diff --git a/cmd/geth/testdata/clique.json b/cmd/geth/testdata/clique.json
index b54b4a7d3b..36f5c31057 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/testdata/clique.json
+++ b/cmd/geth/testdata/clique.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     "byzantiumBlock": 0,
     "constantinopleBlock": 0,
     "petersburgBlock": 0,
+    "terminalTotalDifficultyPassed": true,
     "clique": {
       "period": 5,
       "epoch": 30000
diff --git a/core/block_validator_test.go b/core/block_validator_test.go
index 385c0afd9d..2f86b2d751 100644
--- a/core/block_validator_test.go
+++ b/core/block_validator_test.go
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ func testHeaderVerificationForMerging(t *testing.T, isClique bool) {
 		preBlocks  []*types.Block
 		postBlocks []*types.Block
 		engine     consensus.Engine
-		merger     = consensus.NewMerger(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase())
 	)
 	if isClique {
 		var (
@@ -186,11 +185,6 @@ func testHeaderVerificationForMerging(t *testing.T, isClique bool) {
 		}
 		chain.InsertChain(preBlocks[i : i+1])
 	}
-
-	// Make the transition
-	merger.ReachTTD()
-	merger.FinalizePoS()
-
 	// Verify the blocks after the merging
 	for i := 0; i < len(postBlocks); i++ {
 		_, results := engine.VerifyHeaders(chain, []*types.Header{postHeaders[i]})
diff --git a/core/blockchain_test.go b/core/blockchain_test.go
index 876d662f74..4fa759129c 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -2129,7 +2129,6 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 	// Generate a canonical chain to act as the main dataset
 	chainConfig := *params.TestChainConfig
 	var (
-		merger = consensus.NewMerger(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase())
 		engine = beacon.New(ethash.NewFaker())
 		key, _ = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
 		addr   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
@@ -2153,8 +2152,6 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 	// Activate the transition since genesis if required
 	if mergePoint == 0 {
 		mergeBlock = 0
-		merger.ReachTTD()
-		merger.FinalizePoS()
 
 		// Set the terminal total difficulty in the config
 		gspec.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = big.NewInt(0)
@@ -2189,8 +2186,6 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 
 	// Activate the transition in the middle of the chain
 	if mergePoint == 1 {
-		merger.ReachTTD()
-		merger.FinalizePoS()
 		// Set the terminal total difficulty in the config
 		ttd := big.NewInt(int64(len(blocks)))
 		ttd.Mul(ttd, params.GenesisDifficulty)