diff --git a/core/txpool/errors.go b/core/txpool/errors.go
index 8285cbf10e..ce741f3505 100644
--- a/core/txpool/errors.go
+++ b/core/txpool/errors.go
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ var (
 	// ErrInvalidSender is returned if the transaction contains an invalid signature.
 	ErrInvalidSender = errors.New("invalid sender")
 
+	// ErrInvalidValidationOptions is returned if a public validation helper is
+	// invoked without the required state or callbacks.
+	ErrInvalidValidationOptions = errors.New("invalid validation options")
+
 	// ErrUnderpriced is returned if a transaction's gas price is too low to be
 	// included in the pool. If the gas price is lower than the minimum configured
 	// one for the transaction pool, use ErrTxGasPriceTooLow instead.
diff --git a/core/txpool/validation.go b/core/txpool/validation.go
index 13b1bfa312..59bbbbda14 100644
--- a/core/txpool/validation.go
+++ b/core/txpool/validation.go
@@ -246,12 +246,30 @@ type ValidationOptionsWithState struct {
 	ExistingCost func(addr common.Address, nonce uint64) *big.Int
 }
 
+func validateStatefulOptions(opts *ValidationOptionsWithState) error {
+	switch {
+	case opts == nil:
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: missing options", ErrInvalidValidationOptions)
+	case opts.State == nil:
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: missing state", ErrInvalidValidationOptions)
+	case opts.ExistingExpenditure == nil:
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: missing ExistingExpenditure callback", ErrInvalidValidationOptions)
+	case opts.ExistingCost == nil:
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: missing ExistingCost callback", ErrInvalidValidationOptions)
+	default:
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // ValidateTransactionWithState is a helper method to check whether a transaction
 // is valid according to the pool's internal state checks (balance, nonce, gaps).
 //
 // This check is public to allow different transaction pools to check the stateful
 // rules without duplicating code and running the risk of missed updates.
 func ValidateTransactionWithState(tx *types.Transaction, signer types.Signer, opts *ValidationOptionsWithState) error {
+	if err := validateStatefulOptions(opts); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// Ensure the transaction adheres to nonce ordering
 	from, err := types.Sender(signer, tx) // already validated (and cached), but cleaner to check
 	if err != nil {
@@ -280,6 +298,9 @@ func ValidateTransactionWithState(tx *types.Transaction, signer types.Signer, op
 	// Ensure the transactor has enough funds to cover for replacements or nonce
 	// expansions without overdrafts
 	spent := opts.ExistingExpenditure(from)
+	if spent == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: ExistingExpenditure returned nil", ErrInvalidValidationOptions)
+	}
 	if prev := opts.ExistingCost(from, tx.Nonce()); prev != nil {
 		bump := new(big.Int).Sub(cost, prev)
 		need := new(big.Int).Add(spent, bump)
diff --git a/core/txpool/validation_test.go b/core/txpool/validation_test.go
index 3945b548c1..7744e81ebe 100644
--- a/core/txpool/validation_test.go
+++ b/core/txpool/validation_test.go
@@ -21,13 +21,17 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"math"
 	"math/big"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/tracing"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
+	"github.com/holiman/uint256"
 )
 
 func TestValidateTransactionEIP2681(t *testing.T) {
@@ -96,6 +100,78 @@ func TestValidateTransactionEIP2681(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestValidateTransactionWithStateRejectsInvalidOptions(t *testing.T) {
+	key, err := crypto.GenerateKey()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	tx := createTestTransaction(key, 0)
+	from := crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
+
+	statedb, err := state.New(types.EmptyRootHash, state.NewDatabaseForTesting())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	statedb.SetBalance(from, new(uint256.Int).SetUint64(params.Ether), tracing.BalanceChangeUnspecified)
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		opts    *ValidationOptionsWithState
+		wantErr string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "missing options",
+			opts:    nil,
+			wantErr: "missing options",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "missing state",
+			opts: &ValidationOptionsWithState{
+				ExistingExpenditure: func(common.Address) *big.Int { return new(big.Int) },
+				ExistingCost:        func(common.Address, uint64) *big.Int { return nil },
+			},
+			wantErr: "missing state",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "missing existing expenditure callback",
+			opts: &ValidationOptionsWithState{
+				State:        statedb,
+				ExistingCost: func(common.Address, uint64) *big.Int { return nil },
+			},
+			wantErr: "missing ExistingExpenditure callback",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "missing existing cost callback",
+			opts: &ValidationOptionsWithState{
+				State:               statedb,
+				ExistingExpenditure: func(common.Address) *big.Int { return new(big.Int) },
+			},
+			wantErr: "missing ExistingCost callback",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nil expenditure result",
+			opts: &ValidationOptionsWithState{
+				State:               statedb,
+				ExistingExpenditure: func(common.Address) *big.Int { return nil },
+				ExistingCost:        func(common.Address, uint64) *big.Int { return nil },
+			},
+			wantErr: "ExistingExpenditure returned nil",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			err := ValidateTransactionWithState(tx, types.HomesteadSigner{}, tt.opts)
+			if !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidValidationOptions) {
+				t.Fatalf("expected ErrInvalidValidationOptions, got %v", err)
+			}
+			if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), tt.wantErr) {
+				t.Fatalf("expected error containing %q, got %v", tt.wantErr, err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // createTestTransaction creates a basic transaction for testing
 func createTestTransaction(key *ecdsa.PrivateKey, nonce uint64) *types.Transaction {
 	to := common.HexToAddress("0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000001")