diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 0e4521173b..ac160b0736 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -134,9 +134,6 @@ func (b *EthAPIBackend) BlockByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumbe
 			return nil, errors.New("'finalized' tag not supported on pre-merge network")
 		}
 		header := b.eth.blockchain.CurrentFinalBlock()
-		if header == nil {
-			return nil, errors.New("finalized block not found")
-		}
 		return b.eth.blockchain.GetBlock(header.Hash(), header.Number.Uint64()), nil
 	}
 	if number == rpc.SafeBlockNumber {
@@ -144,9 +141,6 @@ func (b *EthAPIBackend) BlockByNumber(ctx context.Context, number rpc.BlockNumbe
 			return nil, errors.New("'safe' tag not supported on pre-merge network")
 		}
 		header := b.eth.blockchain.CurrentSafeBlock()
-		if header == nil {
-			return nil, errors.New("safe block not found")
-		}
 		return b.eth.blockchain.GetBlock(header.Hash(), header.Number.Uint64()), nil
 	}
 	return b.eth.blockchain.GetBlockByNumber(uint64(number)), nil