diff --git a/beacon/engine/types.go b/beacon/engine/types.go
index 9d820ac772..d4c7be02fe 100644
--- a/beacon/engine/types.go
+++ b/beacon/engine/types.go
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ type ExecutionPayloadBody struct {
 // ExecutionPayloadBodyV2 extends ExecutionPayloadBody with the block access list.
 type ExecutionPayloadBodyV2 struct {
 	ExecutionPayloadBody
-	BlockAccessList *bal.BlockAccessList `json:"blockAccessList"`
+	BlockAccessList *hexutil.Bytes `json:"blockAccessList"`
 }
 
 // Client identifiers to support ClientVersionV1.
diff --git a/eth/catalyst/api.go b/eth/catalyst/api.go
index 46f8cc98fc..7b4130c190 100644
--- a/eth/catalyst/api.go
+++ b/eth/catalyst/api.go
@@ -1320,9 +1320,15 @@ func getBodyV2(block *types.Block) *engine.ExecutionPayloadBodyV2 {
 	if body == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+	var blockAccessList *hexutil.Bytes
+	if accessList := block.AccessList(); accessList != nil {
+		encoded, _ := rlp.EncodeToBytes(accessList)
+		data := hexutil.Bytes(encoded)
+		blockAccessList = &data
+	}
 	return &engine.ExecutionPayloadBodyV2{
 		ExecutionPayloadBody: *body,
-		BlockAccessList:      block.AccessList(),
+		BlockAccessList:      blockAccessList,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/eth/catalyst/api_test.go b/eth/catalyst/api_test.go
index c4298b25ab..90074316a8 100644
--- a/eth/catalyst/api_test.go
+++ b/eth/catalyst/api_test.go
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ func TestGetPayloadBodyV2BlockAccessList(t *testing.T) {
 			name:       "retained empty BAL",
 			header:     &types.Header{BlockAccessListHash: &emptyHash},
 			accessList: &empty,
-			want:       "[]",
+			want:       `"0xc0"`,
 		},
 		{
 			name:   "pruned BAL",