diff --git a/core/overlay/state_transition.go b/core/overlay/state_transition.go
index 44cbdab11d..b4eeec66b8 100644
--- a/core/overlay/state_transition.go
+++ b/core/overlay/state_transition.go
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ import (
 // has been rewritten.
 // * the conversion pointers should no longer be necessary,
 // remove them when it's been confirmed.
-// * we can't keep the preimage offset in the file
+// * we can't keep the preimage offset in the file, since
+// some clients might decide to record their preimages and
+// skip the use of the file altogether. Therefore, they can't
+// know what the offset it, unless they keep track of how many
+// bytes have been read since the start, which is a possibility.
 type TransitionState struct {
 	CurrentAccountAddress *common.Address // addresss of the last translated account
 	CurrentSlotHash       common.Hash     // hash of the last translated storage slot
diff --git a/core/state/database.go b/core/state/database.go
index 99a8349537..fbc1c2dcf2 100644
--- a/core/state/database.go
+++ b/core/state/database.go
@@ -239,8 +239,9 @@ func (db *CachingDB) ReadersWithCacheStats(stateRoot common.Hash) (ReaderWithSta
 // OpenTrie opens the main account trie at a specific root hash.
 func (db *CachingDB) OpenTrie(root common.Hash) (Trie, error) {
 	if db.triedb.IsVerkle() {
-		// if the transition has started, it will be present in the overlay tree,
-		// so we open it regardless.
+		// if the transition has started, the pointers will be present in the
+		// overlay tree, and the tree itself will be present, so the tree is
+		// opened and the pointers read, regardless of what comes afterwards.
 		bt, err := bintrie.NewBinaryTrie(root, db.triedb)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not open the overlay tree: %w", err)
diff --git a/core/state/statedb.go b/core/state/statedb.go
index 294f5f719d..61d80df56e 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb.go
@@ -356,10 +356,6 @@ func (s *StateDB) InTransition() bool {
 	return completeValue != (common.Hash{})
 }
 
-func (s *StateDB) ProcessBinaryTreeTransition(maxSlot uint64) {
-
-}
-
 // TxIndex returns the current transaction index set by SetTxContext.
 func (s *StateDB) TxIndex() int {
 	return s.txIndex