diff --git a/consensus/fork_choice/src/fork_choice.rs b/consensus/fork_choice/src/fork_choice.rs
index 9ca9ef0ce..85e43945c 100644
--- a/consensus/fork_choice/src/fork_choice.rs
+++ b/consensus/fork_choice/src/fork_choice.rs
@@ -413,18 +413,18 @@ where
             AttestationShufflingId::new(anchor_block_root, anchor_state, RelativeEpoch::Next)
                 .map_err(Error::BeaconStateError)?;
 
-        // Default any non-merge execution block hashes to 0x000..000.
-        let execution_status = anchor_block.message_merge().map_or_else(
-            |()| ExecutionStatus::irrelevant(),
-            |message| {
-                let execution_payload = &message.body.execution_payload;
-                if execution_payload == &<_>::default() {
+        let execution_status = anchor_block.message().execution_payload().map_or_else(
+            // If the block doesn't have an execution payload then it can't have
+            // execution enabled.
+            |_| ExecutionStatus::irrelevant(),
+            |execution_payload| {
+                if execution_payload.is_default_with_empty_roots() {
                     // A default payload does not have execution enabled.
                     ExecutionStatus::irrelevant()
                 } else {
                     // Assume that this payload is valid, since the anchor should be a trusted block and
                     // state.
-                    ExecutionStatus::Valid(message.body.execution_payload.block_hash())
+                    ExecutionStatus::Valid(execution_payload.block_hash())
                 }
             },
         );