diff --git a/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/blockcreation/MergeCoordinatorTest.java b/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/blockcreation/MergeCoordinatorTest.java
index 3c9fecde267..5d876b6ae32 100644
--- a/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/blockcreation/MergeCoordinatorTest.java
+++ b/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/blockcreation/MergeCoordinatorTest.java
@@ -248,119 +248,6 @@ public void updateForkChoiceShouldPersistLastFinalizedBlockHash() {
     verify(mergeContext).setSafeBlock(lastFinalizedHeader);
   }
 
-  @Test
-  public void updateForkChoiceShouldFailIfLastFinalizedNotDescendantOfPreviousFinalized() {
-    BlockHeader terminalHeader = terminalPowBlock();
-    coordinator.executeBlock(new Block(terminalHeader, BlockBody.empty()));
-
-    BlockHeader prevFinalizedHeader = nextBlockHeader(terminalHeader);
-    Block prevFinalizedBlock = new Block(prevFinalizedHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(prevFinalizedBlock);
-
-    when(mergeContext.getFinalized()).thenReturn(Optional.of(prevFinalizedHeader));
-
-    // not descendant of previous finalized block
-    BlockHeader lastFinalizedHeader = disjointBlockHeader(prevFinalizedHeader);
-    Block lastFinalizedBlock = new Block(lastFinalizedHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(lastFinalizedBlock);
-
-    BlockHeader headBlockHeader = nextBlockHeader(lastFinalizedHeader);
-    Block headBlock = new Block(headBlockHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(headBlock);
-    when(blockchain.getBlockHeader(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash()))
-        .thenReturn(Optional.of(lastFinalizedHeader));
-    when(blockchain.getBlockHeader(headBlockHeader.getHash()))
-        .thenReturn(Optional.of(headBlockHeader));
-    var res =
-        coordinator.updateForkChoice(
-            headBlockHeader,
-            lastFinalizedBlock.getHash(),
-            lastFinalizedBlock.getHash(),
-            Optional.empty());
-    assertThat(res.isValid()).isFalse();
-    assertThat(res.getStatus()).isEqualTo(ForkchoiceResult.Status.INVALID);
-
-    verify(blockchain, never()).setFinalized(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash());
-    verify(mergeContext, never()).setFinalized(lastFinalizedHeader);
-    verify(blockchain, never()).setSafeBlock(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash());
-    verify(mergeContext, never()).setSafeBlock(lastFinalizedHeader);
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void updateForkChoiceShouldFailIfHeadNotDescendantOfLastFinalized() {
-    BlockHeader terminalHeader = terminalPowBlock();
-    coordinator.executeBlock(new Block(terminalHeader, BlockBody.empty()));
-
-    BlockHeader prevFinalizedHeader = nextBlockHeader(terminalHeader);
-    Block prevFinalizedBlock = new Block(prevFinalizedHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(prevFinalizedBlock);
-
-    when(mergeContext.getFinalized()).thenReturn(Optional.of(prevFinalizedHeader));
-
-    BlockHeader lastFinalizedHeader = nextBlockHeader(prevFinalizedHeader);
-    Block lastFinalizedBlock = new Block(lastFinalizedHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(lastFinalizedBlock);
-
-    // not descendant of last finalized block
-    BlockHeader headBlockHeader = disjointBlockHeader(lastFinalizedHeader);
-    Block headBlock = new Block(headBlockHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(headBlock);
-    when(blockchain.getBlockHeader(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash()))
-        .thenReturn(Optional.of(lastFinalizedHeader));
-    when(blockchain.getBlockHeader(headBlockHeader.getHash()))
-        .thenReturn(Optional.of(headBlockHeader));
-    var res =
-        coordinator.updateForkChoice(
-            headBlockHeader,
-            lastFinalizedBlock.getHash(),
-            lastFinalizedBlock.getHash(),
-            Optional.empty());
-    assertThat(res.isValid()).isFalse();
-    assertThat(res.getStatus()).isEqualTo(ForkchoiceResult.Status.INVALID);
-
-    verify(blockchain, never()).setFinalized(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash());
-    verify(mergeContext, never()).setFinalized(lastFinalizedHeader);
-    verify(blockchain, never()).setSafeBlock(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash());
-    verify(mergeContext, never()).setSafeBlock(lastFinalizedHeader);
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void updateForkChoiceShouldFailIfFinalizedBlockNotFound() {
-    BlockHeader terminalHeader = terminalPowBlock();
-    coordinator.executeBlock(new Block(terminalHeader, BlockBody.empty()));
-
-    BlockHeader prevFinalizedHeader = nextBlockHeader(terminalHeader);
-    Block prevFinalizedBlock = new Block(prevFinalizedHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(prevFinalizedBlock);
-
-    when(mergeContext.getFinalized()).thenReturn(Optional.of(prevFinalizedHeader));
-
-    BlockHeader lastFinalizedHeader = nextBlockHeader(prevFinalizedHeader);
-    Block lastFinalizedBlock = new Block(lastFinalizedHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    // note this block is not executed, so not known by us
-
-    BlockHeader headBlockHeader = nextBlockHeader(lastFinalizedHeader);
-    Block headBlock = new Block(headBlockHeader, BlockBody.empty());
-    coordinator.executeBlock(headBlock);
-    when(blockchain.getBlockHeader(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash())).thenReturn(Optional.empty());
-    when(blockchain.getBlockHeader(headBlockHeader.getHash()))
-        .thenReturn(Optional.of(headBlockHeader))
-        .thenReturn(Optional.of(headBlockHeader));
-    var res =
-        coordinator.updateForkChoice(
-            headBlockHeader,
-            lastFinalizedBlock.getHash(),
-            lastFinalizedBlock.getHash(),
-            Optional.empty());
-    assertThat(res.isValid()).isFalse();
-    assertThat(res.getStatus()).isEqualTo(ForkchoiceResult.Status.INVALID);
-
-    verify(blockchain, never()).setFinalized(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash());
-    verify(mergeContext, never()).setFinalized(lastFinalizedHeader);
-    verify(blockchain, never()).setSafeBlock(lastFinalizedBlock.getHash());
-    verify(mergeContext, never()).setSafeBlock(lastFinalizedHeader);
-  }
-
   @Test
   public void assertGetOrSyncForBlockAlreadyPresent() {
     BlockHeader mockHeader =
@@ -615,24 +502,6 @@ private BlockHeader nextBlockHeader(
         .buildHeader();
   }
 
-  private BlockHeader disjointBlockHeader(final BlockHeader disjointFromHeader) {
-    Hash disjointParentHash = Hash.wrap(disjointFromHeader.getParentHash().shiftRight(1));
-
-    return headerGenerator
-        .difficulty(Difficulty.ZERO)
-        .parentHash(disjointParentHash)
-        .gasLimit(genesisState.getBlock().getHeader().getGasLimit())
-        .number(disjointFromHeader.getNumber() + 1)
-        .stateRoot(genesisState.getBlock().getHeader().getStateRoot())
-        .baseFeePerGas(
-            feeMarket.computeBaseFee(
-                genesisState.getBlock().getHeader().getNumber() + 1,
-                disjointFromHeader.getBaseFee().orElse(Wei.of(0x3b9aca00)),
-                0,
-                15000000l))
-        .buildHeader();
-  }
-
   MergeCoordinator terminalAncestorMock(final long chainDepth, final boolean hasTerminalPoW) {
     final Difficulty mockTTD = Difficulty.of(1000);
     BlockHeaderTestFixture builder = new BlockHeaderTestFixture().baseFeePerGas(Wei.ONE);
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 49708e60e7a..6d8557c519f 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-version=22.4.3
+version=22.4.4-SNAPSHOT
 
 # Workaround for Java 16 and spotless bug 834 https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/issues/834
 org.gradle.jvmargs=--add-exports jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.api=ALL-UNNAMED \