From c30dd4246d025ff52dc5542f19db1ab0b8439333 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Felix Lange <fjl@twurst.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2025 21:00:02 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] simulators/ethereum/engine: remove terminal total difficulty
 (#1186)

* simulators/ethereum/engine: WIP removing terminal total difficulty

* simulators/ethereum/engine: upgrade to go-ethereum v1.14.12

* simulators/ethereum/engine: WIP removing ttd

* simulators/ethereum/engine: call InitChain at start of test

* simulators/ethereum/engine: remove ttd in main

* simulators/ethereum/engine: remove configurability of london and merge fork

* simulators/ethereum/engine: fixup

* simulators/ethereum/engine: fixup genesis

* simulators/ethereum/engine: add comment

* simulators/ethereum/engine: change difficulty check

* simulators/ethereum/engine/config/cancun: fix deprecation warning

* simulators/ethereum/engine/config: remove even more config support
---
 simulators/ethereum/engine/client/engine.go   |  4 -
 .../engine/client/hive_rpc/hive_rpc.go        | 65 ++-----------
 .../ethereum/engine/client/node/node.go       | 95 ++++---------------
 simulators/ethereum/engine/clmock/clmock.go   | 61 ++----------
 .../ethereum/engine/config/cancun/genesis.go  |  3 +-
 simulators/ethereum/engine/config/fork.go     |  2 -
 simulators/ethereum/engine/config/genesis.go  | 19 +---
 simulators/ethereum/engine/go.mod             | 27 +++---
 simulators/ethereum/engine/go.sum             | 46 ++++-----
 simulators/ethereum/engine/helper/helper.go   | 89 -----------------
 simulators/ethereum/engine/init/genesis.json  |  3 +-
 simulators/ethereum/engine/main.go            | 26 ++---
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/auth/tests.go      |  2 +-
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/cancun/config.go   |  3 -
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/engine/bad_hash.go |  6 --
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/engine/fork_id.go  |  9 --
 .../engine/suites/engine/forkchoice.go        |  6 --
 .../engine/suites/engine/invalid_ancestor.go  |  7 --
 .../engine/suites/engine/invalid_payload.go   |  9 --
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/engine/misc.go     | 50 ----------
 .../suites/engine/payload_attributes.go       |  3 -
 .../engine/suites/engine/payload_execution.go | 15 ---
 .../engine/suites/engine/payload_id.go        |  3 -
 .../engine/suites/engine/prev_randao.go       |  2 -
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/engine/reorg.go    | 18 ----
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/engine/rpc.go      |  3 -
 .../suites/engine/suggested_fee_recipient.go  |  3 -
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/engine/tests.go    | 10 --
 .../engine/suites/engine/versioning.go        |  3 -
 .../ethereum/engine/suites/sync/tests.go      | 16 +---
 .../engine/suites/withdrawals/tests.go        | 14 ---
 simulators/ethereum/engine/test/env.go        | 14 ++-
 simulators/ethereum/engine/test/spec.go       | 11 ---
 simulators/ethereum/engine/types/types.go     |  2 +-
 34 files changed, 92 insertions(+), 557 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/misc.go

diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/engine.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/engine.go
index a330511c6c..370995a971 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/engine.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/engine.go
@@ -72,10 +72,6 @@ type EngineClient interface {
 	GetNextAccountNonce(testCtx context.Context, account common.Address, head *types.Header) (uint64, error)
 	UpdateNonce(testCtx context.Context, account common.Address, newNonce uint64) error
 
-	// TTD Methods
-	TerminalTotalDifficulty() *big.Int
-	GetTotalDifficulty(context.Context) (*big.Int, error)
-
 	// Test Methods
 	PostRunVerifications() error
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/hive_rpc/hive_rpc.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/hive_rpc/hive_rpc.go
index 7d1c79a630..fe037ff8fc 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/hive_rpc/hive_rpc.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/hive_rpc/hive_rpc.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package hive_rpc
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
 	"net"
@@ -30,12 +29,11 @@ import (
 
 type HiveRPCEngineStarter struct {
 	// Client parameters used to launch the default client
-	ClientType              string
-	ChainFile               string
-	TerminalTotalDifficulty *big.Int
-	EnginePort              int
-	EthPort                 int
-	JWTSecret               []byte
+	ClientType string
+	ChainFile  string
+	EnginePort int
+	EthPort    int
+	JWTSecret  []byte
 }
 
 var _ client.EngineStarter = (*HiveRPCEngineStarter)(nil)
@@ -46,7 +44,6 @@ func (s HiveRPCEngineStarter) StartClient(T *hivesim.T, testContext context.Cont
 		enginePort = s.EnginePort
 		ethPort    = s.EthPort
 		jwtSecret  = s.JWTSecret
-		ttd        = s.TerminalTotalDifficulty
 	)
 	if clientType == "" {
 		cs, err := T.Sim.ClientTypes()
@@ -70,20 +67,6 @@ func (s HiveRPCEngineStarter) StartClient(T *hivesim.T, testContext context.Cont
 	if s.ChainFile != "" {
 		ClientFiles = ClientFiles.Set("/chain.rlp", "./chains/"+s.ChainFile)
 	}
-	if ttd == nil {
-		if ttdStr, ok := ClientParams["HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY"]; ok {
-			// Retrieve TTD from parameters
-			ttd, ok = new(big.Int).SetString(ttdStr, 10)
-			if !ok {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse TTD from parameters")
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
-		// Real TTD must be calculated adding the genesis difficulty
-		ttdInt := helper.CalculateRealTTD(genesis, ttd.Int64())
-		ClientParams = ClientParams.Set("HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY", fmt.Sprintf("%d", ttdInt))
-		ttd = big.NewInt(ttdInt)
-	}
 	if len(bootClients) > 0 {
 		var (
 			enodes = make([]string, len(bootClients))
@@ -108,7 +91,7 @@ func (s HiveRPCEngineStarter) StartClient(T *hivesim.T, testContext context.Cont
 	if err := CheckEthEngineLive(c); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Engine/Eth ports were never open for client: %v", err)
 	}
-	ec := NewHiveRPCEngineClient(c, enginePort, ethPort, jwtSecret, ttd, &helper.LoggingRoundTrip{
+	ec := NewHiveRPCEngineClient(c, enginePort, ethPort, jwtSecret, &helper.LoggingRoundTrip{
 		Logger: T,
 		ID:     c.Container,
 		Inner:  http.DefaultTransport,
@@ -154,7 +137,6 @@ type HiveRPCEngineClient struct {
 	h              *hivesim.Client
 	c              *rpc.Client
 	cEth           *rpc.Client
-	ttd            *big.Int
 	JWTSecretBytes []byte
 
 	// Engine updates info
@@ -173,7 +155,7 @@ type HiveRPCEngineClient struct {
 var _ client.EngineClient = (*HiveRPCEngineClient)(nil)
 
 // NewClient creates a engine client that uses the given RPC client.
-func NewHiveRPCEngineClient(h *hivesim.Client, enginePort int, ethPort int, jwtSecretBytes []byte, ttd *big.Int, transport http.RoundTripper) *HiveRPCEngineClient {
+func NewHiveRPCEngineClient(h *hivesim.Client, enginePort int, ethPort int, jwtSecretBytes []byte, transport http.RoundTripper) *HiveRPCEngineClient {
 	// Prepare HTTP Client
 	httpClient := rpc.WithHTTPClient(&http.Client{Transport: transport})
 
@@ -193,7 +175,6 @@ func NewHiveRPCEngineClient(h *hivesim.Client, enginePort int, ethPort int, jwtS
 		c:              engineRpcClient,
 		Client:         eth,
 		cEth:           ethRpcClient,
-		ttd:            ttd,
 		JWTSecretBytes: jwtSecretBytes,
 		accTxInfoMap:   make(map[common.Address]*AccountTransactionInfo),
 	}
@@ -207,10 +188,6 @@ func (ec *HiveRPCEngineClient) EnodeURL() (string, error) {
 	return ec.h.EnodeURL()
 }
 
-func (ec *HiveRPCEngineClient) TerminalTotalDifficulty() *big.Int {
-	return ec.ttd
-}
-
 var (
 	Head      *big.Int // Nil
 	Pending   = big.NewInt(-2)
@@ -275,34 +252,6 @@ func (ec *HiveRPCEngineClient) HeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, number *big.I
 	return header, err
 }
 
-// Helper structs to fetch the TotalDifficulty
-type TD struct {
-	TotalDifficulty *hexutil.Big `json:"totalDifficulty"`
-}
-type TotalDifficultyHeader struct {
-	types.Header
-	TD
-}
-
-func (tdh *TotalDifficultyHeader) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &tdh.Header); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &tdh.TD); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (ec *HiveRPCEngineClient) GetTotalDifficulty(ctx context.Context) (*big.Int, error) {
-	var td *TotalDifficultyHeader
-	if err := ec.cEth.CallContext(ctx, &td, "eth_getBlockByNumber", "latest", false); err == nil {
-		return td.TotalDifficulty.ToInt(), nil
-	} else {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-}
-
 func (ec *HiveRPCEngineClient) Close() error {
 	ec.c.Close()
 	ec.Client.Close()
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/node/node.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/node/node.go
index 75f88952af..3acdd10cd3 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/node/node.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/client/node/node.go
@@ -27,12 +27,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/enode"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rlp"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/hivesim"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/client"
-	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/helper"
 	typ "github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/types"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
@@ -53,8 +51,7 @@ type GethNodeTestConfiguration struct {
 }
 type GethNodeEngineStarter struct {
 	// Client parameters used to launch the default client
-	ChainFile               string
-	TerminalTotalDifficulty *big.Int
+	ChainFile string
 
 	// Test specific configuration
 	Config GethNodeTestConfiguration
@@ -69,29 +66,7 @@ func (s GethNodeEngineStarter) StartClient(T *hivesim.T, testContext context.Con
 }
 
 func (s GethNodeEngineStarter) StartGethNode(T *hivesim.T, testContext context.Context, genesis *core.Genesis, ClientParams hivesim.Params, ClientFiles hivesim.Params, bootClients ...client.EngineClient) (*GethNode, error) {
-	var (
-		ttd = s.TerminalTotalDifficulty
-		err error
-	)
-
-	if ttd == nil {
-		if ttdStr, ok := ClientParams["HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY"]; ok {
-			// Retrieve TTD from parameters
-			ttd, ok = new(big.Int).SetString(ttdStr, 10)
-			if !ok {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unable to parse TTD from parameters")
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
-		ttd = big.NewInt(helper.CalculateRealTTD(genesis, ttd.Int64()))
-		ClientParams = ClientParams.Set("HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY", fmt.Sprintf("%d", ttd))
-	}
-
-	// Not sure if this hack works
-	genesisCopy := *genesis
-	configCopy := *genesisCopy.Config
-	configCopy.TerminalTotalDifficulty = ttd
-	genesisCopy.Config = &configCopy
+	var err error
 
 	var enodes []string
 	if bootClients != nil && len(bootClients) > 0 {
@@ -116,7 +91,7 @@ func (s GethNodeEngineStarter) StartGethNode(T *hivesim.T, testContext context.C
 		}
 	}
 
-	g, err := newNode(s.Config, enodes, &genesisCopy)
+	g, err := newNode(s.Config, enodes, genesis)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -138,6 +113,7 @@ type AccountTransactionInfo struct {
 	PreviousBlock common.Hash
 	PreviousNonce uint64
 }
+
 type GethNode struct {
 	node *node.Node
 	eth  *eth.Ethereum
@@ -146,7 +122,6 @@ type GethNode struct {
 
 	datadir    string
 	genesis    *core.Genesis
-	ttd        *big.Int
 	api        *ethcatalyst.ConsensusAPI
 	running    context.Context
 	closing    context.CancelFunc
@@ -183,7 +158,6 @@ func restart(startConfig GethNodeTestConfiguration, bootnodes []string, datadir
 	}
 	config := &node.Config{
 		Name:    startConfig.Name,
-		Version: params.Version,
 		DataDir: datadir,
 		P2P: p2p.Config{
 			ListenAddr:  "0.0.0.0:0",
@@ -200,22 +174,16 @@ func restart(startConfig GethNodeTestConfiguration, bootnodes []string, datadir
 	if genesis == nil || genesis.Config == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("genesis configuration is nil")
 	}
-	if genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficultyPassed == false {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("genesis configuration is has not passed terminal total difficulty")
-	}
 	econfig := &ethconfig.Config{
-		Genesis:          genesis,
-		NetworkId:        genesis.Config.ChainID.Uint64(),
-		SyncMode:         downloader.FullSync,
-		DatabaseCache:    256,
-		DatabaseHandles:  256,
-		StateScheme:      rawdb.PathScheme,
-		TxPool:           ethconfig.Defaults.TxPool,
-		GPO:              ethconfig.Defaults.GPO,
-		Miner:            ethconfig.Defaults.Miner,
-		LightServ:        100,
-		LightPeers:       int(startConfig.MaxPeers.Int64()) - 1,
-		LightNoSyncServe: true,
+		Genesis:         genesis,
+		NetworkId:       genesis.Config.ChainID.Uint64(),
+		SyncMode:        downloader.FullSync,
+		DatabaseCache:   256,
+		DatabaseHandles: 256,
+		StateScheme:     rawdb.PathScheme,
+		TxPool:          ethconfig.Defaults.TxPool,
+		GPO:             ethconfig.Defaults.GPO,
+		Miner:           ethconfig.Defaults.Miner,
 	}
 	ethBackend, err := eth.New(stack, econfig)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -248,7 +216,6 @@ func restart(startConfig GethNodeTestConfiguration, bootnodes []string, datadir
 		eth:          ethBackend,
 		datadir:      datadir,
 		genesis:      genesis,
-		ttd:          genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty,
 		api:          ethcatalyst.NewConsensusAPI(ethBackend),
 		accTxInfoMap: make(map[common.Address]*AccountTransactionInfo),
 		// Test related configuration
@@ -352,7 +319,7 @@ type validator struct{}
 func (v *validator) ValidateBody(block *types.Block) error {
 	return nil
 }
-func (v *validator) ValidateState(block *types.Block, state *state.StateDB, receipts types.Receipts, usedGas uint64, stateless bool) error {
+func (v *validator) ValidateState(block *types.Block, state *state.StateDB, result *core.ProcessResult, stateless bool) error {
 	return nil
 }
 func (v *validator) ValidateWitness(witness *stateless.Witness, receiptRoot common.Hash, stateRoot common.Hash) error {
@@ -361,8 +328,8 @@ func (v *validator) ValidateWitness(witness *stateless.Witness, receiptRoot comm
 
 type processor struct{}
 
-func (p *processor) Process(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, cfg vm.Config) (types.Receipts, []*types.Log, uint64, error) {
-	return types.Receipts{}, []*types.Log{}, 21000, nil
+func (p *processor) Process(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, cfg vm.Config) (*core.ProcessResult, error) {
+	return &core.ProcessResult{GasUsed: 21000}, nil
 }
 
 var headerPrefix = []byte("h") // headerPrefix + num (uint64 big endian) + hash -> header
@@ -396,17 +363,17 @@ func (n *GethNode) SetBlock(block *types.Block, parentNumber uint64, parentRoot
 	bc := n.eth.BlockChain()
 	bc.SetBlockValidatorAndProcessorForTesting(new(validator), n.eth.BlockChain().Processor())
 
-	statedb, err := state.New(parentRoot, bc.StateCache(), bc.Snapshots())
+	statedb, err := state.New(parentRoot, bc.StateCache())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to create state db")
 	}
 	statedb.StartPrefetcher("chain", nil)
 	var failedProcessing bool
-	receipts, _, _, err := n.eth.BlockChain().Processor().Process(block, statedb, *n.eth.BlockChain().GetVMConfig())
+	result, err := n.eth.BlockChain().Processor().Process(block, statedb, *n.eth.BlockChain().GetVMConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		failedProcessing = true
 	}
-	rawdb.WriteReceipts(db, block.Hash(), block.NumberU64(), receipts)
+	rawdb.WriteReceipts(db, block.Hash(), block.NumberU64(), result.Receipts)
 	root, err := statedb.Commit(block.NumberU64(), false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to commit state")
@@ -681,7 +648,7 @@ func (n *GethNode) getStateDB(ctx context.Context, blockNumber *big.Int) (*state
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return state.New(b.Root(), n.eth.BlockChain().StateCache(), n.eth.BlockChain().Snapshots())
+	return state.New(b.Root(), n.eth.BlockChain().StateCache())
 }
 
 func (n *GethNode) BalanceAt(ctx context.Context, account common.Address, blockNumber *big.Int) (*big.Int, error) {
@@ -724,28 +691,6 @@ func (n *GethNode) PendingTransactionCount(ctx context.Context) (uint, error) {
 	panic("NOT IMPLEMENTED")
 }
 
-func (n *GethNode) GetBlockTotalDifficulty(ctx context.Context, hash common.Hash) (*big.Int, error) {
-	block := n.eth.BlockChain().GetBlockByHash(hash)
-	if block == nil {
-		return big.NewInt(0), nil
-	}
-	return n.eth.BlockChain().GetTd(hash, block.NumberU64()), nil
-}
-
-func (n *GethNode) GetTotalDifficulty(ctx context.Context) (*big.Int, error) {
-	if n.mustHeadBlock != nil {
-		return n.GetBlockTotalDifficulty(ctx, n.mustHeadBlock.Hash())
-	}
-	return n.GetBlockTotalDifficulty(ctx, n.eth.BlockChain().CurrentHeader().Hash())
-}
-
-func (n *GethNode) TerminalTotalDifficulty() *big.Int {
-	if n.ttd != nil {
-		return n.ttd
-	}
-	return n.genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty
-}
-
 func (n *GethNode) EnodeURL() (string, error) {
 	return n.node.Server().NodeInfo().Enode, nil
 }
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/clmock/clmock.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/clmock/clmock.go
index b58c5aa18a..f66f1673b7 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/clmock/clmock.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/clmock/clmock.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/binary"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
 	"math/rand"
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/config"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/cancun"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/globals"
-	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/helper"
 	typ "github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/types"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
@@ -67,6 +65,7 @@ func (h ExecutableDataHistory) LatestWithdrawalsIndex() uint64 {
 // Consensus Layer Client Mock used to sync the Execution Clients once the TTD has been reached
 type CLMocker struct {
 	*hivesim.T
+
 	// List of Engine Clients being served by the CL Mocker
 	EngineClients []client.EngineClient
 	// Lock required so no client is offboarded during block production.
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ type CLMocker struct {
 
 	// Merge related
 	FirstPoSBlockNumber             *big.Int
-	TTDReached                      bool
 	TransitionPayloadTimestamp      *big.Int
 	SafeSlotsToImportOptimistically *big.Int
 	ChainTotalDifficulty            *big.Int
@@ -148,18 +146,16 @@ func NewCLMocker(t *hivesim.T, genesis *core.Genesis, forkConfig *config.ForkCon
 		LatestHeader:        nil,
 		FirstPoSBlockNumber: nil,
 		LatestHeadNumber:    nil,
-		TTDReached:          false,
 		NextFeeRecipient:    common.Address{},
 		LatestForkchoice: api.ForkchoiceStateV1{
 			HeadBlockHash:      common.Hash{},
 			SafeBlockHash:      common.Hash{},
 			FinalizedBlockHash: common.Hash{},
 		},
-		ChainTotalDifficulty: genesis.Difficulty,
-		ForkConfig:           forkConfig,
-		Genesis:              genesis,
-		TestContext:          context.Background(),
-		Rand:                 randSource,
+		ForkConfig:  forkConfig,
+		Genesis:     genesis,
+		TestContext: context.Background(),
+		Rand:        randSource,
 	}
 
 	// Create header history
@@ -180,6 +176,7 @@ func (cl *CLMocker) GenesisBlock() *types.Block {
 func (cl *CLMocker) AddEngineClient(ec client.EngineClient) {
 	cl.EngineClientsLock.Lock()
 	defer cl.EngineClientsLock.Unlock()
+
 	cl.Logf("CLMocker: Adding engine client %v", ec.ID())
 	cl.EngineClients = append(cl.EngineClients, ec)
 }
@@ -261,8 +258,8 @@ func (cl *CLMocker) GetHeaders(amount uint64, originHash common.Hash, originNumb
 	return headers, nil
 }
 
-// Sets the specified client's chain head as Terminal PoW block by sending the initial forkchoiceUpdated.
-func (cl *CLMocker) SetTTDBlockClient(ec client.EngineClient) {
+// InitChain sets the test chain head block and initial forkchoiceUpdated.
+func (cl *CLMocker) InitChain(ec client.EngineClient) {
 	var err error
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(cl.TestContext, globals.RPCTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
@@ -273,22 +270,10 @@ func (cl *CLMocker) SetTTDBlockClient(ec client.EngineClient) {
 	}
 	cl.HeaderHistory[cl.LatestHeader.Number.Uint64()] = cl.LatestHeader
 
-	ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(cl.TestContext, globals.RPCTimeout)
-	defer cancel()
-
-	if td, err := ec.GetTotalDifficulty(ctx); err != nil {
-		cl.Fatalf("CLMocker: Error getting total difficulty from engine client: %v", err)
-	} else if td.Cmp(ec.TerminalTotalDifficulty()) < 0 {
-		cl.Fatalf("CLMocker: Attempted to set TTD Block when TTD had not been reached: %d > %d", ec.TerminalTotalDifficulty(), td)
-	} else {
-		cl.Logf("CLMocker: TTD has been reached at block %d (%d>=%d)\n", cl.LatestHeader.Number, td, ec.TerminalTotalDifficulty())
-		jsH, _ := json.MarshalIndent(cl.LatestHeader, "", " ")
-		cl.Logf("CLMocker: Client: %s, Block %d: %s\n", ec.ID(), cl.LatestHeader.Number, jsH)
-		cl.ChainTotalDifficulty = td
+	if cl.LatestHeader.Difficulty.Cmp(cl.Genesis.Difficulty) != 0 {
+		cl.Fatalf("CLMocker: invalid difficulty %d on latest header, expected", cl.LatestHeader.Difficulty, cl.Genesis.Difficulty)
 	}
 
-	cl.TTDReached = true
-
 	// Reset transition values
 	cl.LatestHeadNumber = cl.LatestHeader.Number
 	cl.HeadHashHistory = []common.Hash{}
@@ -297,26 +282,6 @@ func (cl *CLMocker) SetTTDBlockClient(ec client.EngineClient) {
 	// Prepare initial forkchoice, to be sent to the transition payload producer
 	cl.LatestForkchoice = api.ForkchoiceStateV1{}
 	cl.LatestForkchoice.HeadBlockHash = cl.LatestHeader.Hash()
-
-}
-
-// This method waits for TTD in at least one of the clients, then sends the
-// initial forkchoiceUpdated with the info obtained from the client.
-func (cl *CLMocker) WaitForTTD() {
-	ec, err := helper.WaitAnyClientForTTD(cl.EngineClients, cl.TestContext)
-	if ec == nil || err != nil {
-		cl.Fatalf("CLMocker: Error while waiting for TTD: %v", err)
-	}
-	// One of the clients has reached TTD, send the initial fcU with this client as head
-	cl.SetTTDBlockClient(ec)
-}
-
-// Check whether a block number is a PoS block
-func (cl *CLMocker) IsBlockPoS(bn *big.Int) bool {
-	if cl.FirstPoSBlockNumber == nil || cl.FirstPoSBlockNumber.Cmp(bn) > 0 {
-		return false
-	}
-	return true
 }
 
 // Return the per-block timestamp value increment
@@ -521,7 +486,6 @@ func (cl *CLMocker) GetNextPayload() {
 }
 
 func (cl *CLMocker) broadcastNextNewPayload() {
-
 	// Broadcast the executePayload to all clients
 	version := cl.ForkConfig.NewPayloadVersion(cl.LatestPayloadBuilt.Timestamp)
 	validations := 0
@@ -599,11 +563,6 @@ type BlockProcessCallbacks struct {
 }
 
 func (cl *CLMocker) ProduceSingleBlock(callbacks BlockProcessCallbacks) {
-
-	if !cl.TTDReached {
-		cl.Fatalf("CLMocker: Attempted to create a block when the TTD had not yet been reached")
-	}
-
 	// Lock needed to ensure EngineClients is not modified mid block production
 	cl.EngineClientsLock.Lock()
 	defer cl.EngineClientsLock.Unlock()
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/cancun/genesis.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/cancun/genesis.go
index d7f0dd607d..d3171a165a 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/cancun/genesis.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/cancun/genesis.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 )
 
 // ConfigGenesis configures the genesis block for the Cancun fork.
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ func ConfigTestAccounts(genesis *core.Genesis) error {
 		if _, ok := genesis.Alloc[address]; ok {
 			panic(fmt.Errorf("reused address %s during genesis configuration for cancun", address.Hex()))
 		}
-		genesis.Alloc[address] = core.GenesisAccount{
+		genesis.Alloc[address] = types.Account{
 			Code:    datahashCode,
 			Balance: common.Big0,
 		}
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/fork.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/fork.go
index a02147f3db..04fe580245 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/fork.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/fork.go
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ func (f Fork) PreviousFork() Fork {
 }
 
 type ForkConfig struct {
-	LondonNumber      *big.Int
-	ParisNumber       *big.Int
 	ShanghaiTimestamp *big.Int
 	CancunTimestamp   *big.Int
 }
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/genesis.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/genesis.go
index 3436e2e44d..51444940c7 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/genesis.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/genesis.go
@@ -2,25 +2,17 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"math/big"
 
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/config/cancun"
 )
 
 func (f *ForkConfig) ConfigGenesis(genesis *core.Genesis) error {
-	if f.ParisNumber != nil {
-		genesis.Config.MergeNetsplitBlock = f.ParisNumber
-		if genesis.Number >= f.ParisNumber.Uint64() {
-			removePoW(genesis)
-		}
-	}
+	genesis.Config.MergeNetsplitBlock = big.NewInt(0)
 	if f.ShanghaiTimestamp != nil {
 		shanghaiTime := f.ShanghaiTimestamp.Uint64()
 		genesis.Config.ShanghaiTime = &shanghaiTime
-		if genesis.Timestamp >= shanghaiTime {
-			removePoW(genesis)
-		}
 	}
 	if f.CancunTimestamp != nil {
 		if err := cancun.ConfigGenesis(genesis, f.CancunTimestamp.Uint64()); err != nil {
@@ -29,10 +21,3 @@ func (f *ForkConfig) ConfigGenesis(genesis *core.Genesis) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
-
-func removePoW(genesis *core.Genesis) {
-	genesis.Difficulty = common.Big0
-	genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = common.Big0
-	genesis.Config.Clique = nil
-	genesis.ExtraData = []byte{}
-}
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.mod b/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.mod
index 424e90d3e0..bc1ad87e13 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.mod
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.mod
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 module github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine
 
-go 1.21
+go 1.22
 
-toolchain go1.22.1
+toolchain go1.23.4
 
 require (
 	github.com/crate-crypto/go-kzg-4844 v1.0.0
 	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1
-	github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.14.7
+	github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.14.12
 	github.com/ethereum/hive v0.0.0-20240715150147-c87a99dccfce
-	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.0
-	github.com/holiman/uint256 v1.3.0
+	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.1
+	github.com/holiman/uint256 v1.3.1
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20231110203233-9a3e6036ecaa
 )
@@ -21,14 +21,13 @@ require (
 	github.com/VictoriaMetrics/fastcache v1.12.2 // indirect
 	github.com/apapsch/go-jsonmerge/v2 v2.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/beorn7/perks v1.0.1 // indirect
-	github.com/bits-and-blooms/bitset v1.10.0 // indirect
-	github.com/btcsuite/btcd/btcec/v2 v2.3.2 // indirect
+	github.com/bits-and-blooms/bitset v1.13.0 // indirect
 	github.com/cespare/cp v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/cockroachdb/errors v1.11.3 // indirect
 	github.com/cockroachdb/fifo v0.0.0-20240606204812-0bbfbd93a7ce // indirect
 	github.com/cockroachdb/logtags v0.0.0-20230118201751-21c54148d20b // indirect
-	github.com/cockroachdb/pebble v1.1.1 // indirect
+	github.com/cockroachdb/pebble v1.1.2 // indirect
 	github.com/cockroachdb/redact v1.1.5 // indirect
 	github.com/cockroachdb/tokenbucket v0.0.0-20230807174530-cc333fc44b06 // indirect
 	github.com/consensys/bavard v0.1.13 // indirect
@@ -39,9 +38,8 @@ require (
 	github.com/decred/dcrd/dcrec/secp256k1/v4 v4.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/deepmap/oapi-codegen v1.12.4 // indirect
 	github.com/ethereum/c-kzg-4844 v1.0.0 // indirect
-	github.com/ethereum/go-verkle v0.1.1-0.20240306133620-7d920df305f0 // indirect
+	github.com/ethereum/go-verkle v0.1.1-0.20240829091221-dffa7562dbe9 // indirect
 	github.com/ferranbt/fastssz v0.1.2 // indirect
-	github.com/fjl/memsize v0.0.2 // indirect
 	github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.6.0 // indirect
 	github.com/gballet/go-libpcsclite v0.0.0-20191108122812-4678299bea08 // indirect
 	github.com/getsentry/sentry-go v0.27.0 // indirect
@@ -87,24 +85,23 @@ require (
 	github.com/rs/cors v1.8.2 // indirect
 	github.com/russross/blackfriday/v2 v2.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/shirou/gopsutil v3.21.11+incompatible // indirect
-	github.com/status-im/keycard-go v0.2.0 // indirect
-	github.com/supranational/blst v0.3.11 // indirect
+	github.com/supranational/blst v0.3.13 // indirect
 	github.com/syndtr/goleveldb v1.0.1-0.20220614013038-64ee5596c38a // indirect
 	github.com/tklauser/go-sysconf v0.3.12 // indirect
 	github.com/tklauser/numcpus v0.6.1 // indirect
-	github.com/tyler-smith/go-bip39 v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.25.7 // indirect
 	github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20201216005158-039620a65673 // indirect
 	github.com/yusufpapurcu/wmi v1.2.2 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.22.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/net v0.24.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.7.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.20.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.22.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.14.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/time v0.5.0 // indirect
-	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.33.0 // indirect
+	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.34.2 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/inconshreveable/log15.v2 v2.0.0-20200109203555-b30bc20e4fd1 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/natefinch/lumberjack.v2 v2.2.1 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 // indirect
+	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 	rsc.io/tmplfunc v0.0.3 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.sum b/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.sum
index 26c9231dbc..afc335249d 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.sum
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/go.sum
@@ -12,13 +12,9 @@ github.com/apapsch/go-jsonmerge/v2 v2.0.0 h1:axGnT1gRIfimI7gJifB699GoE/oq+F2MU7D
 github.com/apapsch/go-jsonmerge/v2 v2.0.0/go.mod h1:lvDnEdqiQrp0O42VQGgmlKpxL1AP2+08jFMw88y4klk=
 github.com/beorn7/perks v1.0.1 h1:VlbKKnNfV8bJzeqoa4cOKqO6bYr3WgKZxO8Z16+hsOM=
 github.com/beorn7/perks v1.0.1/go.mod h1:G2ZrVWU2WbWT9wwq4/hrbKbnv/1ERSJQ0ibhJ6rlkpw=
-github.com/bits-and-blooms/bitset v1.10.0 h1:ePXTeiPEazB5+opbv5fr8umg2R/1NlzgDsyepwsSr88=
-github.com/bits-and-blooms/bitset v1.10.0/go.mod h1:7hO7Gc7Pp1vODcmWvKMRA9BNmbv6a/7QIWpPxHddWR8=
+github.com/bits-and-blooms/bitset v1.13.0 h1:bAQ9OPNFYbGHV6Nez0tmNI0RiEu7/hxlYJRUA0wFAVE=
+github.com/bits-and-blooms/bitset v1.13.0/go.mod h1:7hO7Gc7Pp1vODcmWvKMRA9BNmbv6a/7QIWpPxHddWR8=
 github.com/bmatcuk/doublestar v1.1.1/go.mod h1:UD6OnuiIn0yFxxA2le/rnRU1G4RaI4UvFv1sNto9p6w=
-github.com/btcsuite/btcd/btcec/v2 v2.3.2 h1:5n0X6hX0Zk+6omWcihdYvdAlGf2DfasC0GMf7DClJ3U=
-github.com/btcsuite/btcd/btcec/v2 v2.3.2/go.mod h1:zYzJ8etWJQIv1Ogk7OzpWjowwOdXY1W/17j2MW85J04=
-github.com/btcsuite/btcd/chaincfg/chainhash v1.0.1 h1:q0rUy8C/TYNBQS1+CGKw68tLOFYSNEs0TFnxxnS9+4U=
-github.com/btcsuite/btcd/chaincfg/chainhash v1.0.1/go.mod h1:7SFka0XMvUgj3hfZtydOrQY2mwhPclbT2snogU7SQQc=
 github.com/cespare/cp v1.1.1 h1:nCb6ZLdB7NRaqsm91JtQTAme2SKJzXVsdPIPkyJr1MU=
 github.com/cespare/cp v1.1.1/go.mod h1:SOGHArjBr4JWaSDEVpWpo/hNg6RoKrls6Oh40hiwW+s=
 github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.2.0/go.mod h1:VGX0DQ3Q6kWi7AoAeZDth3/j3BFtOZR5XLFGgcrjCOs=
@@ -35,8 +31,8 @@ github.com/cockroachdb/fifo v0.0.0-20240606204812-0bbfbd93a7ce h1:giXvy4KSc/6g/e
 github.com/cockroachdb/fifo v0.0.0-20240606204812-0bbfbd93a7ce/go.mod h1:9/y3cnZ5GKakj/H4y9r9GTjCvAFta7KLgSHPJJYc52M=
 github.com/cockroachdb/logtags v0.0.0-20230118201751-21c54148d20b h1:r6VH0faHjZeQy818SGhaone5OnYfxFR/+AzdY3sf5aE=
 github.com/cockroachdb/logtags v0.0.0-20230118201751-21c54148d20b/go.mod h1:Vz9DsVWQQhf3vs21MhPMZpMGSht7O/2vFW2xusFUVOs=
-github.com/cockroachdb/pebble v1.1.1 h1:XnKU22oiCLy2Xn8vp1re67cXg4SAasg/WDt1NtcRFaw=
-github.com/cockroachdb/pebble v1.1.1/go.mod h1:4exszw1r40423ZsmkG/09AFEG83I0uDgfujJdbL6kYU=
+github.com/cockroachdb/pebble v1.1.2 h1:CUh2IPtR4swHlEj48Rhfzw6l/d0qA31fItcIszQVIsA=
+github.com/cockroachdb/pebble v1.1.2/go.mod h1:4exszw1r40423ZsmkG/09AFEG83I0uDgfujJdbL6kYU=
 github.com/cockroachdb/redact v1.1.5 h1:u1PMllDkdFfPWaNGMyLD1+so+aq3uUItthCFqzwPJ30=
 github.com/cockroachdb/redact v1.1.5/go.mod h1:BVNblN9mBWFyMyqK1k3AAiSxhvhfK2oOZZ2lK+dpvRg=
 github.com/cockroachdb/tokenbucket v0.0.0-20230807174530-cc333fc44b06 h1:zuQyyAKVxetITBuuhv3BI9cMrmStnpT18zmgmTxunpo=
@@ -65,16 +61,14 @@ github.com/deepmap/oapi-codegen v1.12.4 h1:pPmn6qI9MuOtCz82WY2Xaw46EQjgvxednXXrP
 github.com/deepmap/oapi-codegen v1.12.4/go.mod h1:3lgHGMu6myQ2vqbbTXH2H1o4eXFTGnFiDaOaKKl5yas=
 github.com/ethereum/c-kzg-4844 v1.0.0 h1:0X1LBXxaEtYD9xsyj9B9ctQEZIpnvVDeoBx8aHEwTNA=
 github.com/ethereum/c-kzg-4844 v1.0.0/go.mod h1:VewdlzQmpT5QSrVhbBuGoCdFJkpaJlO1aQputP83wc0=
-github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.14.7 h1:EHpv3dE8evQmpVEQ/Ne2ahB06n2mQptdwqaMNhAT29g=
-github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.14.7/go.mod h1:Mq0biU2jbdmKSZoqOj29017ygFrMnB5/Rifwp980W4o=
-github.com/ethereum/go-verkle v0.1.1-0.20240306133620-7d920df305f0 h1:KrE8I4reeVvf7C1tm8elRjj4BdscTYzz/WAbYyf/JI4=
-github.com/ethereum/go-verkle v0.1.1-0.20240306133620-7d920df305f0/go.mod h1:D9AJLVXSyZQXJQVk8oh1EwjISE+sJTn2duYIZC0dy3w=
+github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.14.12 h1:8hl57x77HSUo+cXExrURjU/w1VhL+ShCTJrTwcCQSe4=
+github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.14.12/go.mod h1:RAC2gVMWJ6FkxSPESfbshrcKpIokgQKsVKmAuqdekDY=
+github.com/ethereum/go-verkle v0.1.1-0.20240829091221-dffa7562dbe9 h1:8NfxH2iXvJ60YRB8ChToFTUzl8awsc3cJ8CbLjGIl/A=
+github.com/ethereum/go-verkle v0.1.1-0.20240829091221-dffa7562dbe9/go.mod h1:M3b90YRnzqKyyzBEWJGqj8Qff4IDeXnzFw0P9bFw3uk=
 github.com/ethereum/hive v0.0.0-20240715150147-c87a99dccfce h1:wgH9mh3TFSd+LFSsXO6RdTEO3niapJRywO1Xl3/IoIE=
 github.com/ethereum/hive v0.0.0-20240715150147-c87a99dccfce/go.mod h1:ghNXZW+/WQClcyiwZpbTzUCyxwql7YeMacYd44v+BJE=
 github.com/ferranbt/fastssz v0.1.2 h1:Dky6dXlngF6Qjc+EfDipAkE83N5I5DE68bY6O0VLNPk=
 github.com/ferranbt/fastssz v0.1.2/go.mod h1:X5UPrE2u1UJjxHA8X54u04SBwdAQjG2sFtWs39YxyWs=
-github.com/fjl/memsize v0.0.2 h1:27txuSD9or+NZlnOWdKUxeBzTAUkWCVh+4Gf2dWFOzA=
-github.com/fjl/memsize v0.0.2/go.mod h1:VvhXpOYNQvB+uIk2RvXzuaQtkQJzzIx6lSBe1xv7hi0=
 github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.4.7/go.mod h1:jwhsz4b93w/PPRr/qN1Yymfu8t87LnFCMoQvtojpjFo=
 github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.4.9/go.mod h1:znqG4EE+3YCdAaPaxE2ZRY/06pZUdp0tY4IgpuI1SZQ=
 github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.5.4/go.mod h1:OVB6XrOHzAwXMpEM7uPOzcehqUV2UqJxmVXmkdnm1bU=
@@ -99,8 +93,8 @@ github.com/gofrs/flock v0.8.1 h1:+gYjHKf32LDeiEEFhQaotPbLuUXjY5ZqxKgXy7n59aw=
 github.com/gofrs/flock v0.8.1/go.mod h1:F1TvTiK9OcQqauNUHlbJvyl9Qa1QvF/gOUDKA14jxHU=
 github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2 h1:Ov1cvc58UF3b5XjBnZv7+opcTcQFZebYjWzi34vdm4Q=
 github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2/go.mod h1:P1XiOD3dCwIKUDQYPy72D8LYyHL2YPYrpS2s69NZV8Q=
-github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.0 h1:7cYmW1XlMY7h7ii7UhUyChSgS5wUJEnm9uZVTGqOWzg=
-github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.0/go.mod h1:m21LjoU+eqJr34lmDMbreY2eSTRJ1cv77w39/MY0Ch0=
+github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.1 h1:JdqV9zKUdtaa9gdPlywC3aeoEsR681PlKC+4F5gQgeo=
+github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.1/go.mod h1:m21LjoU+eqJr34lmDMbreY2eSTRJ1cv77w39/MY0Ch0=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.2.0/go.mod h1:6lQm79b+lXiMfvg/cZm0SGofjICqVBUtrP5yJMmIC1U=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.3.5/go.mod h1:6O5/vntMXwX2lRkT1hjjk0nAC1IDOTvTlVgjlRvqsdk=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.0-rc.1/go.mod h1:ceaxUfeHdC40wWswd/P6IGgMaK3YpKi5j83Wpe3EHw8=
@@ -141,8 +135,8 @@ github.com/holiman/billy v0.0.0-20240216141850-2abb0c79d3c4 h1:X4egAf/gcS1zATw6w
 github.com/holiman/billy v0.0.0-20240216141850-2abb0c79d3c4/go.mod h1:5GuXa7vkL8u9FkFuWdVvfR5ix8hRB7DbOAaYULamFpc=
 github.com/holiman/bloomfilter/v2 v2.0.3 h1:73e0e/V0tCydx14a0SCYS/EWCxgwLZ18CZcZKVu0fao=
 github.com/holiman/bloomfilter/v2 v2.0.3/go.mod h1:zpoh+gs7qcpqrHr3dB55AMiJwo0iURXE7ZOP9L9hSkA=
-github.com/holiman/uint256 v1.3.0 h1:4wdcm/tnd0xXdu7iS3ruNvxkWwrb4aeBQv19ayYn8F4=
-github.com/holiman/uint256 v1.3.0/go.mod h1:EOMSn4q6Nyt9P6efbI3bueV4e1b3dGlUCXeiRV4ng7E=
+github.com/holiman/uint256 v1.3.1 h1:JfTzmih28bittyHM8z360dCjIA9dbPIBlcTI6lmctQs=
+github.com/holiman/uint256 v1.3.1/go.mod h1:EOMSn4q6Nyt9P6efbI3bueV4e1b3dGlUCXeiRV4ng7E=
 github.com/hpcloud/tail v1.0.0/go.mod h1:ab1qPbhIpdTxEkNHXyeSf5vhxWSCs/tWer42PpOxQnU=
 github.com/huin/goupnp v1.3.0 h1:UvLUlWDNpoUdYzb2TCn+MuTWtcjXKSza2n6CBdQ0xXc=
 github.com/huin/goupnp v1.3.0/go.mod h1:gnGPsThkYa7bFi/KWmEysQRf48l2dvR5bxr2OFckNX8=
@@ -242,8 +236,6 @@ github.com/russross/blackfriday/v2 v2.1.0/go.mod h1:+Rmxgy9KzJVeS9/2gXHxylqXiyQD
 github.com/shirou/gopsutil v3.21.11+incompatible h1:+1+c1VGhc88SSonWP6foOcLhvnKlUeu/erjjvaPEYiI=
 github.com/shirou/gopsutil v3.21.11+incompatible/go.mod h1:5b4v6he4MtMOwMlS0TUMTu2PcXUg8+E1lC7eC3UO/RA=
 github.com/spkg/bom v0.0.0-20160624110644-59b7046e48ad/go.mod h1:qLr4V1qq6nMqFKkMo8ZTx3f+BZEkzsRUY10Xsm2mwU0=
-github.com/status-im/keycard-go v0.2.0 h1:QDLFswOQu1r5jsycloeQh3bVU8n/NatHHaZobtDnDzA=
-github.com/status-im/keycard-go v0.2.0/go.mod h1:wlp8ZLbsmrF6g6WjugPAx+IzoLrkdf9+mHxBEeo3Hbg=
 github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.0/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+wExME=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.3.0/go.mod h1:M5WIy9Dh21IEIfnGCwXGc5bZfKNJtfHm1UVUgZn+9EI=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.5.1/go.mod h1:5W2xD1RspED5o8YsWQXVCued0rvSQ+mT+I5cxcmMvtA=
@@ -252,16 +244,14 @@ github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.1/go.mod h1:6Fq8oRcR53rry900zMqJjRRixrwX3KX962/
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.2/go.mod h1:R6va5+xMeoiuVRoj+gSkQ7d3FALtqAAGI1FQKckRals=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.9.0 h1:HtqpIVDClZ4nwg75+f6Lvsy/wHu+3BoSGCbBAcpTsTg=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.9.0/go.mod h1:r2ic/lqez/lEtzL7wO/rwa5dbSLXVDPFyf8C91i36aY=
-github.com/supranational/blst v0.3.11 h1:LyU6FolezeWAhvQk0k6O/d49jqgO52MSDDfYgbeoEm4=
-github.com/supranational/blst v0.3.11/go.mod h1:jZJtfjgudtNl4en1tzwPIV3KjUnQUvG3/j+w+fVonLw=
+github.com/supranational/blst v0.3.13 h1:AYeSxdOMacwu7FBmpfloBz5pbFXDmJL33RuwnKtmTjk=
+github.com/supranational/blst v0.3.13/go.mod h1:jZJtfjgudtNl4en1tzwPIV3KjUnQUvG3/j+w+fVonLw=
 github.com/syndtr/goleveldb v1.0.1-0.20220614013038-64ee5596c38a h1:1ur3QoCqvE5fl+nylMaIr9PVV1w343YRDtsy+Rwu7XI=
 github.com/syndtr/goleveldb v1.0.1-0.20220614013038-64ee5596c38a/go.mod h1:RRCYJbIwD5jmqPI9XoAFR0OcDxqUctll6zUj/+B4S48=
 github.com/tklauser/go-sysconf v0.3.12 h1:0QaGUFOdQaIVdPgfITYzaTegZvdCjmYO52cSFAEVmqU=
 github.com/tklauser/go-sysconf v0.3.12/go.mod h1:Ho14jnntGE1fpdOqQEEaiKRpvIavV0hSfmBq8nJbHYI=
 github.com/tklauser/numcpus v0.6.1 h1:ng9scYS7az0Bk4OZLvrNXNSAO2Pxr1XXRAPyjhIx+Fk=
 github.com/tklauser/numcpus v0.6.1/go.mod h1:1XfjsgE2zo8GVw7POkMbHENHzVg3GzmoZ9fESEdAacY=
-github.com/tyler-smith/go-bip39 v1.1.0 h1:5eUemwrMargf3BSLRRCalXT93Ns6pQJIjYQN2nyfOP8=
-github.com/tyler-smith/go-bip39 v1.1.0/go.mod h1:gUYDtqQw1JS3ZJ8UWVcGTGqqr6YIN3CWg+kkNaLt55U=
 github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.25.7 h1:VAzn5oq403l5pHjc4OhD54+XGO9cdKVL/7lDjF+iKUs=
 github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.25.7/go.mod h1:8qnjx1vcq5s2/wpsqoZFndg2CE5tNFyrTvS6SinrnYQ=
 github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20201216005158-039620a65673 h1:bAn7/zixMGCfxrRTfdpNzjtPYqr8smhKouy9mxVdGPU=
@@ -325,8 +315,8 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.11.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.14.0/go.mod h1:/VUhepiaJMQUp4+oa/7Zr1D23ma6VTLIYjOOTFZPUcA=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.20.0 h1:Od9JTbYCk261bKm4M/mw7AklTlFYIa0bIp9BgSm1S8Y=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.20.0/go.mod h1:/VUhepiaJMQUp4+oa/7Zr1D23ma6VTLIYjOOTFZPUcA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.22.0 h1:RI27ohtqKCnwULzJLqkv897zojh5/DwS/ENaMzUOaWI=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.22.0/go.mod h1:/VUhepiaJMQUp4+oa/7Zr1D23ma6VTLIYjOOTFZPUcA=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
@@ -355,8 +345,8 @@ google.golang.org/protobuf v1.21.0/go.mod h1:47Nbq4nVaFHyn7ilMalzfO3qCViNmqZ2kzi
 google.golang.org/protobuf v1.23.0/go.mod h1:EGpADcykh3NcUnDUJcl1+ZksZNG86OlYog2l/sGQquU=
 google.golang.org/protobuf v1.26.0-rc.1/go.mod h1:jlhhOSvTdKEhbULTjvd4ARK9grFBp09yW+WbY/TyQbw=
 google.golang.org/protobuf v1.26.0/go.mod h1:9q0QmTI4eRPtz6boOQmLYwt+qCgq0jsYwAQnmE0givc=
-google.golang.org/protobuf v1.33.0 h1:uNO2rsAINq/JlFpSdYEKIZ0uKD/R9cpdv0T+yoGwGmI=
-google.golang.org/protobuf v1.33.0/go.mod h1:c6P6GXX6sHbq/GpV6MGZEdwhWPcYBgnhAHhKbcUYpos=
+google.golang.org/protobuf v1.34.2 h1:6xV6lTsCfpGD21XK49h7MhtcApnLqkfYgPcdHftf6hg=
+google.golang.org/protobuf v1.34.2/go.mod h1:qYOHts0dSfpeUzUFpOMr/WGzszTmLH+DiWniOlNbLDw=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20201130134442-10cb98267c6c h1:Hei/4ADfdWqJk1ZMxUNpqntNwaWcugrBjAiHlqqRiVk=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20201130134442-10cb98267c6c/go.mod h1:JHkPIbrfpd72SG/EVd6muEfDQjcINNoR0C8j2r3qZ4Q=
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/helper/helper.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/helper/helper.go
index 349a732b4c..9f01716c83 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/helper/helper.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/helper/helper.go
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ package helper
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"sync"
-	"time"
 
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
@@ -15,9 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
-	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/client"
-	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/globals"
-
 	gokzg4844 "github.com/crate-crypto/go-kzg-4844"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
@@ -265,87 +260,3 @@ func CalculateTotalDifficulty(genesis core.Genesis, chain types.Blocks, lastBloc
 func CalculateRealTTD(g *core.Genesis, ttdValue int64) int64 {
 	return g.Difficulty.Int64() + ttdValue
 }
-
-var (
-	// Time between checks of a client reaching Terminal Total Difficulty
-	TTDCheckPeriod = time.Second * 1
-)
-
-// TTD Check Methods
-func CheckTTD(ec client.EngineClient, ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, globals.RPCTimeout)
-	defer cancel()
-	td, err := ec.GetTotalDifficulty(ctx)
-	if err == nil {
-		return td.Cmp(ec.TerminalTotalDifficulty()) >= 0, nil
-	}
-	return false, err
-}
-
-type WaitTTDResponse struct {
-	ec  client.EngineClient
-	err error
-}
-
-// Wait until the TTD is reached by a single client.
-func WaitForTTD(ec client.EngineClient, wg *sync.WaitGroup, done chan<- WaitTTDResponse, ctx context.Context) {
-	defer wg.Done()
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-time.After(TTDCheckPeriod):
-			ttdReached, err := CheckTTD(ec, ctx)
-			if err == nil && ttdReached {
-				select {
-				case done <- WaitTTDResponse{
-					ec:  ec,
-					err: err,
-				}:
-				case <-ctx.Done():
-				}
-				return
-			}
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Wait until the TTD is reached by a single client with a timeout.
-// Returns true if the TTD has been reached, false when timeout occurred.
-func WaitForTTDWithTimeout(ec client.EngineClient, ctx context.Context) error {
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-time.After(TTDCheckPeriod):
-			ttdReached, err := CheckTTD(ec, ctx)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			if ttdReached {
-				return nil
-			}
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return fmt.Errorf("timeout reached")
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Wait until the TTD is reached by any of the engine clients
-func WaitAnyClientForTTD(ecs []client.EngineClient, testCtx context.Context) (client.EngineClient, error) {
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	defer wg.Wait()
-	done := make(chan WaitTTDResponse)
-	cancel := make(chan interface{})
-	defer close(cancel)
-	for _, ec := range ecs {
-		wg.Add(1)
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(testCtx)
-		defer cancel()
-		go WaitForTTD(ec, &wg, done, ctx)
-	}
-	select {
-	case r := <-done:
-		return r.ec, r.err
-	case <-testCtx.Done():
-		return nil, testCtx.Err()
-	}
-}
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/init/genesis.json b/simulators/ethereum/engine/init/genesis.json
index 9c0fd6b75a..a4d85e1dbe 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/init/genesis.json
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/init/genesis.json
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
     "berlinBlock": 0,
     "yolov2Block": 0,
     "yolov3Block": 0,
-    "londonBlock": 0
+    "londonBlock": 0,
+    "parisBlock": 0
   },
   "coinbase": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
   "difficulty": "0x30000",
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/main.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/main.go
index 115a3bc51d..45ee598ab6 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/main.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/main.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"math/big"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
@@ -147,34 +146,25 @@ func makeRunner(tests []test.Spec, nodeType string) func(t *hivesim.T) {
 				panic("unable to inject genmsis")
 			}
 
-			// Calculate and set the TTD for this test
-			ttd := genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty
-
-			// Configure Forks
-			newParams := globals.DefaultClientEnv.Set("HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY", fmt.Sprintf("%d", ttd))
-			if forkConfig.LondonNumber != nil {
-				newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_FORK_LONDON", fmt.Sprintf("%d", forkConfig.LondonNumber))
-			}
-			if forkConfig.ParisNumber != nil {
-				newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_MERGE_BLOCK_ID", fmt.Sprintf("%d", forkConfig.ParisNumber))
-			}
+			// Configure Forks.
+			// Note merge is hard-coded at genesis.
+			newParams := globals.DefaultClientEnv.Set("HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY_PASSED", "1")
+			newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY", fmt.Sprintf("%d", genesis.Difficulty))
+			newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_MERGE_BLOCK_ID", "0")
 			if forkConfig.ShanghaiTimestamp != nil {
 				newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_SHANGHAI_TIMESTAMP", fmt.Sprintf("%d", forkConfig.ShanghaiTimestamp))
-				// Ensure merge transition is activated before shanghai if not already
-				if forkConfig.ParisNumber == nil {
-					newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_MERGE_BLOCK_ID", "0")
-				}
 				if forkConfig.CancunTimestamp != nil {
 					newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_CANCUN_TIMESTAMP", fmt.Sprintf("%d", forkConfig.CancunTimestamp))
 				}
 			}
 
+			// Configure node type.
 			if nodeType != "" {
 				newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_NODETYPE", nodeType)
 			}
 
 			testFiles := hivesim.Params{}
-			if genesis.Difficulty.Cmp(ttd) < 0 {
+			if genesis.Difficulty.Sign() > 0 {
 				if currentTest.GetChainFile() != "" {
 					// We are using a Proof of Work chain file, remove all clique-related settings
 					// TODO: Nethermind still requires HIVE_MINER for the Engine API
@@ -192,7 +182,6 @@ func makeRunner(tests []test.Spec, nodeType string) func(t *hivesim.T) {
 				delete(newParams, "HIVE_CLIQUE_PRIVATEKEY")
 				delete(newParams, "HIVE_CLIQUE_PERIOD")
 				delete(newParams, "HIVE_MINER")
-				newParams = newParams.Set("HIVE_POST_MERGE_GENESIS", "true")
 			}
 
 			if clientTypes, err := t.Sim.ClientTypes(); err == nil {
@@ -220,7 +209,6 @@ func makeRunner(tests []test.Spec, nodeType string) func(t *hivesim.T) {
 							// Run the test case
 							test.Run(
 								currentTest,
-								new(big.Int).Set(ttd),
 								timeout,
 								t,
 								c,
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/auth/tests.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/auth/tests.go
index ac9ae537a2..884ccd716c 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/auth/tests.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/auth/tests.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func (authTestSpec AuthTestSpec) Execute(t *test.Env) {
 	var (
 		// All test cases send a simple TransitionConfigurationV1 to check the Authentication mechanism (JWT)
 		tConf = api.TransitionConfigurationV1{
-			TerminalTotalDifficulty: (*hexutil.Big)(t.MainTTD()),
+			TerminalTotalDifficulty: new(hexutil.Big), // zero
 			TerminalBlockHash:       common.Hash{},
 			TerminalBlockNumber:     0,
 		}
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/cancun/config.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/cancun/config.go
index c29fcdf67f..321acd189a 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/cancun/config.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/cancun/config.go
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ type CancunBaseSpec struct {
 
 // Base test case execution procedure for blobs tests.
 func (cs *CancunBaseSpec) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	blobTestCtx := NewTestContext(t)
 	defer blobTestCtx.Close()
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/bad_hash.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/bad_hash.go
index 478f68097f..234a9f15a5 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/bad_hash.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/bad_hash.go
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ func (b BadHashOnNewPayload) GetName() string {
 }
 
 func (b BadHashOnNewPayload) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -163,9 +160,6 @@ func (p ParentHashOnNewPayload) GetName() string {
 // Copy the parentHash into the blockHash, client should reject the payload
 // (from Kintsugi Incident Report: https://notes.ethereum.org/@ExXcnR0-SJGthjz1dwkA1A/BkkdHWXTY)
 func (b ParentHashOnNewPayload) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/fork_id.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/fork_id.go
index 1cb92acde4..b20967d501 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/fork_id.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/fork_id.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/clmock"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/config"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/devp2p"
@@ -40,18 +39,10 @@ func (s ForkIDSpec) GetForkConfig() *config.ForkConfig {
 	if forkConfig == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	// Merge fork happen at block 0
-	mainFork := s.GetMainFork()
-	if mainFork == config.Paris {
-		forkConfig.ParisNumber = common.Big0
-	}
 	return forkConfig
 }
 
 func (ft ForkIDSpec) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test if required
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(ft.ProduceBlocksBeforePeering, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/forkchoice.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/forkchoice.go
index bc90020733..d77b319b99 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/forkchoice.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/forkchoice.go
@@ -38,9 +38,6 @@ func (tc InconsistentForkchoiceTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Send an inconsistent ForkchoiceState with a known payload that belongs to a side chain as head, safe or finalized.
 func (tc InconsistentForkchoiceTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	canonicalPayloads := make([]*typ.ExecutableData, 0)
 	alternativePayloads := make([]*typ.ExecutableData, 0)
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
@@ -104,9 +101,6 @@ func (tc ForkchoiceUpdatedUnknownBlockHashTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Send an inconsistent ForkchoiceState with a known payload that belongs to a side chain as head, safe or finalized.
 func (tc ForkchoiceUpdatedUnknownBlockHashTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_ancestor.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_ancestor.go
index be0c378e30..701ab9f950 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_ancestor.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_ancestor.go
@@ -52,10 +52,6 @@ func (tc InvalidMissingAncestorReOrgTest) GetName() string {
 }
 
 func (tc InvalidMissingAncestorReOrgTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -250,9 +246,6 @@ func (tc InvalidMissingAncestorReOrgSyncTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
 		t.CLMock.RemoveEngineClient(t.Engine)
 	}
 
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	// Default is to produce 5 PoS blocks before the common ancestor
 	cAHeight := 5
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_payload.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_payload.go
index 7ea39e8ea5..7f96a60209 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_payload.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/invalid_payload.go
@@ -73,9 +73,6 @@ func (tc InvalidPayloadTestCase) Execute(t *test.Env) {
 		t.CLMock.AddEngineClient(secondaryClient)
 	}
 
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by all clients
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	txFunc := func() {
 		if !tc.EmptyTransactions {
 			// Function to send at least one transaction each block produced
@@ -339,9 +336,6 @@ func (tc PayloadBuildAfterInvalidPayloadTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
 	secondaryEngineTest := test.NewTestEngineClient(t, secondaryEngine)
 	t.CLMock.AddEngineClient(secondaryEngine)
 
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -420,9 +414,6 @@ func (s InvalidTxChainIDTest) GetName() string {
 // Attempt to produce a payload after a transaction with an invalid Chain ID was sent to the client
 // using `eth_sendRawTransaction`.
 func (spec InvalidTxChainIDTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/misc.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/misc.go
deleted file mode 100644
index cfb569dfb0..0000000000
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/misc.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-package suite_engine
-
-import (
-	"math/big"
-
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/clmock"
-	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/config"
-	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/test"
-)
-
-// Runs a sanity test on a post Merge fork where a previous fork's (London) number is not zero
-type NonZeroPreMergeFork struct {
-	test.BaseSpec
-}
-
-func (s NonZeroPreMergeFork) WithMainFork(fork config.Fork) test.Spec {
-	specCopy := s
-	specCopy.MainFork = fork
-	return specCopy
-}
-
-func (b NonZeroPreMergeFork) GetName() string {
-	return "Pre-Merge Fork Number > 0"
-}
-
-func (s NonZeroPreMergeFork) GetForkConfig() *config.ForkConfig {
-	forkConfig := s.BaseSpec.GetForkConfig()
-	if forkConfig == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	// Merge fork & pre-merge happen at block 1
-	forkConfig.LondonNumber = common.Big1
-	forkConfig.ParisNumber = common.Big1
-	// Post-merge fork happens at block 2
-	mainFork := s.GetMainFork()
-	if mainFork == config.Cancun {
-		forkConfig.ShanghaiTimestamp = new(big.Int).Set(forkConfig.CancunTimestamp)
-	}
-	return forkConfig
-}
-
-func (b NonZeroPreMergeFork) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
-	// Simply produce a couple of blocks without transactions (if London is not active at genesis
-	// we can't send type-2 transactions) and check that the chain progresses without issues
-	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
-}
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_attributes.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_attributes.go
index 540159b2a1..1ceeed3b40 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_attributes.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_attributes.go
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@ func (tc InvalidPayloadAttributesTest) GetName() string {
 }
 
 func (tc InvalidPayloadAttributesTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_execution.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_execution.go
index a86c4e253b..b7d1be6b46 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_execution.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_execution.go
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ func (s ReExecutePayloadTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Consecutive Payload Execution: Secondary client should be able to set the forkchoiceUpdated to payloads received consecutively
 func (spec ReExecutePayloadTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// How many Payloads we are going to re-execute
 	var payloadReExecCount = 10
 
@@ -105,9 +102,6 @@ func (s InOrderPayloadExecutionTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Consecutive Payload Execution: Secondary client should be able to set the forkchoiceUpdated to payloads received consecutively
 func (spec InOrderPayloadExecutionTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Send a single block to allow sending newer transaction types on the payloads
 	t.CLMock.ProduceSingleBlock(clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -232,9 +226,6 @@ func (s MultiplePayloadsExtendingCanonicalChainTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Consecutive Payload Execution: Secondary client should be able to set the forkchoiceUpdated to payloads received consecutively
 func (spec MultiplePayloadsExtendingCanonicalChainTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -338,9 +329,6 @@ func (spec NewPayloadOnSyncingClientTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
 		t.CLMock.AddEngineClient(secondaryClient)
 	}
 
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by all clients
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -473,9 +461,6 @@ func (s NewPayloadWithMissingFcUTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Send a valid `newPayload` in correct order but skip `forkchoiceUpdated` until the last payload
 func (spec NewPayloadWithMissingFcUTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Get last genesis block hash
 	genesisHash := t.TestEngine.TestHeaderByNumber(Head).Header.Hash()
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_id.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_id.go
index e2afe766bc..e5c4f993be 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_id.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/payload_id.go
@@ -42,9 +42,6 @@ func (tc UniquePayloadIDTest) GetName() string {
 // Check that the payload id returned on a forkchoiceUpdated call is different
 // when the attributes change
 func (tc UniquePayloadIDTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	t.CLMock.ProduceSingleBlock(clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{
 		OnPayloadAttributesGenerated: func() {
 			payloadAttributes := t.CLMock.LatestPayloadAttributes
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/prev_randao.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/prev_randao.go
index 6b6906f01d..79a0a7f523 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/prev_randao.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/prev_randao.go
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ func (t PrevRandaoTransactionTest) GetName() string {
 }
 
 func (tc PrevRandaoTransactionTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Create a single block to not having to build on top of genesis
 	t.CLMock.ProduceSingleBlock(clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/reorg.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/reorg.go
index 05a96ee58c..1461d1c4f1 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/reorg.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/reorg.go
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@ func (s SidechainReOrgTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Reorg to a Sidechain using ForkchoiceUpdated
 func (spec SidechainReOrgTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -146,9 +143,6 @@ func (s TransactionReOrgTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Test transaction status after a forkchoiceUpdated re-orgs to an alternative hash where a transaction is not present
 func (spec TransactionReOrgTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test (So we don't try to reorg back to the genesis block)
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -442,9 +436,6 @@ func (s ReOrgBackToCanonicalTest) GetDepth() uint64 {
 // Test that performing a re-org back into a previous block of the canonical chain does not produce errors and the chain
 // is still capable of progressing.
 func (spec ReOrgBackToCanonicalTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Check the CLMock configured safe and finalized
 	if t.CLMock.SlotsToSafe.Cmp(new(big.Int).SetUint64(spec.ReOrgDepth)) <= 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("FAIL (%s): [TEST ISSUE] CLMock configured slots to safe less than re-org depth: %v <= %v", t.TestName, t.CLMock.SlotsToSafe, spec.ReOrgDepth)
@@ -566,9 +557,6 @@ func (s ReOrgBackFromSyncingTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Test that performs a re-org back to the canonical chain after re-org to syncing/unavailable chain.
 func (spec ReOrgBackFromSyncingTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce an alternative chain
 	sidechainPayloads := make([]*typ.ExecutableData, 0)
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(10, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{
@@ -655,9 +643,6 @@ func (s ReOrgPrevValidatedPayloadOnSideChainTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Test that performs a re-org to a previously validated payload on a side chain.
 func (spec ReOrgPrevValidatedPayloadOnSideChainTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce blocks before starting the test
 	t.CLMock.ProduceBlocks(5, clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
@@ -772,9 +757,6 @@ func (s SafeReOrgToSideChainTest) GetName() string {
 
 // Test that performs a re-org of the safe block to a side chain.
 func (s SafeReOrgToSideChainTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Produce an alternative chain
 	sidechainPayloads := make([]*typ.ExecutableData, 0)
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/rpc.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/rpc.go
index 9d9ab22f35..5bcffb5229 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/rpc.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/rpc.go
@@ -38,9 +38,6 @@ func (b BlockStatus) GetName() string {
 
 // Test to verify Block information available at the Eth RPC after NewPayload/ForkchoiceUpdated
 func (b BlockStatus) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS Block
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	switch b.CheckType {
 	case SafeOnSafeBlockHash, FinalizedOnFinalizedBlockHash:
 		var number *big.Int
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/suggested_fee_recipient.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/suggested_fee_recipient.go
index 0c604fd87a..d00fdd2d14 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/suggested_fee_recipient.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/suggested_fee_recipient.go
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ func (t SuggestedFeeRecipientTest) GetName() string {
 }
 
 func (tc SuggestedFeeRecipientTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until this client catches up with latest PoS
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Create a single block to not having to build on top of genesis
 	t.CLMock.ProduceSingleBlock(clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/tests.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/tests.go
index e90c12158f..8ad1a1be2a 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/tests.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/tests.go
@@ -415,14 +415,4 @@ func init() {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
-	// Misc Tests
-	Tests = append(Tests,
-		// Pre-merge & merge fork occur at block 1, post-merge forks occur at block 2
-		NonZeroPreMergeFork{
-			BaseSpec: test.BaseSpec{
-				ForkHeight: 2,
-			},
-		},
-	)
 }
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/versioning.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/versioning.go
index a28517a72b..4b0080db92 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/versioning.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine/versioning.go
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ func (tc ForkchoiceUpdatedOnPayloadRequestTest) GetName() string {
 }
 
 func (tc ForkchoiceUpdatedOnPayloadRequestTest) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	// Wait until TTD is reached by this client
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	t.CLMock.ProduceSingleBlock(clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{
 		OnPayloadAttributesGenerated: func() {
 			var (
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/sync/tests.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/sync/tests.go
index 73c34d3294..0416c6d16d 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/sync/tests.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/sync/tests.go
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@ var Tests = []test.BaseSpec{
 		Run:            postMergeSync,
 		TimeoutSeconds: 180,
 		ChainFile:      "blocks_1024_td_135112316.rlp",
-		TTD:            135112316,
 	},
 	{
 		Name:           "Incremental Post Merge Sync",
 		Run:            incrementalPostMergeSync,
 		TimeoutSeconds: 180,
 		ChainFile:      "blocks_1024_td_135112316.rlp",
-		TTD:            135112316,
 	},
 }
 
+const syncTestsTD = 135112316
+
 // Routine that adds all sync tests to a test suite
 func AddSyncTestsToSuite(sim *hivesim.Simulation, suite *hivesim.Suite, tests []test.BaseSpec) {
 	clientDefs, err := sim.ClientTypes()
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func AddSyncTestsToSuite(sim *hivesim.Simulation, suite *hivesim.Suite, tests []
 			testFiles := hivesim.Params{"/genesis.json": genesisPath}
 			// Calculate and set the TTD for this test
 			genesis := helper.LoadGenesis(genesisPath)
-			ttd := helper.CalculateRealTTD(&genesis, currentTest.TTD)
+			ttd := helper.CalculateRealTTD(&genesis, syncTestsTD)
 			newParams := globals.DefaultClientEnv.Set("HIVE_TERMINAL_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY", fmt.Sprintf("%d", ttd))
 			if currentTest.ChainFile != "" {
 				// We are using a Proof of Work chain file, remove all clique-related settings
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func AddSyncTestsToSuite(sim *hivesim.Simulation, suite *hivesim.Suite, tests []
 						}
 
 						// Run the test case
-						test.Run(&currentTest, big.NewInt(ttd), timeout, t, c, &genesis, rand.New(rand.NewSource(0)), syncClientParams, testFiles.Copy())
+						test.Run(&currentTest, timeout, t, c, &genesis, rand.New(rand.NewSource(0)), syncClientParams, testFiles.Copy())
 					},
 				})
 			}
@@ -111,10 +111,6 @@ func AddSyncTestsToSuite(sim *hivesim.Simulation, suite *hivesim.Suite, tests []
 
 // Client Sync tests
 func postMergeSync(t *test.Env) {
-	// Launch another client after the PoS transition has happened in the main client.
-	// Sync should eventually happen without issues.
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Speed up block production
 	t.CLMock.PayloadProductionClientDelay = 0
 
@@ -162,10 +158,6 @@ func postMergeSync(t *test.Env) {
 
 // Performs a test where sync is done incrementally by sending incremental newPayload/fcU calls
 func incrementalPostMergeSync(t *test.Env) {
-	// Launch another client after the PoS transition has happened in the main client.
-	// Sync should eventually happen without issues.
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	var (
 		N uint64 = 500 // Total number of PoS blocks
 		S uint64 = 5   // Number of incremental steps to sync
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/withdrawals/tests.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/withdrawals/tests.go
index db9cd35197..253e19f441 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/withdrawals/tests.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/withdrawals/tests.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/config"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/globals"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/helper"
-	suite_engine "github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/suites/engine"
 	"github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/test"
 	typ "github.com/ethereum/hive/simulators/ethereum/engine/types"
 )
@@ -815,14 +814,6 @@ var Tests = []test.Spec{
 			},
 		},
 	},
-
-	// TODO: Remove since this will be automatically inherited when this test suite is refactored
-	suite_engine.NonZeroPreMergeFork{
-		BaseSpec: test.BaseSpec{
-			MainFork:   config.Shanghai,
-			ForkHeight: 1,
-		},
-	},
 }
 
 // Helper types to convert gwei into wei more easily
@@ -1125,8 +1116,6 @@ func (ws *WithdrawalsBaseSpec) Execute(t *test.Env) {
 	// Create the withdrawals history object
 	ws.WithdrawalsHistory = make(WithdrawalsHistory)
 
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Check if we have pre-Shanghai blocks
 	if ws.GetWithdrawalsForkTime() > uint64(globals.GenesisTimestamp) {
 		// Check `latest` during all pre-shanghai blocks, none should
@@ -1554,8 +1543,6 @@ func (ws *WithdrawalsReorgSpec) Execute(t *test.Env) {
 	// Create the withdrawals history object
 	ws.WithdrawalsHistory = make(WithdrawalsHistory)
 
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
-
 	// Spawn a secondary client which will produce the sidechain
 	secondaryEngine, err := hive_rpc.HiveRPCEngineStarter{}.StartClient(t.T, t.TestContext, t.Genesis, t.ClientParams, t.ClientFiles, t.Engine)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1821,7 +1808,6 @@ type MaxInitcodeSizeSpec struct {
 }
 
 func (s *MaxInitcodeSizeSpec) Execute(t *test.Env) {
-	t.CLMock.WaitForTTD()
 	invalidTxSender := globals.TestAccounts[0]
 	invalidTxCreator := &helper.BigInitcodeTransactionCreator{
 		InitcodeLength: MAX_INITCODE_SIZE + 1,
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/env.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/env.go
index 4fb48e5e59..d52e75a2c8 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/env.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/env.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package test
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"math/big"
 	"math/rand"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
@@ -55,7 +54,7 @@ type Env struct {
 	TestTransactionType helper.TestTransactionType
 }
 
-func Run(testSpec Spec, ttd *big.Int, timeout time.Duration, t *hivesim.T, c *hivesim.Client, genesis *core.Genesis, randSource *rand.Rand, cParams hivesim.Params, cFiles hivesim.Params) {
+func Run(testSpec Spec, timeout time.Duration, t *hivesim.T, c *hivesim.Client, genesis *core.Genesis, randSource *rand.Rand, cParams hivesim.Params, cFiles hivesim.Params) {
 	// Setup the CL Mocker for this test
 	forkConfig := testSpec.GetForkConfig()
 	clMocker := clmock.NewCLMocker(
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ func Run(testSpec Spec, ttd *big.Int, timeout time.Duration, t *hivesim.T, c *hi
 	}()
 
 	// Create Engine client from main hivesim.Client to be used by tests
-	ec := hive_rpc.NewHiveRPCEngineClient(c, globals.EnginePortHTTP, globals.EthPortHTTP, globals.DefaultJwtTokenSecretBytes, ttd, &helper.LoggingRoundTrip{
+	ec := hive_rpc.NewHiveRPCEngineClient(c, globals.EnginePortHTTP, globals.EthPortHTTP, globals.DefaultJwtTokenSecretBytes, &helper.LoggingRoundTrip{
 		Logger: t,
 		ID:     c.Container,
 		Inner:  http.DefaultTransport,
@@ -109,6 +108,9 @@ func Run(testSpec Spec, ttd *big.Int, timeout time.Duration, t *hivesim.T, c *hi
 		t.Fatalf("FAIL (%s): Ports were never open for client: %v", env.TestName, err)
 	}
 
+	// Setup clMocker with client head.
+	clMocker.InitChain(ec)
+
 	// Full test context has a few more seconds to finish up after timeout happens
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), timeout+(time.Second*10))
 	defer cancel()
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ func Run(testSpec Spec, ttd *big.Int, timeout time.Duration, t *hivesim.T, c *hi
 	// Defer producing one last block to verify Execution client did not break after the test
 	defer func() {
 		// Only run if the TTD was reached during test, and test had not failed at this point.
-		if clMocker.TTDReached && !t.Failed() {
+		if !t.Failed() {
 			clMocker.ProduceSingleBlock(clmock.BlockProcessCallbacks{})
 		}
 	}()
@@ -136,10 +138,6 @@ func Run(testSpec Spec, ttd *big.Int, timeout time.Duration, t *hivesim.T, c *hi
 	testSpec.Execute(env)
 }
 
-func (t *Env) MainTTD() *big.Int {
-	return t.Engine.TerminalTotalDifficulty()
-}
-
 func (t *Env) HandleClientPostRunVerification(ec client.EngineClient) {
 	if err := ec.PostRunVerifications(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("FAIL (%s): Client failed post-run verification: %v", t.TestName, err)
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/spec.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/spec.go
index 52d6df775d..368cc48fd4 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/spec.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/test/spec.go
@@ -53,11 +53,6 @@ type BaseSpec struct {
 	// Test procedure to execute the test
 	Run func(*Env)
 
-	// TerminalTotalDifficulty delta value.
-	// Actual TTD is genesis.Difficulty + this value
-	// Default: 0
-	TTD int64
-
 	// CL Mocker configuration for time increments
 	BlockTimestampIncrement uint64
 
@@ -202,12 +197,6 @@ func (s BaseSpec) GetGenesis() *core.Genesis {
 	}
 	genesis := helper.LoadGenesis(genesisPath)
 
-	// Set the terminal total difficulty
-	genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = big.NewInt(genesis.Difficulty.Int64() + s.TTD)
-	if genesis.Difficulty.Cmp(genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty) <= 0 {
-		genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficultyPassed = true
-	}
-
 	// Set the genesis timestamp if provided
 	if s.GenesisTimestamp != nil {
 		genesis.Timestamp = *s.GenesisTimestamp
diff --git a/simulators/ethereum/engine/types/types.go b/simulators/ethereum/engine/types/types.go
index dc61e76d44..c8e14ab2eb 100644
--- a/simulators/ethereum/engine/types/types.go
+++ b/simulators/ethereum/engine/types/types.go
@@ -223,5 +223,5 @@ func ExecutableDataToBlock(ed ExecutableData) (*types.Block, error) {
 	if ed.VersionedHashes != nil {
 		versionedHashes = *ed.VersionedHashes
 	}
-	return geth_beacon.ExecutableDataToBlock(gethEd, versionedHashes, ed.ParentBeaconBlockRoot)
+	return geth_beacon.ExecutableDataToBlock(gethEd, versionedHashes, ed.ParentBeaconBlockRoot, nil)
 }