diff --git a/.github/scripts/hive/expected_failures.yaml b/.github/scripts/hive/expected_failures.yaml
index ff9605106b..5d29a99e56 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/hive/expected_failures.yaml
+++ b/.github/scripts/hive/expected_failures.yaml
@@ -20,9 +20,7 @@ engine-withdrawals: [ ]
 
 engine-api: [ ]
 
-# no fix due to https://github.com/paradigmxyz/reth/issues/8732
-engine-cancun:
-  - Invalid PayloadAttributes, Missing BeaconRoot, Syncing=True (Cancun) (reth)
+engine-cancun: [ ]
 
 sync: [ ]
 
diff --git a/crates/rpc/rpc-engine-api/src/engine_api.rs b/crates/rpc/rpc-engine-api/src/engine_api.rs
index 33ca04861e..30bd760074 100644
--- a/crates/rpc/rpc-engine-api/src/engine_api.rs
+++ b/crates/rpc/rpc-engine-api/src/engine_api.rs
@@ -759,17 +759,11 @@ where
             // MUST NOT begin a payload build process. In such an event, the forkchoiceState
             // update MUST NOT be rolled back.
             //
-            // NOTE: This will also apply to the validation result for the cancun or
-            // shanghai-specific fields provided in the payload attributes.
-            //
-            // To do this, we set the payload attrs to `None` if attribute validation failed, but
-            // we still apply the forkchoice update.
+            // NOTE: This also applies to cancun/shanghai-specific payload attributes.
             if let Err(err) = attr_validation_res {
                 let fcu_res =
                     self.inner.beacon_consensus.fork_choice_updated(state, None, version).await?;
-                // TODO: decide if we want this branch - the FCU INVALID response might be more
-                // useful than the payload attributes INVALID response
-                if fcu_res.is_invalid() {
+                if fcu_res.is_invalid() || fcu_res.payload_status.is_syncing() {
                     return Ok(fcu_res)
                 }
                 return Err(err.into())
@@ -1344,10 +1338,13 @@ struct EngineApiInner<Provider, PayloadT: PayloadTypes, Pool, Validator, ChainSp
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
-    use alloy_rpc_types_engine::{ClientCode, ClientVersionV1};
+    use alloy_primitives::{Address, B256};
+    use alloy_rpc_types_engine::{
+        ClientCode, ClientVersionV1, PayloadAttributes, PayloadStatusEnum,
+    };
     use assert_matches::assert_matches;
     use reth_chainspec::{ChainSpec, ChainSpecBuilder, MAINNET};
-    use reth_engine_primitives::BeaconEngineMessage;
+    use reth_engine_primitives::{BeaconEngineMessage, OnForkChoiceUpdated};
     use reth_ethereum_engine_primitives::EthEngineTypes;
     use reth_ethereum_primitives::Block;
     use reth_network_api::{
@@ -1505,6 +1502,117 @@ mod tests {
         assert_matches!(res, Ok(None));
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn fcu_v3_syncing_precedes_invalid_payload_attributes_validation() {
+        let (mut handle, api) = setup_engine_api();
+
+        let state = ForkchoiceState {
+            head_block_hash: B256::from([0x11; 32]),
+            safe_block_hash: B256::ZERO,
+            finalized_block_hash: B256::ZERO,
+        };
+        let payload_attributes = PayloadAttributes {
+            timestamp: 1,
+            prev_randao: B256::ZERO,
+            suggested_fee_recipient: Address::ZERO,
+            withdrawals: Some(vec![]),
+            // Invalid for V3/Cancun, but should be ignored if forkchoice is SYNCING.
+            parent_beacon_block_root: None,
+        };
+
+        let api_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            api.fork_choice_updated_v3(state, Some(payload_attributes)).await
+        });
+
+        let request =
+            tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1), handle.from_api.recv())
+                .await
+                .expect("timed out waiting for forkchoiceUpdated request")
+                .expect("expected forkchoiceUpdated request");
+        let response_tx = match request {
+            BeaconEngineMessage::ForkchoiceUpdated { payload_attrs, tx, .. } => {
+                assert!(
+                    payload_attrs.is_none(),
+                    "FCU for syncing state should be evaluated before payload attributes"
+                );
+                tx
+            }
+            other => panic!("unexpected engine message: {other:?}"),
+        };
+
+        response_tx.send(Ok(OnForkChoiceUpdated::syncing())).expect("send syncing response");
+
+        let response = api_task
+            .await
+            .expect("api task should not panic")
+            .expect("forkchoiceUpdatedV3 should return a syncing response");
+        assert!(response.payload_status.is_syncing());
+        assert!(response.payload_id.is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn fcu_v3_valid_forkchoice_missing_beacon_root_returns_invalid_attributes() {
+        let (mut handle, api) = setup_engine_api();
+
+        let state = ForkchoiceState {
+            head_block_hash: B256::from([0x22; 32]),
+            safe_block_hash: B256::ZERO,
+            finalized_block_hash: B256::ZERO,
+        };
+        let payload_attributes = PayloadAttributes {
+            timestamp: 1,
+            prev_randao: B256::ZERO,
+            suggested_fee_recipient: Address::ZERO,
+            withdrawals: Some(vec![]),
+            parent_beacon_block_root: None,
+        };
+
+        let api_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            api.fork_choice_updated_v3(state, Some(payload_attributes)).await
+        });
+
+        let request =
+            tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1), handle.from_api.recv())
+                .await
+                .expect("timed out waiting for forkchoiceUpdated request")
+                .expect("expected forkchoiceUpdated request");
+
+        let response_tx = match request {
+            BeaconEngineMessage::ForkchoiceUpdated { payload_attrs, tx, .. } => {
+                assert!(
+                    payload_attrs.is_none(),
+                    "when attrs are invalid, API should first evaluate forkchoice without attrs"
+                );
+                tx
+            }
+            other => panic!("unexpected engine message: {other:?}"),
+        };
+
+        response_tx
+            .send(Ok(OnForkChoiceUpdated::valid(PayloadStatus::from_status(
+                PayloadStatusEnum::Valid,
+            ))))
+            .expect("send valid response");
+
+        let response = api_task.await.expect("api task should not panic");
+        assert_matches!(
+            response,
+            Err(EngineApiError::EngineObjectValidationError(
+                reth_payload_primitives::EngineObjectValidationError::PayloadAttributes(_)
+            ))
+        );
+
+        match tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_millis(100), handle.from_api.recv())
+            .await
+        {
+            Err(_) | Ok(None) => {}
+            Ok(Some(BeaconEngineMessage::ForkchoiceUpdated { .. })) => {
+                panic!("no second forkchoiceUpdated call should be sent when attrs are invalid")
+            }
+            Ok(Some(other)) => panic!("unexpected engine message: {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
     // tests covering `engine_getPayloadBodiesByRange` and `engine_getPayloadBodiesByHash`
     mod get_payload_bodies {
         use super::*;