diff --git a/bin/reth/src/node/mod.rs b/bin/reth/src/node/mod.rs
index 46d09f4bb7..cbf57dde32 100644
--- a/bin/reth/src/node/mod.rs
+++ b/bin/reth/src/node/mod.rs
@@ -693,9 +693,7 @@ impl Command {
                         max_changes: stage_conf.execution.max_changes,
                         max_changesets: stage_conf.execution.max_changesets,
                     },
-                ))
-                .disable_if(StageId::MerkleUnwind, || self.auto_mine)
-                .disable_if(StageId::MerkleExecute, || self.auto_mine),
+                )),
             )
             .build(db);
 
diff --git a/crates/consensus/auto-seal/src/task.rs b/crates/consensus/auto-seal/src/task.rs
index c9e7825cd4..65cdf3eb79 100644
--- a/crates/consensus/auto-seal/src/task.rs
+++ b/crates/consensus/auto-seal/src/task.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ where
                         receipts_root: Default::default(),
                         withdrawals_root: None,
                         logs_bloom: Default::default(),
-                        difficulty: U256::from(1),
+                        difficulty: U256::from(2),
                         number: storage.best_block + 1,
                         gas_limit: 30_000_000,
                         gas_used: 0,
@@ -182,6 +182,11 @@ where
 
                     match executor.execute_transactions(&block, U256::ZERO, Some(senders.clone())) {
                         Ok((post_state, gas_used)) => {
+                            // apply post block changes
+                            let post_state = executor
+                                .apply_post_block_changes(&block, U256::ZERO, post_state)
+                                .unwrap();
+
                             let Block { mut header, body, .. } = block;
 
                             // clear all transactions from pool
@@ -202,11 +207,15 @@ where
                                 BlockBody { transactions: body, ommers: vec![], withdrawals: None };
                             header.gas_used = gas_used;
 
+                            trace!(target: "consensus::auto", ?post_state, ?header, ?body, "executed block, calculating root");
+
                             // calculate the state root
                             let state_root =
                                 executor.db().db.0.state_root(post_state.clone()).unwrap();
                             header.state_root = state_root;
 
+                            trace!(target: "consensus::auto", root=?header.state_root, ?body, "calculated root");
+
                             storage.insert_new_block(header.clone(), body);
 
                             let new_hash = storage.best_hash;
diff --git a/crates/revm/src/executor.rs b/crates/revm/src/executor.rs
index fb5d338bdb..d9ca094488 100644
--- a/crates/revm/src/executor.rs
+++ b/crates/revm/src/executor.rs
@@ -271,6 +271,27 @@ where
 
         Ok((post_state, cumulative_gas_used))
     }
+
+    /// Applies the post-block changes, assuming the poststate is generated after executing
+    /// tranactions
+    pub fn apply_post_block_changes(
+        &mut self,
+        block: &Block,
+        total_difficulty: U256,
+        mut post_state: PostState,
+    ) -> Result<PostState, BlockExecutionError> {
+        // Add block rewards
+        let balance_increments = self.post_block_balance_increments(block, total_difficulty);
+        for (address, increment) in balance_increments.into_iter() {
+            self.increment_account_balance(block.number, address, increment, &mut post_state)?;
+        }
+
+        // Perform DAO irregular state change
+        if self.chain_spec.fork(Hardfork::Dao).transitions_at_block(block.number) {
+            self.apply_dao_fork_changes(block.number, &mut post_state)?;
+        }
+        Ok(post_state)
+    }
 }
 
 impl<DB> BlockExecutor<DB> for Executor<DB>
@@ -283,7 +304,7 @@ where
         total_difficulty: U256,
         senders: Option<Vec<Address>>,
     ) -> Result<PostState, BlockExecutionError> {
-        let (mut post_state, cumulative_gas_used) =
+        let (post_state, cumulative_gas_used) =
             self.execute_transactions(block, total_difficulty, senders)?;
 
         // Check if gas used matches the value set in header.
@@ -295,17 +316,7 @@ where
             .into())
         }
 
-        // Add block rewards
-        let balance_increments = self.post_block_balance_increments(block, total_difficulty);
-        for (address, increment) in balance_increments.into_iter() {
-            self.increment_account_balance(block.number, address, increment, &mut post_state)?;
-        }
-
-        // Perform DAO irregular state change
-        if self.chain_spec.fork(Hardfork::Dao).transitions_at_block(block.number) {
-            self.apply_dao_fork_changes(block.number, &mut post_state)?;
-        }
-        Ok(post_state)
+        self.apply_post_block_changes(block, total_difficulty, post_state)
     }
 
     fn execute_and_verify_receipt(