diff --git a/rpc/backend/account_info.go b/rpc/backend/account_info.go
index b9a8916a..3b3103ce 100644
--- a/rpc/backend/account_info.go
+++ b/rpc/backend/account_info.go
@@ -44,9 +44,8 @@ func (b *Backend) GetProof(address common.Address, storageKeys []string, blockNr
 	height := blockNum.Int64()
 	_, err = b.GetTendermintBlockByNumber(blockNum)
 	if err != nil {
-		// Get 'latest' proof if query is in the future
-		// this imitates geth behavior
-		height = 0
+		// the error message imitates geth behavior
+		return nil, errors.New("header not found")
 	}
 	ctx := rpctypes.ContextWithHeight(height)
 
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/test_types.py b/tests/integration_tests/test_types.py
index 0ec8831e..8126e448 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/test_types.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/test_types.py
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ from .utils import (
     KEYS,
     deploy_contract,
     send_transaction,
+    w3_wait_for_block,
     w3_wait_for_new_blocks,
-    wait_for_block,
 )
 
 
@@ -178,7 +178,9 @@ def send_and_get_hash(w3, tx_value=10):
 
 
 def test_get_proof(ethermint, geth):
-    wait_for_block(ethermint.cosmos_cli(), 3)
+    # on ethermint the proof query will fail for block numbers <= 2
+    # so we must wait for several blocks
+    w3_wait_for_block(ethermint.w3, 3)
     eth_rpc = ethermint.w3.provider
     geth_rpc = geth.w3.provider
     make_same_rpc_calls(
@@ -192,7 +194,7 @@ def test_get_proof(ethermint, geth):
         eth_rpc,
         geth_rpc,
         "eth_getProof",
-        ["0x57f96e6b86cdefdb3d412547816a82e3e0ebf9d2", ["0x0"], "0x32"],
+        ["0x57f96e6b86cdefdb3d412547816a82e3e0ebf9d2", ["0x0"], "0x1024"],
     )
 
     _ = send_and_get_hash(ethermint.w3)
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/utils.py b/tests/integration_tests/utils.py
index 9f27f9fa..823a2c6f 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/utils.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/utils.py
@@ -92,6 +92,21 @@ def wait_for_block(cli, height, timeout=240):
         raise TimeoutError(f"wait for block {height} timeout")
 
 
+def w3_wait_for_block(w3, height, timeout=240):
+    for i in range(timeout * 2):
+        try:
+            current_height = w3.eth.block_number
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"get json-rpc block number failed: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
+        else:
+            if current_height >= height:
+                break
+            print("current block height", current_height)
+        time.sleep(0.5)
+    else:
+        raise TimeoutError(f"wait for block {height} timeout")
+
+
 def deploy_contract(w3, jsonfile, args=(), key=KEYS["validator"]):
     """
     deploy contract and return the deployed contract instance