diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index 2673334e9e..13d4addd7e 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -514,6 +514,11 @@ func (g *Genesis) toBlockWithRoot(root common.Hash) *types.Block {
 			if head.BlobGasUsed == nil {
 				head.BlobGasUsed = new(uint64)
 			}
+		} else {
+			if g.ExcessBlobGas != nil {
+				log.Warn("Invalid genesis, unexpected ExcessBlobGas set before Cancun, allowing it for testing purposes")
+				head.ExcessBlobGas = g.ExcessBlobGas
+			}
 		}
 		if conf.IsPrague(num, g.Timestamp) {
 			head.RequestsHash = &types.EmptyRequestsHash
diff --git a/tests/block_test.go b/tests/block_test.go
index 03b7acd50d..5664086f0e 100644
--- a/tests/block_test.go
+++ b/tests/block_test.go
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ func TestExecutionSpecBlocktests(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	bt := new(testMatcher)
 
+	// These tests require us to handle scenarios where a system contract is not deployed at a fork
 	bt.skipLoad(".*prague/eip7251_consolidations/contract_deployment/test_system_contract_deployment.json")
+	bt.skipLoad(".*prague/eip7251_consolidations/test_system_contract_deployment.json")
 	bt.skipLoad(".*prague/eip7002_el_triggerable_withdrawals/contract_deployment/test_system_contract_deployment.json")
 	bt.skipLoad(".*prague/eip7002_el_triggerable_withdrawals/test_system_contract_deployment.json")
 
diff --git a/tests/transaction_test.go b/tests/transaction_test.go
index 0548afee1c..73ee3aa16a 100644
--- a/tests/transaction_test.go
+++ b/tests/transaction_test.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestExecutionSpecTransaction(t *testing.T) {
 	st := new(testMatcher)
 
 	// Emptiness of authorization list is only validated during the tx precheck
-	st.skipLoad("^prague/eip7702_set_code_tx/empty_authorization_list.json")
+	st.skipLoad("^prague/eip7702_set_code_tx/test_empty_authorization_list.json")
 
 	st.walk(t, executionSpecTransactionTestDir, func(t *testing.T, name string, test *TransactionTest) {
 		if err := st.checkFailure(t, test.Run()); err != nil {