  *enginev1.ExecutionPayloadHeader
-		want    bool
-	}{
-		{
-			name:    "empty header, empty payload",
-			payload: emptyPayload(),
-			header:  emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:    false,
-		},
-		{
-			name:    "non-empty header, empty payload",
-			payload: emptyPayload(),
-			header: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayloadHeader {
-				h := emptyPayloadHeader()
-				h.ParentHash = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return h
-			}(),
-			want: false,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has parent hash",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.ParentHash = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has fee recipient",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.FeeRecipient = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.FeeRecipientLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has state root",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.StateRoot = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has receipt root",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.ReceiptsRoot = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has logs bloom",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.LogsBloom = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.LogsBloomLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has random",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.PrevRandao = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has base fee",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.BaseFeePerGas = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has block hash",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.BlockHash = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has tx",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.Transactions = [][]byte{{'a'}}
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has extra data",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.ExtraData = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has block number",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.BlockNumber = 1
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has gas limit",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.GasLimit = 1
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has gas used",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.GasUsed = 1
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty header, payload has timestamp",
-			payload: func() *enginev1.ExecutionPayload {
-				p := emptyPayload()
-				p.Timestamp = 1
-				return p
-			}(),
-			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
-			want:   true,
-		},
-	}
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			blk := util.NewBeaconBlockBellatrix()
-			blk.Block.Body.ExecutionPayload = tt.payload
-			body, err := wrapper.WrappedBeaconBlockBody(blk.Block.Body)
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-			got, err := blocks.IsMergeTransitionBlockUsingPreStatePayloadHeader(tt.header, body)
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-			if got != tt.want {
-				t.Errorf("MergeTransitionBlock() got = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
 func Test_IsExecutionBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name    string