diff --git a/core/block_validator.go b/core/block_validator.go
index 35a815b6a1..35695d34d8 100644
--- a/core/block_validator.go
+++ b/core/block_validator.go
@@ -147,8 +147,10 @@ func (v *BlockValidator) ValidateState(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateD
 	if header.RequestsHash != nil {
 		reqhash := types.CalcRequestsHash(res.Requests)
 		if reqhash != *header.RequestsHash {
-			return fmt.Errorf("invalid deposit root hash (remote: %x local: %x)", *header.RequestsHash, reqhash)
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid requests hash (remote: %x local: %x)", *header.RequestsHash, reqhash)
 		}
+	} else if res.Requests != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("block has requests before prague fork")
 	}
 	// Validate the state root against the received state root and throw
 	// an error if they don't match.