diff --git a/networking/eth2/src/integration-test/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/BlsToExecutionChangeGossipIntegrationTest.java b/networking/eth2/src/integration-test/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/BlsToExecutionChangeGossipIntegrationTest.java
index 672164db7e7..eb583399f59 100644
--- a/networking/eth2/src/integration-test/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/BlsToExecutionChangeGossipIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/networking/eth2/src/integration-test/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/BlsToExecutionChangeGossipIntegrationTest.java
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@
 import tech.pegasys.teku.spec.TestSpecFactory;
 import tech.pegasys.teku.spec.datastructures.operations.SignedBlsToExecutionChange;
 import tech.pegasys.teku.spec.util.DataStructureUtil;
+import tech.pegasys.teku.statetransition.BeaconChainUtil;
 import tech.pegasys.teku.statetransition.validation.InternalValidationResult;
+import tech.pegasys.teku.storage.client.MemoryOnlyRecentChainData;
+import tech.pegasys.teku.storage.client.RecentChainData;
 
 public class BlsToExecutionChangeGossipIntegrationTest {
 
@@ -91,8 +94,14 @@ public void shouldGossipBlsToExecutionChangesToPeers() throws Exception {
                 .containsExactly(signedBlsToExecutionChange));
   }
 
+  @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
   private NodeManager createNodeManager(final Consumer<Eth2P2PNetworkBuilder> networkBuilder)
       throws Exception {
-    return NodeManager.create(spec, networkFactory, validatorKeys, networkBuilder);
+    final RecentChainData storageClient = MemoryOnlyRecentChainData.create(spec);
+    final BeaconChainUtil chainUtil = BeaconChainUtil.create(spec, storageClient, validatorKeys);
+    chainUtil.initializeStorage();
+    // Advancing chain to bypass "optimistic genesis" issue that prevents some gossip subscriptions
+    chainUtil.createAndImportBlockAtSlot(1);
+    return NodeManager.create(spec, networkFactory, networkBuilder, storageClient, chainUtil);
   }
 }
diff --git a/networking/eth2/src/testFixtures/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/NodeManager.java b/networking/eth2/src/testFixtures/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/NodeManager.java
index bda0f666815..44029d7e007 100644
--- a/networking/eth2/src/testFixtures/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/NodeManager.java
+++ b/networking/eth2/src/testFixtures/java/tech/pegasys/teku/networking/eth2/NodeManager.java
@@ -73,13 +73,22 @@ public static NodeManager create(
       final List<BLSKeyPair> validatorKeys,
       final Consumer<Eth2P2PNetworkBuilder> configureNetwork)
       throws Exception {
-    final EventChannels eventChannels =
-        EventChannels.createSyncChannels(
-            ChannelExceptionHandler.THROWING_HANDLER, new NoOpMetricsSystem());
     final RecentChainData storageClient = MemoryOnlyRecentChainData.create(spec);
-
     final BeaconChainUtil chainUtil = BeaconChainUtil.create(spec, storageClient, validatorKeys);
     chainUtil.initializeStorage();
+    return create(spec, networkFactory, configureNetwork, storageClient, chainUtil);
+  }
+
+  public static NodeManager create(
+      final Spec spec,
+      final Eth2P2PNetworkFactory networkFactory,
+      final Consumer<Eth2P2PNetworkBuilder> configureNetwork,
+      final RecentChainData storageClient,
+      final BeaconChainUtil chainUtil)
+      throws Exception {
+    final EventChannels eventChannels =
+        EventChannels.createSyncChannels(
+            ChannelExceptionHandler.THROWING_HANDLER, new NoOpMetricsSystem());
 
     final Eth2P2PNetworkBuilder networkBuilder =
         networkFactory