diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 182c081d2b..4885ca1540 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/txpool"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/downloader"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/gasprice"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
@@ -456,3 +457,7 @@ func (b *EthAPIBackend) StateAtBlock(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block, re
 func (b *EthAPIBackend) StateAtTransaction(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block, txIndex int, reexec uint64) (*types.Transaction, vm.BlockContext, *state.StateDB, tracers.StateReleaseFunc, error) {
 	return b.eth.stateAtTransaction(ctx, block, txIndex, reexec)
 }
+
+func (b *EthAPIBackend) Downloader() *downloader.Downloader {
+	return b.eth.Downloader()
+}
diff --git a/eth/catalyst/api.go b/eth/catalyst/api.go
index e6f29c970b..6bd43f26d8 100644
--- a/eth/catalyst/api.go
+++ b/eth/catalyst/api.go
@@ -337,8 +337,14 @@ func (api *ConsensusAPI) forkchoiceUpdated(update engine.ForkchoiceStateV1, payl
 		// that should be fixed, not papered over.
 		header := api.remoteBlocks.get(update.HeadBlockHash)
 		if header == nil {
-			log.Warn("Forkchoice requested unknown head", "hash", update.HeadBlockHash)
-			return engine.STATUS_SYNCING, nil
+			log.Warn("Forkchoice requested unknown head, trying to retrive it from a random peer", "hash", update.HeadBlockHash)
+			retrievedHead, err := api.eth.Downloader().GetHeader(update.HeadBlockHash)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Warn("Could not retrieve unknown head from peers")
+				return engine.STATUS_SYNCING, nil
+			}
+			api.remoteBlocks.put(retrievedHead.Hash(), retrievedHead)
+			header = retrievedHead
 		}
 		// If the finalized hash is known, we can direct the downloader to move
 		// potentially more data to the freezer from the get go.
diff --git a/eth/downloader/beacondevsync.go b/eth/downloader/beacondevsync.go
index 9a38fedd46..7571228369 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/beacondevsync.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/beacondevsync.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 )
 
@@ -48,34 +49,42 @@ func (d *Downloader) BeaconDevSync(mode SyncMode, hash common.Hash, stop chan st
 			return errors.New("stop requested")
 		default:
 		}
-		// Pick a random peer to sync from and keep retrying if none are yet
-		// available due to fresh startup
-		d.peers.lock.RLock()
-		var peer *peerConnection
-		for _, peer = range d.peers.peers {
-			break
+		header, err := d.GetHeader(hash)
+		if err != nil {
+			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+			continue
 		}
-		d.peers.lock.RUnlock()
 
-		if peer == nil {
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
-			continue
-		}
-		// Found a peer, attempt to retrieve the header whilst blocking and
-		// retry if it fails for whatever reason
-		log.Info("Attempting to retrieve sync target", "peer", peer.id)
-		headers, metas, err := d.fetchHeadersByHash(peer, hash, 1, 0, false)
-		if err != nil || len(headers) != 1 {
-			log.Warn("Failed to fetch sync target", "headers", len(headers), "err", err)
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
-			continue
-		}
-		// Head header retrieved, if the hash matches, start the actual sync
-		if metas[0] != hash {
-			log.Error("Received invalid sync target", "want", hash, "have", metas[0])
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
-			continue
-		}
-		return d.BeaconSync(mode, headers[0], headers[0])
+		return d.BeaconSync(mode, header, header)
 	}
 }
+
+// GetHeader tries to retrieve the header with a given hash from a random peer.
+func (d *Downloader) GetHeader(hash common.Hash) (*types.Header, error) {
+	// Pick a random peer to sync from and keep retrying if none are yet
+	// available due to fresh startup
+	d.peers.lock.RLock()
+	var peer *peerConnection
+	for _, peer = range d.peers.peers {
+		break
+	}
+	d.peers.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	if peer == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("could not find peer")
+	}
+	// Found a peer, attempt to retrieve the header whilst blocking and
+	// retry if it fails for whatever reason
+	log.Info("Attempting to retrieve sync target", "peer", peer.id)
+	headers, metas, err := d.fetchHeadersByHash(peer, hash, 1, 0, false)
+	if err != nil || len(headers) != 1 {
+		log.Warn("Failed to fetch sync target", "headers", len(headers), "err", err)
+		return nil, errors.New("failed to fetch sync target")
+	}
+	// Head header retrieved, if the hash matches, start the actual sync
+	if metas[0] != hash {
+		log.Error("Received invalid sync target", "want", hash, "have", metas[0])
+		return nil, errors.New("received invalid sync target")
+	}
+	return headers[0], nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index b49c22eed8..e202aea298 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/downloader"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/ethconfig"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/gasestimator"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/logger"
@@ -1700,21 +1701,11 @@ func (api *TransactionAPI) Resend(ctx context.Context, sendArgs TransactionArgs,
 // namespace.
 type DebugAPI struct {
 	b Backend
-	// contains filtered or unexported fields
 }
 
 // NewDebugAPI creates a new DebugAPI instance.
 func NewDebugAPI(b Backend) *DebugAPI {
-	// Fill defaults based on the chain config
-	var gasLimit uint64
-	if head := b.CurrentBlock(); head != nil {
-		gasLimit = head.GasLimit
-	}
-	// The geth console doesn't allow flags, so we depend on the configured backend.
-	return &DebugAPI{
-		b:              b,
-		defaultCallGas: gasLimit,
-	}
+	return &DebugAPI{b: b}
 }
 
 // SetSyncTarget manually sets the target hash for full sync.
@@ -1723,15 +1714,27 @@ func NewDebugAPI(b Backend) *DebugAPI {
 func (api *DebugAPI) SetSyncTarget(ctx context.Context, target common.Hash) error {
 	// Note: BeaconDevSync might block; running in a goroutine to avoid blocking RPC/console.
 	// Also, passing nil for the cancel channel as we don't provide a way to cancel via API.
-	go func() {
-		err := api.b.Downloader().BeaconDevSync(ethconfig.FullSync, target, nil)
+	type Downloader interface {
+		Downloader() *downloader.Downloader
+	}
+	backend, ok := api.b.(Downloader)
+	if !ok {
+		log.Error("Could not get downloader")
+	}
+	// retry 20 times to retrieve the header from random peers
+	for range 20 {
+		header, err := backend.Downloader().GetHeader(target)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Warn("debug_setSyncTarget: BeaconDevSync failed", "target", target, "err", err)
-		} else {
-			log.Info("debug_setSyncTarget: BeaconDevSync initiated", "target", target)
+			continue
 		}
-	}()
-	return nil // API call returns immediately
+		if err := backend.Downloader().BeaconSync(ethconfig.FullSync, header, header); err != nil {
+			return err
+		} else {
+			// Sync target set successfully, return
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	return errors.New("could not set sync target")
 }
 
 // ChainConfig returns the active chain configuration.