diff --git a/eth/api_debug.go b/eth/api_debug.go
index cedb833097..892e103213 100644
--- a/eth/api_debug.go
+++ b/eth/api_debug.go
@@ -493,13 +493,38 @@ func (api *DebugAPI) StateSize(blockHashOrNumber *rpc.BlockNumberOrHash) (interf
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (api *DebugAPI) ExecuteWitnessByHash(hash common.Hash) (*stateless.ExtWitness, error) {
+func (api *DebugAPI) ExecutionWitness(bn rpc.BlockNumber) (*stateless.ExtWitness, error) {
 	bc := api.eth.blockchain
-	block := bc.GetBlockByHash(hash)
-	if block == nil {
-		return &stateless.ExtWitness{}, fmt.Errorf("block hash %x not found", hash)
+	block, err := api.eth.APIBackend.BlockByNumber(context.Background(), bn)
+	if err != nil {
+		return &stateless.ExtWitness{}, fmt.Errorf("block number %v not found", bn)
 	}
+
 	parent := bc.GetHeader(block.ParentHash(), block.NumberU64()-1)
+	if parent == nil {
+		return &stateless.ExtWitness{}, fmt.Errorf("block number %v found, but parent missing", bn)
+	}
+
+	result, err := bc.ProcessBlock(parent.Root, block, false, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return result.Witness().ToExtWitness(), nil
+}
+
+func (api *DebugAPI) ExecutionWitnessByHash(hash common.Hash) (*stateless.ExtWitness, error) {
+	bc := api.eth.blockchain
+	block := bc.GetBlockByHash(hash)
+	if block == nil {
+		return &stateless.ExtWitness{}, fmt.Errorf("block hash %x not found", hash)
+	}
+
+	parent := bc.GetHeader(block.ParentHash(), block.NumberU64()-1)
+	if parent == nil {
+		return &stateless.ExtWitness{}, fmt.Errorf("block number %x found, but parent missing", hash)
+	}
+
 	result, err := bc.ProcessBlock(parent.Root, block, false, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err