diff --git a/server/v2/cometbft/abci.go b/server/v2/cometbft/abci.go
index 45b1d962f8..372886792e 100644
--- a/server/v2/cometbft/abci.go
+++ b/server/v2/cometbft/abci.go
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func (c *Consensus[T]) PrepareProposal(
 	}
 
 	decodedTxs := make([]T, len(req.Txs))
-	for _, tx := range req.Txs {
+	for i, tx := range req.Txs {
 		decTx, err := c.txCodec.Decode(tx)
 		if err != nil {
 			// TODO: vote extension meta data as a custom type to avoid possibly accepting invalid txs
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ func (c *Consensus[T]) PrepareProposal(
 			c.logger.Error("failed to decode tx", "err", err)
 			continue
 		}
-		decodedTxs = append(decodedTxs, decTx)
+
+		decodedTxs[i] = decTx
 	}
 
 	ciCtx := contextWithCometInfo(ctx, comet.Info{