diff --git a/db/rawdb/accessors_chain.go b/db/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
index 6b67a46cd0f..5c1c76fee6d 100644
--- a/db/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
+++ b/db/rawdb/accessors_chain.go
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ func ReadBlock(tx kv.Getter, hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Block {
 	block := types.NewBlockFromStorage(hash, header, body.Transactions, body.Uncles, body.Withdrawals)
 	// Carry the BAL sidecar (secondary storage) so a block reconstructed from the
 	// DB carries its BAL like its header/body. Only Amsterdam+ blocks have one.
-	if header.BlockAccessListHash != nil {
+	if header.HasBAL() {
 		if bal, err := ReadBlockAccessListBytes(tx, hash, number); err == nil && len(bal) > 0 {
 			block.SetBlockAccessList(bal)
 		}
diff --git a/db/rawdb/accessors_chain_test.go b/db/rawdb/accessors_chain_test.go
index 99e333d44a5..b7e4bd27518 100644
--- a/db/rawdb/accessors_chain_test.go
+++ b/db/rawdb/accessors_chain_test.go
@@ -1154,6 +1154,40 @@ func TestBlockWithdrawalsStorage(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Nil(entry)
 }
 
+func TestReadBlockLoadsEmptyBlockAccessList(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	_, tx := memdb.NewTestTx(t)
+	defer tx.Rollback()
+
+	emptyBALHash := empty.BlockAccessListHash
+	withdrawalsHash := empty.RootHash
+	blobGas := uint64(0)
+	parentBeaconBlockRoot := common.Hash{}
+	requestsHash := common.Hash{}
+	block := types.NewBlockWithHeader(&types.Header{
+		Number:                *uint256.NewInt(1),
+		Extra:                 []byte("test block"),
+		UncleHash:             empty.UncleHash,
+		TxHash:                empty.RootHash,
+		ReceiptHash:           empty.RootHash,
+		BaseFee:               uint256.NewInt(1),
+		WithdrawalsHash:       &withdrawalsHash,
+		BlobGasUsed:           &blobGas,
+		ExcessBlobGas:         &blobGas,
+		ParentBeaconBlockRoot: &parentBeaconBlockRoot,
+		RequestsHash:          &requestsHash,
+		BlockAccessListHash:   &emptyBALHash,
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, rawdb.WriteBlock(tx, block))
+	emptyBALBytes, err := types.EncodeBlockAccessListBytes(nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, rawdb.WriteBlockAccessListBytes(tx, block.Hash(), block.NumberU64(), emptyBALBytes))
+
+	readBlock := rawdb.ReadBlock(tx, block.Hash(), block.NumberU64())
+	require.NotNil(t, readBlock)
+	require.Equal(t, emptyBALBytes, readBlock.BlockAccessList())
+}
+
 func TestBlockAccessListStorage(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	_, tx := memdb.NewTestTx(t)
diff --git a/execution/execmodule/exec_module_test.go b/execution/execmodule/exec_module_test.go
index 1f40c01f656..d1ce2ad3d9b 100644
--- a/execution/execmodule/exec_module_test.go
+++ b/execution/execmodule/exec_module_test.go
@@ -111,6 +111,35 @@ func (p *rewindingTxnProvider) ProvideTxns(ctx context.Context, opts ...txnprovi
 	return p.pool.ProvideTxns(ctx, opts...)
 }
 
+type observingTxnProvider struct {
+	txnprovider.TxnProvider
+	txnCounts chan int
+}
+
+func (p *observingTxnProvider) ProvideTxns(ctx context.Context, opts ...txnprovider.ProvideOption) ([]types.Transaction, error) {
+	txns, err := p.TxnProvider.ProvideTxns(ctx, opts...)
+	if err == nil {
+		p.txnCounts <- len(txns)
+	}
+	return txns, err
+}
+
+func waitForProvidedTxnCount(t *testing.T, txnCounts <-chan int, want int) {
+	t.Helper()
+	timer := time.NewTimer(10 * time.Second)
+	defer timer.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case got := <-txnCounts:
+			if got == want {
+				return
+			}
+		case <-timer.C:
+			t.Fatalf("transaction provider did not return %d transactions", want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func txPoolHead(block *types.Block) *remoteproto.StateChangeBatch {
 	return &remoteproto.StateChangeBatch{
 		PendingBlockBaseFee: block.BaseFee().Uint64(),
@@ -792,6 +821,10 @@ func TestAssembleBlockWithFreshlyAddedTxns(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	baseFee := chainPack.TopBlock.BaseFee().Uint64()
 	addTwoTxnsToPool(ctx, 1, t, m, txpool, baseFee)
+	provider := &observingTxnProvider{
+		TxnProvider: m.TxPool,
+		txnCounts:   make(chan int, 16),
+	}
 
 	var parentBeaconBlockRoot common.Hash
 	_, err = rand.Read(parentBeaconBlockRoot[:])
@@ -803,14 +836,16 @@ func TestAssembleBlockWithFreshlyAddedTxns(t *testing.T) {
 		SuggestedFeeRecipient: common.Address{1},
 		Withdrawals:           make([]*types.Withdrawal, 0),
 		ParentBeaconBlockRoot: &parentBeaconBlockRoot,
+		CustomTxnProvider:     provider,
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// Add new transactions with a delay
-	time.Sleep(300 * time.Millisecond)
+	waitForProvidedTxnCount(t, provider.txnCounts, 2)
+	waitForProvidedTxnCount(t, provider.txnCounts, 0)
 	addTwoTxnsToPool(ctx, 3, t, m, txpool, baseFee)
+	waitForProvidedTxnCount(t, provider.txnCounts, 2)
+	waitForProvidedTxnCount(t, provider.txnCounts, 0)
 
-	// The block should have all four transactions
 	block, err := getAssembledBlock(ctx, exec, payloadId)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, uint64(2), block.NumberU64())
diff --git a/execution/p2p/bbd.go b/execution/p2p/bbd.go
index 150d4d69e68..2a34416758b 100644
--- a/execution/p2p/bbd.go
+++ b/execution/p2p/bbd.go
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ func (bbd *BackwardBlockDownloader) downloadBlocksForHeaders(
 func balRequestsForHeaders(headers []*types.Header) []BALRequest {
 	reqs := make([]BALRequest, 0, len(headers))
 	for _, header := range headers {
-		if !header.HasBAL() {
+		if !header.HasNonEmptyBAL() {
 			continue
 		}
 		reqs = append(reqs, BALRequest{
diff --git a/execution/stagedsync/exec3.go b/execution/stagedsync/exec3.go
index 88b1ccb1cad..51ccf819c5d 100644
--- a/execution/stagedsync/exec3.go
+++ b/execution/stagedsync/exec3.go
@@ -528,6 +528,14 @@ func (te *txExecutor) onBlockStart(ctx context.Context, blockNum uint64, blockHa
 	}
 }
 
+func blockAccessListBytes(blockTx kv.Getter, block *types.Block, blockNum uint64) ([]byte, error) {
+	data := block.BlockAccessList()
+	if len(data) == 0 && block.HeaderNoCopy().HasNonEmptyBAL() {
+		return rawdb.ReadBlockAccessListBytes(blockTx, block.Hash(), blockNum)
+	}
+	return data, nil
+}
+
 func (te *txExecutor) executeBlocks(ctx context.Context, startBlockNum uint64, maxBlockNum uint64, blockLimit uint64, initialTxNum uint64, inputTxNum uint64, readAhead chan uint64, initialCycle bool, applyResults chan applyResult, blockRequests chan *blockRequest, commitResults chan applyResult) error {
 	if te.execLoopGroup == nil {
 		return errors.New("no exec group")
@@ -619,12 +627,9 @@ func (te *txExecutor) executeBlocks(ctx context.Context, startBlockNum uint64, m
 			// db.View() as it can deadlock with the stageloop's RW transaction when
 			// BlockOverlay is active. ProcessBAL still computes+validates the BAL
 			// from the write-set as the ultimate fallback.
-			data := b.BlockAccessList()
-			if len(data) == 0 {
-				data, err = rawdb.ReadBlockAccessListBytes(blockTx, b.Hash(), blockNum)
-				if err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
+			data, err := blockAccessListBytes(blockTx, b, blockNum)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
 			}
 			if len(data) > 0 && !dbg.IgnoreBAL {
 				dbBAL, err = types.DecodeBlockAccessListBytes(data)
diff --git a/execution/stagedsync/exec3_bal_test.go b/execution/stagedsync/exec3_bal_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bab04ca8469
--- /dev/null
+++ b/execution/stagedsync/exec3_bal_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package stagedsync
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/common"
+	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/common/empty"
+	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/db/kv"
+	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/execution/types"
+)
+
+type countingBlockAccessListGetter struct {
+	kv.Getter
+	data  []byte
+	calls int
+}
+
+func (g *countingBlockAccessListGetter) GetOne(string, []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	g.calls++
+	return g.data, nil
+}
+
+func TestBlockAccessListBytes(t *testing.T) {
+	nonEmptyBALHash := common.Hash{1}
+	storedBAL := []byte{1, 2, 3}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		hash      *common.Hash
+		storedBAL []byte
+		wantBAL   []byte
+		wantReads int
+	}{
+		{name: "missing commitment"},
+		{name: "empty commitment", hash: &empty.BlockAccessListHash},
+		{name: "non-empty commitment", hash: &nonEmptyBALHash, storedBAL: storedBAL, wantBAL: storedBAL, wantReads: 1},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			getter := &countingBlockAccessListGetter{data: test.storedBAL}
+			block := types.NewBlockFromStorage(common.Hash{}, &types.Header{BlockAccessListHash: test.hash}, nil, nil, nil)
+
+			got, err := blockAccessListBytes(getter, block, 1)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			if !bytes.Equal(got, test.wantBAL) {
+				t.Fatalf("block access list = %x, want %x", got, test.wantBAL)
+			}
+			if getter.calls != test.wantReads {
+				t.Fatalf("DB reads = %d, want %d", getter.calls, test.wantReads)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/execution/types/block.go b/execution/types/block.go
index e0b5d631d2d..1f4301303c2 100644
--- a/execution/types/block.go
+++ b/execution/types/block.go
@@ -606,9 +606,14 @@ func (h *Header) Size() common.StorageSize {
 	return s
 }
 
-// HasBAL reports whether the header commits to a non-empty EIP-7928 block access list.
+// HasBAL reports whether the header contains an EIP-7928 block access list commitment.
 func (h *Header) HasBAL() bool {
-	return h.BlockAccessListHash != nil && *h.BlockAccessListHash != empty.BlockAccessListHash
+	return h.BlockAccessListHash != nil
+}
+
+// HasNonEmptyBAL reports whether the commitment is for a non-empty block access list.
+func (h *Header) HasNonEmptyBAL() bool {
+	return h.HasBAL() && *h.BlockAccessListHash != empty.BlockAccessListHash
 }
 
 // SanityCheck checks a few basic things -- these checks are way beyond what
diff --git a/execution/types/block_access_list_test.go b/execution/types/block_access_list_test.go
index 1808ee6c3f0..a9fa01f05c2 100644
--- a/execution/types/block_access_list_test.go
+++ b/execution/types/block_access_list_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/holiman/uint256"
 
 	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/common"
+	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/common/empty"
 	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/execution/rlp"
 	"github.com/erigontech/erigon/execution/types/accounts"
 )
@@ -182,6 +183,50 @@ func TestBlockAccessListHashEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHeaderHasBAL(t *testing.T) {
+	nonEmptyBALHash := common.Hash{1}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		hash *common.Hash
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{name: "missing", want: false},
+		{name: "empty", hash: &empty.BlockAccessListHash, want: true},
+		{name: "non-empty", hash: &nonEmptyBALHash, want: true},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			header := Header{BlockAccessListHash: test.hash}
+			if got := header.HasBAL(); got != test.want {
+				t.Fatalf("HasBAL() = %t, want %t", got, test.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHeaderHasNonEmptyBAL(t *testing.T) {
+	nonEmptyBALHash := common.Hash{1}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		hash *common.Hash
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{name: "missing", want: false},
+		{name: "empty", hash: &empty.BlockAccessListHash, want: false},
+		{name: "non-empty", hash: &nonEmptyBALHash, want: true},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			header := Header{BlockAccessListHash: test.hash}
+			if got := header.HasNonEmptyBAL(); got != test.want {
+				t.Fatalf("HasNonEmptyBAL() = %t, want %t", got, test.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // TestBlockAccessListEmptyRoundTrip verifies that an empty BAL encodes to the
 // canonical empty RLP list (0xc0) and decodes back to a non-nil empty slice.
 // EIP-7928 requires: "When no state changes are present, this field is the