diff --git a/crates/e2e-test-utils/src/payload.rs b/crates/e2e-test-utils/src/payload.rs
index 4e185ce969..89867e66a3 100644
--- a/crates/e2e-test-utils/src/payload.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e-test-utils/src/payload.rs
@@ -54,12 +54,20 @@ impl<T: PayloadTypes> PayloadTestContext<T> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Wait until the best built payload is ready
+    /// Wait until the best built payload is ready.
+    ///
+    /// Panics if the payload builder does not produce a non-empty payload within 30 seconds.
     pub async fn wait_for_built_payload(&self, payload_id: PayloadId) {
+        let start = std::time::Instant::now();
         loop {
             let payload =
                 self.payload_builder.best_payload(payload_id).await.transpose().ok().flatten();
             if payload.is_none_or(|p| p.block().body().transactions().is_empty()) {
+                assert!(
+                    start.elapsed() < std::time::Duration::from_secs(30),
+                    "timed out waiting for a non-empty payload for {payload_id} — \
+                     check that the chain spec supports all generated tx types"
+                );
                 tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(20)).await;
                 continue
             }
diff --git a/crates/ethereum/node/tests/e2e/eth.rs b/crates/ethereum/node/tests/e2e/eth.rs
index 183643b7d7..1be9b1e593 100644
--- a/crates/ethereum/node/tests/e2e/eth.rs
+++ b/crates/ethereum/node/tests/e2e/eth.rs
@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ async fn test_sparse_trie_reuse_across_blocks() -> eyre::Result<()> {
                 .chain(MAINNET.chain)
                 .genesis(serde_json::from_str(include_str!("../assets/genesis.json")).unwrap())
                 .cancun_activated()
+                .prague_activated()
                 .build(),
         ),
         false,