diff --git a/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool.go b/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool.go
index eaf95ba772..6a2bae14fe 100644
--- a/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool.go
+++ b/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool.go
@@ -1333,9 +1333,9 @@ func (p *BlobPool) GetMetadata(hash common.Hash) *txpool.TxMetadata {
 // retrieve blobs from the pools directly instead of the network.
 //
 // The version argument specifies the type of proofs to return, either the
-// blob proofs (version 0) or the cell proofs (version 1). Proofs are computed
-// on-the-fly in case of a version mismatch.
-func (p *BlobPool) GetBlobs(vhashes []common.Hash, version byte) ([]*kzg4844.Blob, []kzg4844.Commitment, [][]kzg4844.Proof, error) {
+// blob proofs (version 0) or the cell proofs (version 1). Proofs conversion is
+// CPU intensive, so only done if explicitly requested with the convert flag.
+func (p *BlobPool) GetBlobs(vhashes []common.Hash, version byte, convert bool) ([]*kzg4844.Blob, []kzg4844.Commitment, [][]kzg4844.Proof, error) {
 	var (
 		blobs       = make([]*kzg4844.Blob, len(vhashes))
 		commitments = make([]kzg4844.Commitment, len(vhashes))
@@ -1384,6 +1384,9 @@ func (p *BlobPool) GetBlobs(vhashes []common.Hash, version byte) ([]*kzg4844.Blo
 				continue // non-interesting blob
 			}
 			var pf []kzg4844.Proof
+			if !convert && sidecar.Version != version {
+				return nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("blob sidecar version mismatch: want %d, have %d", version, sidecar.Version)
+			}
 			switch version {
 			case types.BlobSidecarVersion0:
 				if sidecar.Version == types.BlobSidecarVersion0 {
diff --git a/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool_test.go b/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool_test.go
index e46529a241..b189d6395f 100644
--- a/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool_test.go
+++ b/core/txpool/blobpool/blobpool_test.go
@@ -423,11 +423,11 @@ func verifyBlobRetrievals(t *testing.T, pool *BlobPool) {
 			hashes = append(hashes, tx.vhashes...)
 		}
 	}
-	blobs1, _, proofs1, err := pool.GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion0)
+	blobs1, _, proofs1, err := pool.GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion0, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	blobs2, _, proofs2, err := pool.GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion1)
+	blobs2, _, proofs2, err := pool.GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion1, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -2014,7 +2014,7 @@ func TestGetBlobs(t *testing.T) {
 			filled[len(vhashes)] = struct{}{}
 			vhashes = append(vhashes, testrand.Hash())
 		}
-		blobs, _, proofs, err := pool.GetBlobs(vhashes, c.version)
+		blobs, _, proofs, err := pool.GetBlobs(vhashes, c.version, true)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Unexpected error for case %d, %v", i, err)
 		}
diff --git a/eth/catalyst/api.go b/eth/catalyst/api.go
index b222470228..8030410fc1 100644
--- a/eth/catalyst/api.go
+++ b/eth/catalyst/api.go
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ func (api *ConsensusAPI) GetBlobsV1(hashes []common.Hash) ([]*engine.BlobAndProo
 	if len(hashes) > 128 {
 		return nil, engine.TooLargeRequest.With(fmt.Errorf("requested blob count too large: %v", len(hashes)))
 	}
-	blobs, _, proofs, err := api.eth.BlobTxPool().GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion0)
+	blobs, _, proofs, err := api.eth.BlobTxPool().GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion0, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, engine.InvalidParams.With(err)
 	}
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ func (api *ConsensusAPI) GetBlobsV2(hashes []common.Hash) ([]*engine.BlobAndProo
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
-	blobs, _, proofs, err := api.eth.BlobTxPool().GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion1)
+	blobs, _, proofs, err := api.eth.BlobTxPool().GetBlobs(hashes, types.BlobSidecarVersion1, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, engine.InvalidParams.With(err)
 	}