diff --git a/eth/catalyst/api.go b/eth/catalyst/api.go
index 44518612e8..d16d37d328 100644
--- a/eth/catalyst/api.go
+++ b/eth/catalyst/api.go
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ func (api *ConsensusAPI) NewPayloadV1(params engine.ExecutableData) (engine.Payl
 // NewPayloadV2 creates an Eth1 block, inserts it in the chain, and returns the status of the chain.
 func (api *ConsensusAPI) NewPayloadV2(params engine.ExecutableData) (engine.PayloadStatusV1, error) {
 	if api.eth.BlockChain().Config().IsCancun(api.eth.BlockChain().Config().LondonBlock, params.Timestamp) {
-		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("can't use new payload v2 post-shanghai"))
+		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("can't use newPayloadV2 post-cancun"))
 	}
 	if api.eth.BlockChain().Config().LatestFork(params.Timestamp) == forks.Shanghai {
 		if params.Withdrawals == nil {
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ func (api *ConsensusAPI) NewPayloadV2(params engine.ExecutableData) (engine.Payl
 		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("non-nil excessBlobGas pre-cancun"))
 	}
 	if params.BlobGasUsed != nil {
-		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("non-nil params.BlobGasUsed pre-cancun"))
+		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("non-nil blobGasUsed pre-cancun"))
 	}
 	return api.newPayload(params, nil, nil)
 }
@@ -517,14 +517,14 @@ func (api *ConsensusAPI) NewPayloadV3(params engine.ExecutableData, versionedHas
 		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("nil excessBlobGas post-cancun"))
 	}
 	if params.BlobGasUsed == nil {
-		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("nil params.BlobGasUsed post-cancun"))
+		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("nil blobGasUsed post-cancun"))
 	}
 
 	if versionedHashes == nil {
 		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("nil versionedHashes post-cancun"))
 	}
 	if beaconRoot == nil {
-		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("nil parentBeaconBlockRoot post-cancun"))
+		return engine.PayloadStatusV1{Status: engine.INVALID}, engine.InvalidParams.With(errors.New("nil beaconRoot post-cancun"))
 	}
 
 	if api.eth.BlockChain().Config().LatestFork(params.Timestamp) != forks.Cancun {
diff --git a/eth/tracers/api.go b/eth/tracers/api.go
index 4d4428f6c6..6833108205 100644
--- a/eth/tracers/api.go
+++ b/eth/tracers/api.go
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ func (api *API) TraceCall(ctx context.Context, args ethapi.TransactionArgs, bloc
 		config.BlockOverrides.Apply(&vmctx)
 	}
 	// Execute the trace
-	msg, err := args.ToMessage(api.backend.RPCGasCap(), block.BaseFee())
+	msg, err := args.ToMessage(api.backend.RPCGasCap(), vmctx.BaseFee)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index e594154daa..863849f4da 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ func (s *PersonalAccountAPI) signTransaction(ctx context.Context, args *Transact
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// Set some sanity defaults and terminate on failure
-	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b); err != nil {
+	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b, false); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// Assemble the transaction and sign with the wallet
@@ -1093,14 +1093,14 @@ func doCall(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args TransactionArgs, state *state.S
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Get a new instance of the EVM.
-	msg, err := args.ToMessage(globalGasCap, header.BaseFee)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	blockCtx := core.NewEVMBlockContext(header, NewChainContext(ctx, b), nil)
 	if blockOverrides != nil {
 		blockOverrides.Apply(&blockCtx)
 	}
+	msg, err := args.ToMessage(globalGasCap, blockCtx.BaseFee)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	evm := b.GetEVM(ctx, msg, state, header, &vm.Config{NoBaseFee: true}, &blockCtx)
 
 	// Wait for the context to be done and cancel the evm. Even if the
@@ -1485,14 +1485,9 @@ func AccessList(ctx context.Context, b Backend, blockNrOrHash rpc.BlockNumberOrH
 	if db == nil || err != nil {
 		return nil, 0, nil, err
 	}
-	// If the gas amount is not set, default to RPC gas cap.
-	if args.Gas == nil {
-		tmp := hexutil.Uint64(b.RPCGasCap())
-		args.Gas = &tmp
-	}
 
 	// Ensure any missing fields are filled, extract the recipient and input data
-	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, b); err != nil {
+	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, b, true); err != nil {
 		return nil, 0, nil, err
 	}
 	var to common.Address
@@ -1795,7 +1790,7 @@ func (s *TransactionAPI) SendTransaction(ctx context.Context, args TransactionAr
 	}
 
 	// Set some sanity defaults and terminate on failure
-	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b); err != nil {
+	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b, false); err != nil {
 		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
 	// Assemble the transaction and sign with the wallet
@@ -1815,7 +1810,7 @@ func (s *TransactionAPI) FillTransaction(ctx context.Context, args TransactionAr
 	args.blobSidecarAllowed = true
 
 	// Set some sanity defaults and terminate on failure
-	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b); err != nil {
+	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b, false); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// Assemble the transaction and obtain rlp
@@ -1884,7 +1879,7 @@ func (s *TransactionAPI) SignTransaction(ctx context.Context, args TransactionAr
 	if args.Nonce == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("nonce not specified")
 	}
-	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b); err != nil {
+	if err := args.setDefaults(ctx, s.b, false); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// Before actually sign the transaction, ensure the transaction fee is reasonable.
@@ -1933,7 +1928,7 @@ func (s *TransactionAPI) Resend(ctx context.Context, sendArgs TransactionArgs, g
 	if sendArgs.Nonce == nil {
 		return common.Hash{}, errors.New("missing transaction nonce in transaction spec")
 	}
-	if err := sendArgs.setDefaults(ctx, s.b); err != nil {
+	if err := sendArgs.setDefaults(ctx, s.b, false); err != nil {
 		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
 	matchTx := sendArgs.toTransaction()
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/transaction_args.go b/internal/ethapi/transaction_args.go
index d221c14db5..a5bf863d1d 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/transaction_args.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/transaction_args.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (args *TransactionArgs) data() []byte {
 }
 
 // setDefaults fills in default values for unspecified tx fields.
-func (args *TransactionArgs) setDefaults(ctx context.Context, b Backend) error {
+func (args *TransactionArgs) setDefaults(ctx context.Context, b Backend, skipGasEstimation bool) error {
 	if err := args.setBlobTxSidecar(ctx, b); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -136,30 +136,35 @@ func (args *TransactionArgs) setDefaults(ctx context.Context, b Backend) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Estimate the gas usage if necessary.
 	if args.Gas == nil {
-		// These fields are immutable during the estimation, safe to
-		// pass the pointer directly.
-		data := args.data()
-		callArgs := TransactionArgs{
-			From:                 args.From,
-			To:                   args.To,
-			GasPrice:             args.GasPrice,
-			MaxFeePerGas:         args.MaxFeePerGas,
-			MaxPriorityFeePerGas: args.MaxPriorityFeePerGas,
-			Value:                args.Value,
-			Data:                 (*hexutil.Bytes)(&data),
-			AccessList:           args.AccessList,
-			BlobFeeCap:           args.BlobFeeCap,
-			BlobHashes:           args.BlobHashes,
+		if skipGasEstimation { // Skip gas usage estimation if a precise gas limit is not critical, e.g., in non-transaction calls.
+			gas := hexutil.Uint64(b.RPCGasCap())
+			if gas == 0 {
+				gas = hexutil.Uint64(math.MaxUint64 / 2)
+			}
+			args.Gas = &gas
+		} else { // Estimate the gas usage otherwise.
+			// These fields are immutable during the estimation, safe to
+			// pass the pointer directly.
+			data := args.data()
+			callArgs := TransactionArgs{
+				From:                 args.From,
+				To:                   args.To,
+				GasPrice:             args.GasPrice,
+				MaxFeePerGas:         args.MaxFeePerGas,
+				MaxPriorityFeePerGas: args.MaxPriorityFeePerGas,
+				Value:                args.Value,
+				Data:                 (*hexutil.Bytes)(&data),
+				AccessList:           args.AccessList,
+			}
+			latestBlockNr := rpc.BlockNumberOrHashWithNumber(rpc.LatestBlockNumber)
+			estimated, err := DoEstimateGas(ctx, b, callArgs, latestBlockNr, nil, b.RPCGasCap())
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			args.Gas = &estimated
+			log.Trace("Estimate gas usage automatically", "gas", args.Gas)
 		}
-		latestBlockNr := rpc.BlockNumberOrHashWithNumber(rpc.LatestBlockNumber)
-		estimated, err := DoEstimateGas(ctx, b, callArgs, latestBlockNr, nil, b.RPCGasCap())
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		args.Gas = &estimated
-		log.Trace("Estimate gas usage automatically", "gas", args.Gas)
 	}
 
 	// If chain id is provided, ensure it matches the local chain id. Otherwise, set the local