diff --git a/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md b/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
index 47e69e918..7823a664d 100644
--- a/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
+++ b/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
@@ -191,25 +191,22 @@ def process_block(state: BeaconState, block: BeaconBlock) -> None:
     process_eth1_data(state, block.body)
     process_operations(state, block.body)
     if is_execution_enabled(state, block.body):
-        # [New in Merge]
-        randao_mix = get_randao_mix(state, get_current_epoch(state))
-        process_execution_payload(state, block.body.execution_payload, randao_mix, EXECUTION_ENGINE)
+        process_execution_payload(state, block.body.execution_payload, EXECUTION_ENGINE)  # [New in Merge]
 ```
 
 ### Execution payload processing
 
 #### `process_execution_payload`
 
+*Note:* This function depends on `process_randao` function call as it retrieves the most recent randao mix from the `state`. Implementations that are considering parallel processing of execution payload with respect to beacon chain state transition function should work around this dependency.
+
 ```python
-def process_execution_payload(state: BeaconState,
-                              payload: ExecutionPayload,
-                              randao_mix: Bytes32,
-                              execution_engine: ExecutionEngine) -> None:
+def process_execution_payload(state: BeaconState, payload: ExecutionPayload, execution_engine: ExecutionEngine) -> None:
     # Verify consistency of the parent hash, block number and random
     if is_merge_complete(state):
         assert payload.parent_hash == state.latest_execution_payload_header.block_hash
         assert payload.block_number == state.latest_execution_payload_header.block_number + uint64(1)
-        assert payload.random == randao_mix
+        assert payload.random == get_randao_mix(state, get_current_epoch(state))
     # Verify timestamp
     assert payload.timestamp == compute_timestamp_at_slot(state, state.slot)
     # Verify the execution payload is valid
@@ -241,7 +238,6 @@ def process_execution_payload(state: BeaconState,
 def initialize_beacon_state_from_eth1(eth1_block_hash: Bytes32,
                                       eth1_timestamp: uint64,
                                       deposits: Sequence[Deposit]) -> BeaconState:
-    randao_seed = eth1_block_hash
     fork = Fork(
         previous_version=GENESIS_FORK_VERSION,
         current_version=MERGE_FORK_VERSION,  # [Modified in Merge]
@@ -252,7 +248,7 @@ def initialize_beacon_state_from_eth1(eth1_block_hash: Bytes32,
         fork=fork,
         eth1_data=Eth1Data(block_hash=eth1_block_hash, deposit_count=uint64(len(deposits))),
         latest_block_header=BeaconBlockHeader(body_root=hash_tree_root(BeaconBlockBody())),
-        randao_mixes=[randao_seed] * EPOCHS_PER_HISTORICAL_VECTOR,  # Seed RANDAO with Eth1 entropy
+        randao_mixes=[eth1_block_hash] * EPOCHS_PER_HISTORICAL_VECTOR,  # Seed RANDAO with Eth1 entropy
     )
 
     # Process deposits
@@ -276,7 +272,7 @@ def initialize_beacon_state_from_eth1(eth1_block_hash: Bytes32,
     # [New in Merge] Initialize the execution payload header (with block number set to 0)
     state.latest_execution_payload_header.block_hash = eth1_block_hash
     state.latest_execution_payload_header.timestamp = eth1_timestamp
-    state.latest_execution_payload_header.random = randao_seed
+    state.latest_execution_payload_header.random = eth1_block_hash
 
     return state
 ```
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py
index 41fa3117d..1ef63eaaf 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-def build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state):
-    return build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state, spec.Bytes32())
-
-
-def build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state, random):
+def build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state, randao_mix=None):
     """
     Assuming a pre-state of the same slot, build a valid ExecutionPayload without any transactions.
     """
@@ -10,6 +6,9 @@ def build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state, random):
     timestamp = spec.compute_time_at_slot(state, state.slot)
     empty_txs = spec.List[spec.Transaction, spec.MAX_TRANSACTIONS_PER_PAYLOAD]()
 
+    if randao_mix is None:
+        randao_mix = spec.get_randao_mix(state, spec.get_current_epoch(state))
+
     payload = spec.ExecutionPayload(
         parent_hash=latest.block_hash,
         coinbase=spec.Bytes20(),
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ def build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state, random):
         receipt_root=b"no receipts here" + b"\x00" * 16,  # TODO: root of empty MPT may be better.
         logs_bloom=spec.ByteVector[spec.BYTES_PER_LOGS_BLOOM](),  # TODO: zeroed logs bloom for empty logs ok?
         block_number=latest.block_number + 1,
-        random=random,
+        random=randao_mix,
         gas_limit=latest.gas_limit,  # retain same limit
         gas_used=0,  # empty block, 0 gas
         timestamp=timestamp,
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py
index 4f6c98705..15c69f2dd 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.execution_payload import (
-    build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random,
+    build_empty_execution_payload,
     get_execution_payload_header,
     build_state_with_incomplete_transition,
     build_state_with_complete_transition,
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ def run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=True,
     yield 'execution', {'execution_valid': execution_valid}
     yield 'execution_payload', execution_payload
 
-    randao_mix = spec.Bytes32()
     called_new_block = False
 
     class TestEngine(spec.NoopExecutionEngine):
@@ -34,11 +33,11 @@ def run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=True,
 
     if not valid:
         expect_assertion_error(
-            lambda: spec.process_execution_payload(state, execution_payload, randao_mix, TestEngine()))
+            lambda: spec.process_execution_payload(state, execution_payload, TestEngine()))
         yield 'post', None
         return
 
-    spec.process_execution_payload(state, execution_payload, randao_mix, TestEngine())
+    spec.process_execution_payload(state, execution_payload, TestEngine())
 
     # Make sure we called the engine
     assert called_new_block
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ def test_success_first_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload)
 
@@ -69,7 +68,7 @@ def test_success_regular_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload)
 
@@ -83,7 +82,7 @@ def test_success_first_payload_with_gap_slot(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload)
 
@@ -97,7 +96,7 @@ def test_success_regular_payload_with_gap_slot(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload)
 
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ def test_bad_execution_first_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False, execution_valid=False)
 
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ def test_bad_execution_regular_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False, execution_valid=False)
 
@@ -140,7 +139,7 @@ def test_bad_parent_hash_regular_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
     execution_payload.parent_hash = spec.Hash32()
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False)
@@ -154,7 +153,7 @@ def test_bad_number_regular_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
     execution_payload.block_number = execution_payload.block_number + 1
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False)
@@ -168,7 +167,7 @@ def test_bad_everything_regular_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
     execution_payload.parent_hash = spec.Hash32()
     execution_payload.block_number = execution_payload.block_number + 1
 
@@ -183,7 +182,7 @@ def test_bad_timestamp_first_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
     execution_payload.timestamp = execution_payload.timestamp + 1
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False)
@@ -197,7 +196,7 @@ def test_bad_timestamp_regular_payload(spec, state):
     next_slot(spec, state)
 
     # execution payload
-    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload_with_zeroed_random(spec, state)
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
     execution_payload.timestamp = execution_payload.timestamp + 1
 
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False)