diff --git a/core/rawdb/ancient_scheme.go b/core/rawdb/ancient_scheme.go
index 1563d11e98..f042ffeefe 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/ancient_scheme.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/ancient_scheme.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var chainFreezerTableConfigs = map[string]freezerTableConfig{
 
 type freezerTableConfig struct {
 	noSnappy bool // disables item compression
-	prunable bool // true for tables that can be truncated by TruncateTailBlocks
+	prunable bool // true for tables that can be pruned by TruncateTail
 }
 
 const (
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ const (
 
 // stateFreezerTableConfigs configures whether compression is disabled for the state freezer.
 var stateFreezerTableConfigs = map[string]freezerTableConfig{
-	stateHistoryMeta:         {noSnappy: true, prunable: false},
-	stateHistoryAccountIndex: {noSnappy: false, prunable: false},
-	stateHistoryStorageIndex: {noSnappy: false, prunable: false},
-	stateHistoryAccountData:  {noSnappy: false, prunable: false},
-	stateHistoryStorageData:  {noSnappy: false, prunable: false},
+	stateHistoryMeta:         {noSnappy: true, prunable: true},
+	stateHistoryAccountIndex: {noSnappy: false, prunable: true},
+	stateHistoryStorageIndex: {noSnappy: false, prunable: true},
+	stateHistoryAccountData:  {noSnappy: false, prunable: true},
+	stateHistoryStorageData:  {noSnappy: false, prunable: true},
 }
 
 // The list of identifiers of ancient stores.
diff --git a/core/rawdb/database.go b/core/rawdb/database.go
index 4ea1e9d798..bc29347324 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/database.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/database.go
@@ -126,11 +126,6 @@ func (db *nofreezedb) TruncateTail(items uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	return 0, errNotSupported
 }
 
-// TruncateTailBlock returns an error as we don't have a backing chain freezer.
-func (db *nofreezedb) TruncateTailBlocks(items uint64) (uint64, error) {
-	return 0, errNotSupported
-}
-
 // Sync returns an error as we don't have a backing chain freezer.
 func (db *nofreezedb) Sync() error {
 	return errNotSupported
diff --git a/core/rawdb/freezer.go b/core/rawdb/freezer.go
index eceada1681..4862256c79 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/freezer.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/freezer.go
@@ -301,32 +301,9 @@ func (f *Freezer) TruncateHead(items uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	return oitems, nil
 }
 
-// TruncateTailBlocks discards all data below the provided threshold block number.
-// This is intended to be used with the chain freezer. Unlike TruncateTail, it
-// only truncates blocks and receipts, leaving the header table where it is.
-func (f *Freezer) TruncateTailBlocks(tailBlock uint64) (uint64, error) {
-	if f.readonly {
-		return 0, errReadOnly
-	}
-	f.writeLock.Lock()
-	defer f.writeLock.Unlock()
-
-	old := f.tail.Load()
-	if old >= tailBlock {
-		return old, nil
-	}
-	for _, table := range f.tables {
-		if table.config.prunable {
-			if err := table.truncateTail(tailBlock); err != nil {
-				return 0, err
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	f.tail.Store(tailBlock)
-	return old, nil
-}
-
-// TruncateTail discards all data below the provided threshold number.
+// TruncateTail discards all data below the provided threshold number
+// Note this will only truncate 'prunable' tables. Block headers and canonical
+// hashes cannot be truncated at this time.
 func (f *Freezer) TruncateTail(tail uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	if f.readonly {
 		return 0, errReadOnly
@@ -339,8 +316,10 @@ func (f *Freezer) TruncateTail(tail uint64) (uint64, error) {
 		return old, nil
 	}
 	for _, table := range f.tables {
-		if err := table.truncateTail(tail); err != nil {
-			return 0, err
+		if table.config.prunable {
+			if err := table.truncateTail(tail); err != nil {
+				return 0, err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	f.tail.Store(tail)
diff --git a/core/rawdb/freezer_memory.go b/core/rawdb/freezer_memory.go
index 0f94f5d459..4274546de5 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/freezer_memory.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/freezer_memory.go
@@ -370,33 +370,13 @@ func (f *MemoryFreezer) TruncateHead(items uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	return old, nil
 }
 
-// TruncateTail discards any recent data below the provided threshold number.
+// TruncateTail discards all data below the provided threshold number.
+// Note this will only truncate 'prunable' tables. Block headers and canonical
+// hashes cannot be truncated at this time.
 func (f *MemoryFreezer) TruncateTail(tail uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	f.lock.Lock()
 	defer f.lock.Unlock()
 
-	if f.readonly {
-		return 0, errReadOnly
-	}
-	old := f.tail
-	if old >= tail {
-		return old, nil
-	}
-	for _, table := range f.tables {
-		if err := table.truncateTail(tail); err != nil {
-			return 0, err
-		}
-	}
-	f.tail = tail
-	return old, nil
-}
-
-// TruncateTailBlocks discards all data below the provided block.
-// Only truncates blocks and receipts.
-func (f *MemoryFreezer) TruncateTailBlocks(tail uint64) (uint64, error) {
-	f.lock.Lock()
-	defer f.lock.Unlock()
-
 	if f.readonly {
 		return 0, errReadOnly
 	}
diff --git a/core/rawdb/freezer_resettable.go b/core/rawdb/freezer_resettable.go
index f550337bc0..2e64e6074c 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/freezer_resettable.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/freezer_resettable.go
@@ -194,15 +194,6 @@ func (f *resettableFreezer) TruncateTail(tail uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	return f.freezer.TruncateTail(tail)
 }
 
-// TruncateTailBlocks discards any recent data below the provided threshold number.
-// It returns the previous value
-func (f *resettableFreezer) TruncateTailBlocks(tail uint64) (uint64, error) {
-	f.lock.RLock()
-	defer f.lock.RUnlock()
-
-	return f.freezer.TruncateTailBlocks(tail)
-}
-
 // Sync flushes all data tables to disk.
 func (f *resettableFreezer) Sync() error {
 	f.lock.RLock()
diff --git a/core/rawdb/table.go b/core/rawdb/table.go
index 96452534c6..1a9060b636 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/table.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/table.go
@@ -107,12 +107,6 @@ func (t *table) TruncateTail(items uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	return t.db.TruncateTail(items)
 }
 
-// TruncateTailBlocks is a noop passthrough that just forwards the request to the underlying
-// database.
-func (t *table) TruncateTailBlocks(items uint64) (uint64, error) {
-	return t.db.TruncateTailBlocks(items)
-}
-
 // Sync is a noop passthrough that just forwards the request to the underlying
 // database.
 func (t *table) Sync() error {
diff --git a/ethdb/database.go b/ethdb/database.go
index 8c6f68ddbb..2b0fe9c307 100644
--- a/ethdb/database.go
+++ b/ethdb/database.go
@@ -128,13 +128,11 @@ type AncientWriter interface {
 	// is item_n(start from 0). The deleted items may not be removed from the ancient store
 	// immediately, but only when the accumulated deleted data reach the threshold then
 	// will be removed all together.
+	//
+	// Note this will only truncate 'prunable' tables. Block headers and canonical
+	// hashes cannot be truncated at this time.
 	TruncateTail(n uint64) (uint64, error)
 
-	// TruncateTailBlocks discards all blocks and receipts below the given number from the
-	// ancient store. Headers are left as-is. This is intended to be used with the chain
-	// freezer specifically.
-	TruncateTailBlocks(tailBlock uint64) (uint64, error)
-
 	// Sync flushes all in-memory ancient store data to disk.
 	Sync() error
 }
diff --git a/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go b/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go
index 5734fda500..247a4392db 100644
--- a/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go
+++ b/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go
@@ -110,10 +110,6 @@ func (db *Database) TruncateTail(n uint64) (uint64, error) {
 	panic("not supported")
 }
 
-func (db *Database) TruncateTailBlocks(n uint64) (uint64, error) {
-	panic("not supported")
-}
-
 func (db *Database) Sync() error {
 	return nil
 }