diff --git a/core/state_transition.go b/core/state_transition.go
index 52375bedaa..8cea986f81 100644
--- a/core/state_transition.go
+++ b/core/state_transition.go
@@ -607,7 +607,15 @@ func (st *stateTransition) validateAuthorization(auth *types.SetCodeAuthorizatio
 	// Validate signature values and recover authority.
 	authority, err = auth.Authority()
 	if err != nil {
-		return authority, fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrAuthorizationInvalidSignature, err)
+		// In simulation mode (e.g. eth_estimateGas, eth_call), allow
+		// authorizations with invalid signatures by assuming the
+		// transaction sender is the authority. This lets callers estimate
+		// gas for EIP-7702 transactions before signing the authorization.
+		if st.msg.SkipTransactionChecks {
+			authority = st.msg.From
+		} else {
+			return authority, fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrAuthorizationInvalidSignature, err)
+		}
 	}
 	// Check the authority account
 	//  1) doesn't have code or has exisiting delegation
@@ -619,7 +627,9 @@ func (st *stateTransition) validateAuthorization(auth *types.SetCodeAuthorizatio
 	if _, ok := types.ParseDelegation(code); len(code) != 0 && !ok {
 		return authority, ErrAuthorizationDestinationHasCode
 	}
-	if have := st.state.GetNonce(authority); have != auth.Nonce {
+	// Skip nonce validation in simulation mode, consistent with the
+	// top-level SkipNonceChecks behaviour for the sender account.
+	if have := st.state.GetNonce(authority); have != auth.Nonce && !st.msg.SkipNonceChecks {
 		return authority, ErrAuthorizationNonceMismatch
 	}
 	return authority, nil
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api_test.go b/internal/ethapi/api_test.go
index 62e9979d3d..77df0008bd 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api_test.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api_test.go
@@ -972,6 +972,23 @@ func TestEstimateGas(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expectErr: core.ErrSetCodeTxCreate,
 		},
+		// EstimateGas with unsigned (zero-signature) EIP-7702 authorization
+		// should succeed, using the sender as the authority. This allows
+		// callers to estimate gas before signing the authorization.
+		{
+			blockNumber: rpc.LatestBlockNumber,
+			call: TransactionArgs{
+				From:  &accounts[0].addr,
+				To:    &accounts[1].addr,
+				Value: (*hexutil.Big)(big.NewInt(0)),
+				AuthorizationList: []types.SetCodeAuthorization{{
+					ChainID: *uint256.NewInt(0),
+					Address: accounts[0].addr,
+					Nonce:   uint64(genBlocks + 1),
+				}},
+			},
+			want: 46000,
+		},
 	}
 	for i, tc := range testSuite {
 		result, err := api.EstimateGas(context.Background(), tc.call, &rpc.BlockNumberOrHash{BlockNumber: &tc.blockNumber}, &tc.overrides, &tc.blockOverrides)