diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-suite.yml b/.github/workflows/test-suite.yml
index 77d631a7d..28b8ec29e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-suite.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-suite.yml
@@ -309,7 +309,9 @@ jobs:
       run: |
           make
     - name: Install lcli
-      if: env.SELF_HOSTED_RUNNERS == 'false'
+      # TODO: uncomment after the version of lcli in https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse/pull/5137 
+      # is installed on the runners
+      # if: env.SELF_HOSTED_RUNNERS == 'false'
       run: make install-lcli
     - name: Run the doppelganger protection failure test script
       run: |
diff --git a/lcli/src/new_testnet.rs b/lcli/src/new_testnet.rs
index 3a0c7a9f6..47db1036d 100644
--- a/lcli/src/new_testnet.rs
+++ b/lcli/src/new_testnet.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ use ethereum_hashing::hash;
 use ssz::Decode;
 use ssz::Encode;
 use state_processing::process_activations;
-use state_processing::upgrade::{upgrade_to_altair, upgrade_to_bellatrix};
+use state_processing::upgrade::{
+    upgrade_to_altair, upgrade_to_bellatrix, upgrade_to_capella, upgrade_to_deneb,
+};
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::io::Read;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
@@ -19,8 +21,8 @@ use types::ExecutionBlockHash;
 use types::{
     test_utils::generate_deterministic_keypairs, Address, BeaconState, ChainSpec, Config, Epoch,
     Eth1Data, EthSpec, ExecutionPayloadHeader, ExecutionPayloadHeaderCapella,
-    ExecutionPayloadHeaderDeneb, ExecutionPayloadHeaderMerge, ExecutionPayloadHeaderRefMut,
-    ForkName, Hash256, Keypair, PublicKey, Validator,
+    ExecutionPayloadHeaderDeneb, ExecutionPayloadHeaderMerge, ForkName, Hash256, Keypair,
+    PublicKey, Validator,
 };
 
 pub fn run<T: EthSpec>(testnet_dir_path: PathBuf, matches: &ArgMatches) -> Result<(), String> {
@@ -302,26 +304,47 @@ fn initialize_state_with_validators<T: EthSpec>(
         state.fork_mut().previous_version = spec.bellatrix_fork_version;
 
         // Override latest execution payload header.
-        // See https://github.com/ethereum/consensus-specs/blob/v1.1.0/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md#testing
+        // See https://github.com/ethereum/consensus-specs/blob/v1.1.0/specs/bellatrix/beacon-chain.md#testing
+        if let ExecutionPayloadHeader::Merge(ref header) = execution_payload_header {
+            *state
+                .latest_execution_payload_header_merge_mut()
+                .or(Err("mismatched fork".to_string()))? = header.clone();
+        }
+    }
 
-        // Currently, we only support starting from a bellatrix state
-        match state
-            .latest_execution_payload_header_mut()
-            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to get execution payload header: {:?}", e))?
-        {
-            ExecutionPayloadHeaderRefMut::Merge(header_mut) => {
-                if let ExecutionPayloadHeader::Merge(eph) = execution_payload_header {
-                    *header_mut = eph;
-                } else {
-                    return Err("Execution payload header must be a bellatrix header".to_string());
-                }
-            }
-            ExecutionPayloadHeaderRefMut::Capella(_) => {
-                return Err("Cannot start genesis from a capella state".to_string())
-            }
-            ExecutionPayloadHeaderRefMut::Deneb(_) => {
-                return Err("Cannot start genesis from a deneb state".to_string())
-            }
+    if spec
+        .capella_fork_epoch
+        .map_or(false, |fork_epoch| fork_epoch == T::genesis_epoch())
+    {
+        upgrade_to_capella(&mut state, spec).unwrap();
+
+        // Remove intermediate fork from `state.fork`.
+        state.fork_mut().previous_version = spec.capella_fork_version;
+
+        // Override latest execution payload header.
+        // See https://github.com/ethereum/consensus-specs/blob/v1.1.0/specs/bellatrix/beacon-chain.md#testing
+        if let ExecutionPayloadHeader::Capella(ref header) = execution_payload_header {
+            *state
+                .latest_execution_payload_header_capella_mut()
+                .or(Err("mismatched fork".to_string()))? = header.clone();
+        }
+    }
+
+    if spec
+        .deneb_fork_epoch
+        .map_or(false, |fork_epoch| fork_epoch == T::genesis_epoch())
+    {
+        upgrade_to_deneb(&mut state, spec).unwrap();
+
+        // Remove intermediate fork from `state.fork`.
+        state.fork_mut().previous_version = spec.deneb_fork_version;
+
+        // Override latest execution payload header.
+        // See https://github.com/ethereum/consensus-specs/blob/v1.1.0/specs/bellatrix/beacon-chain.md#testing
+        if let ExecutionPayloadHeader::Deneb(ref header) = execution_payload_header {
+            *state
+                .latest_execution_payload_header_deneb_mut()
+                .or(Err("mismatched fork".to_string()))? = header.clone();
         }
     }
 
@@ -331,5 +354,10 @@ fn initialize_state_with_validators<T: EthSpec>(
     // Set genesis validators root for domain separation and chain versioning
     *state.genesis_validators_root_mut() = state.update_validators_tree_hash_cache().unwrap();
 
+    // Sanity check for state fork matching config fork.
+    state
+        .fork_name(spec)
+        .map_err(|e| format!("state fork mismatch: {e:?}"))?;
+
     Ok(state)
 }
diff --git a/scripts/local_testnet/geth.sh b/scripts/local_testnet/geth.sh
index 5dc4575cf..ab1a0ec6e 100755
--- a/scripts/local_testnet/geth.sh
+++ b/scripts/local_testnet/geth.sh
@@ -50,4 +50,5 @@ exec $GETH_BINARY \
     --bootnodes $EL_BOOTNODE_ENODE \
     --port $network_port \
     --http.port $http_port \
-    --authrpc.port $auth_port
+    --authrpc.port $auth_port \
+    2>&1 | tee $data_dir/geth.log
diff --git a/scripts/tests/genesis.json b/scripts/tests/genesis.json
index 83f45f1a0..bfbc08c81 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/genesis.json
+++ b/scripts/tests/genesis.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     "londonBlock": 0,
     "mergeForkBlock": 0,
     "shanghaiTime": 0,
-    "shardingForkTime": 0,
+    "cancunTime": 0,
     "terminalTotalDifficulty": 0,
     "terminalTotalDifficultyPassed": true
   },
diff --git a/scripts/tests/vars.env b/scripts/tests/vars.env
index 98ae08f07..ffe7ac4ae 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/vars.env
+++ b/scripts/tests/vars.env
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ DEPOSIT_CONTRACT_ADDRESS=4242424242424242424242424242424242424242
 GENESIS_FORK_VERSION=0x42424242
 
 # Block hash generated from genesis.json in directory
-ETH1_BLOCK_HASH=add7865f8346031c72287e2edc4a4952fd34fc0a8642403e8c1bce67f215c92b
+ETH1_BLOCK_HASH=7a5c656343c3a66dcf75415958b500e8873f9dab0cd588e6cf0785b52a06dd34
 
 VALIDATOR_COUNT=80
 GENESIS_VALIDATOR_COUNT=80
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ CHAIN_ID=4242
 # Hard fork configuration
 ALTAIR_FORK_EPOCH=0
 BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH=0
-CAPELLA_FORK_EPOCH=1
-DENEB_FORK_EPOCH=18446744073709551615
+CAPELLA_FORK_EPOCH=0
+DENEB_FORK_EPOCH=0
 
 TTD=0
 
@@ -62,4 +62,5 @@ PROPOSER_SCORE_BOOST=70
 BN_ARGS=""
 
 # Enable doppelganger detection
-VC_ARGS=" --enable-doppelganger-protection "
\ No newline at end of file
+VC_ARGS=" --enable-doppelganger-protection "
+