diff --git a/ethereum/statetransition/src/main/java/tech/pegasys/teku/statetransition/forkchoice/ForkChoice.java b/ethereum/statetransition/src/main/java/tech/pegasys/teku/statetransition/forkchoice/ForkChoice.java
index 55657bfb0c8..2dbc83a37db 100644
--- a/ethereum/statetransition/src/main/java/tech/pegasys/teku/statetransition/forkchoice/ForkChoice.java
+++ b/ethereum/statetransition/src/main/java/tech/pegasys/teku/statetransition/forkchoice/ForkChoice.java
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ private boolean applyProposerBoost(
       if (isBeforeAttestingInterval(millisPerSlot, timeIntoSlotMillis)) {
         if (forkChoiceProposerBoostUniquenessEnabled) {
           // is_first_block
-          return transaction.getProposerBoostRoot().isEmpty();
+          return recentChainData.getStore().getProposerBoostRoot().isEmpty();
         }
         return true;
       }