diff --git a/crates/primitives/src/chain/spec.rs b/crates/primitives/src/chain/spec.rs
index a3a0f06fe5..3ea29f0f29 100644
--- a/crates/primitives/src/chain/spec.rs
+++ b/crates/primitives/src/chain/spec.rs
@@ -221,11 +221,11 @@ impl ChainSpec {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Returns the final difficulty if the given block number is after the Paris hardfork.
+    /// Returns the final total difficulty if the given block number is after the Paris hardfork.
     ///
     /// Note: technically this would also be valid for the block before the paris upgrade, but this
     /// edge case is omitted here.
-    pub fn final_paris_difficulty(&self, block_number: u64) -> Option<U256> {
+    pub fn final_paris_total_difficulty(&self, block_number: u64) -> Option<U256> {
         self.paris_block_and_final_difficulty.and_then(|(activated_at, final_difficulty)| {
             if block_number >= activated_at {
                 Some(final_difficulty)
diff --git a/crates/storage/provider/src/providers/database/provider.rs b/crates/storage/provider/src/providers/database/provider.rs
index e24d467042..d4d3f332a1 100644
--- a/crates/storage/provider/src/providers/database/provider.rs
+++ b/crates/storage/provider/src/providers/database/provider.rs
@@ -1410,7 +1410,7 @@ impl<'this, TX: DbTx<'this>> HeaderProvider for DatabaseProvider<'this, TX> {
     }
 
     fn header_td_by_number(&self, number: BlockNumber) -> Result<Option<U256>> {
-        if let Some(td) = self.chain_spec.final_paris_difficulty(number) {
+        if let Some(td) = self.chain_spec.final_paris_total_difficulty(number) {
             // if this block is higher than the final paris(merge) block, return the final paris
             // difficulty
             return Ok(Some(td))
@@ -1505,8 +1505,7 @@ impl<'this, TX: DbTx<'this>> BlockProvider for DatabaseProvider<'this, TX> {
         if let Some(number) = self.convert_hash_or_number(id)? {
             if let Some(header) = self.header_by_number(number)? {
                 let withdrawals = self.withdrawals_by_block(number.into(), header.timestamp)?;
-                let ommers = if withdrawals.is_none() { self.ommers(number.into())? } else { None }
-                    .unwrap_or_default();
+                let ommers = self.ommers(number.into())?.unwrap_or_default();
                 let transactions = self
                     .transactions_by_block(number.into())?
                     .ok_or(ProviderError::BlockBodyIndicesNotFound(number))?;
@@ -1524,7 +1523,12 @@ impl<'this, TX: DbTx<'this>> BlockProvider for DatabaseProvider<'this, TX> {
 
     fn ommers(&self, id: BlockHashOrNumber) -> Result<Option<Vec<Header>>> {
         if let Some(number) = self.convert_hash_or_number(id)? {
-            // TODO: this can be optimized to return empty Vec post-merge
+            // If the Paris (Merge) hardfork block is known and block is after it, return empty
+            // ommers.
+            if self.chain_spec.final_paris_total_difficulty(number).is_some() {
+                return Ok(Some(Vec::new()))
+            }
+
             let ommers = self.tx.get::<tables::BlockOmmers>(number)?.map(|o| o.ommers);
             return Ok(ommers)
         }