diff --git a/consensus/common/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/BaseBftProtocolScheduleBuilder.java b/consensus/common/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/BaseBftProtocolScheduleBuilder.java
index c80271e6315..da81ce80b7c 100644
--- a/consensus/common/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/BaseBftProtocolScheduleBuilder.java
+++ b/consensus/common/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/BaseBftProtocolScheduleBuilder.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.ProtocolScheduleBuilder;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.ProtocolSpecAdapters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.ProtocolSpecBuilder;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.WithdrawalsValidator;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.feemarket.FeeMarket;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.evm.internal.EvmConfiguration;
 
@@ -127,6 +128,7 @@ private ProtocolSpecBuilder applyBftChanges(
         .skipZeroBlockRewards(true)
         .blockHeaderFunctions(BftBlockHeaderFunctions.forOnchainBlock(bftExtraDataCodec))
         .blockReward(Wei.of(configOptions.getBlockRewardWei()))
+        .withdrawalsValidator(new WithdrawalsValidator.NotApplicableWithdrawals())
         .miningBeneficiaryCalculator(
             header -> configOptions.getMiningBeneficiary().orElseGet(header::getCoinbase));
   }
diff --git a/consensus/ibft/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/ibft/blockcreation/BftBlockCreatorTest.java b/consensus/ibft/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/ibft/blockcreation/BftBlockCreatorTest.java
index 44e082af7f1..25c5c1d10b8 100644
--- a/consensus/ibft/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/ibft/blockcreation/BftBlockCreatorTest.java
+++ b/consensus/ibft/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/ibft/blockcreation/BftBlockCreatorTest.java
@@ -213,125 +213,4 @@ public BlockHeaderValidator.Builder createBlockHeaderRuleset(
             new BftBlockHashing(bftExtraDataEncoder)
                 .calculateDataHashForCommittedSeal(header, extraData));
   }
-
-  @Test
-  public void testBlockCreationResultsInEmptyWithdrawalsListShanghaiOnwards() {
-    // Construct a parent block.
-    final BlockHeaderTestFixture blockHeaderBuilder = new BlockHeaderTestFixture();
-    blockHeaderBuilder.gasLimit(5000); // required to pass validation rule checks.
-    final BlockHeader parentHeader = blockHeaderBuilder.buildHeader();
-    final Optional<BlockHeader> optionalHeader = Optional.of(parentHeader);
-
-    // Construct a blockchain and world state
-    final MutableBlockchain blockchain = mock(MutableBlockchain.class);
-    when(blockchain.getChainHeadHash()).thenReturn(parentHeader.getHash());
-    when(blockchain.getBlockHeader(any())).thenReturn(optionalHeader);
-    final BlockHeader blockHeader = mock(BlockHeader.class);
-    when(blockHeader.getBaseFee()).thenReturn(Optional.empty());
-    when(blockchain.getChainHeadHeader()).thenReturn(blockHeader);
-
-    final List<Address> initialValidatorList = Lists.newArrayList();
-    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
-      initialValidatorList.add(AddressHelpers.ofValue(i));
-    }
-
-    final IbftExtraDataCodec bftExtraDataEncoder = new IbftExtraDataCodec();
-
-    final BaseBftProtocolScheduleBuilder bftProtocolSchedule =
-        new BaseBftProtocolScheduleBuilder() {
-          @Override
-          public BlockHeaderValidator.Builder createBlockHeaderRuleset(
-              final BftConfigOptions config, final FeeMarket feeMarket) {
-            return IbftBlockHeaderValidationRulesetFactory.blockHeaderValidator(
-                5, Optional.empty());
-          }
-        };
-    final GenesisConfigOptions configOptions =
-        GenesisConfigFile.fromConfig("{\"config\": {\"shanghaiTime\":0}}").getConfigOptions();
-    final ForksSchedule<BftConfigOptions> forksSchedule =
-        new ForksSchedule<>(List.of(new ForkSpec<>(0, configOptions.getBftConfigOptions())));
-    final ProtocolSchedule protocolSchedule =
-        bftProtocolSchedule.createProtocolSchedule(
-            configOptions,
-            forksSchedule,
-            PrivacyParameters.DEFAULT,
-            false,
-            bftExtraDataEncoder,
-            EvmConfiguration.DEFAULT,
-            MiningParameters.MINING_DISABLED,
-            new BadBlockManager());
-    final ProtocolContext protContext =
-        new ProtocolContext(
-            blockchain,
-            createInMemoryWorldStateArchive(),
-            setupContextWithBftExtraDataEncoder(initialValidatorList, bftExtraDataEncoder),
-            new BadBlockManager());
-
-    final TransactionPoolConfiguration poolConf =
-        ImmutableTransactionPoolConfiguration.builder().txPoolMaxSize(1).build();
-
-    final GasPricePendingTransactionsSorter pendingTransactions =
-        new GasPricePendingTransactionsSorter(
-            poolConf,
-            TestClock.system(ZoneId.systemDefault()),
-            metricsSystem,
-            blockchain::getChainHeadHeader);
-
-    final EthContext ethContext = mock(EthContext.class, RETURNS_DEEP_STUBS);
-    when(ethContext.getEthPeers().subscribeConnect(any())).thenReturn(1L);
-
-    final TransactionPool transactionPool =
-        new TransactionPool(
-            () -> pendingTransactions,
-            protocolSchedule,
-            protContext,
-            mock(TransactionBroadcaster.class),
-            ethContext,
-            new TransactionPoolMetrics(metricsSystem),
-            poolConf);
-
-    transactionPool.setEnabled();
-
-    final MiningParameters miningParameters =
-        ImmutableMiningParameters.builder()
-            .mutableInitValues(
-                MutableInitValues.builder()
-                    .extraData(
-                        bftExtraDataEncoder.encode(
-                            new BftExtraData(
-                                Bytes.wrap(new byte[32]),
-                                Collections.emptyList(),
-                                Optional.empty(),
-                                0,
-                                initialValidatorList)))
-                    .minTransactionGasPrice(Wei.ZERO)
-                    .coinbase(AddressHelpers.ofValue(1))
-                    .build())
-            .build();
-
-    final BftBlockCreator blockCreator =
-        new BftBlockCreator(
-            miningParameters,
-            forksSchedule,
-            initialValidatorList.get(0),
-            parent ->
-                bftExtraDataEncoder.encode(
-                    new BftExtraData(
-                        Bytes.wrap(new byte[32]),
-                        Collections.emptyList(),
-                        Optional.empty(),
-                        0,
-                        initialValidatorList)),
-            transactionPool,
-            protContext,
-            protocolSchedule,
-            parentHeader,
-            bftExtraDataEncoder,
-            new DeterministicEthScheduler());
-
-    final Block block = blockCreator.createBlock(parentHeader.getTimestamp() + 1).getBlock();
-
-    // Test that a BFT block contains an empty withdrawals list (not an optional empty)
-    assertThat(block.getBody().getWithdrawals().isPresent()).isTrue();
-  }
 }
diff --git a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/WithdrawalsValidator.java b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/WithdrawalsValidator.java
index 84172f95ccd..2adda62054b 100644
--- a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/WithdrawalsValidator.java
+++ b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/WithdrawalsValidator.java
@@ -96,4 +96,17 @@ public boolean validateWithdrawalsRoot(final Block block) {
       return true;
     }
   }
+
+  class NotApplicableWithdrawals implements WithdrawalsValidator {
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean validateWithdrawals(final Optional<List<Withdrawal>> withdrawals) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean validateWithdrawalsRoot(final Block block) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
 }