diff --git a/cmd/evm/README.md b/cmd/evm/README.md
index 1a029ab70..6fd0abf65 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/README.md
+++ b/cmd/evm/README.md
@@ -1,56 +1,196 @@
-## EVM state transition tool
+# EVM tool
+
+The EVM tool provides a few useful subcommands to facilitate testing at the EVM
+layer.
+
+* transition tool    (`t8n`) : a stateless state transition utility
+* transaction tool   (`t9n`) : a transaction validation utility
+* block builder tool (`b11r`): a block assembler utility
+
+## State transition tool (`t8n`)
+
 
 The `evm t8n` tool is a stateless state transition utility. It is a utility
 which can
 
 1. Take a prestate, including
-- Accounts,
-- Block context information,
-- Previous blockshashes (*optional)
+  - Accounts,
+  - Block context information,
+  - Previous blockshashes (*optional)
 2. Apply a set of transactions,
 3. Apply a mining-reward (*optional),
 4. And generate a post-state, including
-- State root, transaction root, receipt root,
-- Information about rejected transactions,
-- Optionally: a full or partial post-state dump
+  - State root, transaction root, receipt root,
+  - Information about rejected transactions,
+  - Optionally: a full or partial post-state dump
 
-## Specification
+### Specification
 
 The idea is to specify the behaviour of this binary very _strict_, so that other
 node implementors can build replicas based on their own state-machines, and the
-state generators can swap between a `geth`-based implementation and a `parityvm`-based
+state generators can swap between a \`geth\`-based implementation and a \`parityvm\`-based
 implementation.
 
-### Command line params
+#### Command line params
 
-Command line params that has to be supported are
-```
-
-   --trace                            Output full trace logs to files <txhash>.jsonl
-   --trace.nomemory                   Disable full memory dump in traces
-   --trace.nostack                    Disable stack output in traces
-   --trace.noreturndata               Disable return data output in traces
-   --output.basedir value             Specifies where output files are placed. Will be created if it does not exist.
-   --output.alloc alloc               Determines where to put the alloc of the post-state.
-                                      `stdout` - into the stdout output
-                                      `stderr` - into the stderr output
-   --output.result result             Determines where to put the result (stateroot, txroot etc) of the post-state.
-                                      `stdout` - into the stdout output
-                                      `stderr` - into the stderr output
-   --output.body value                If set, the RLP of the transactions (block body) will be written to this file.
-   --input.txs stdin                  stdin or file name of where to find the transactions to apply. If the file prefix is '.rlp', then the data is interpreted as an RLP list of signed transactions.The '.rlp' format is identical to the output.body format. (default: "txs.json")
-   --state.fork value                 Name of ruleset to use.
-   --state.chainid value              ChainID to use (default: 1)
-   --state.reward value               Mining reward. Set to -1 to disable (default: 0)
+Command line params that need to be supported are
 
 ```
+    --input.alloc value            (default: "alloc.json")
+    --input.env value              (default: "env.json")
+    --input.txs value              (default: "txs.json")
+    --output.alloc value           (default: "alloc.json")
+    --output.basedir value        
+    --output.body value           
+    --output.result value          (default: "result.json")
+    --state.chainid value          (default: 1)
+    --state.fork value             (default: "GrayGlacier")
+    --state.reward value           (default: 0)
+    --trace.memory                 (default: false)
+    --trace.nomemory               (default: true)
+    --trace.noreturndata           (default: true)
+    --trace.nostack                (default: false)
+    --trace.returndata             (default: false)
+```
+#### Objects
 
-### Error codes and output
+The transition tool uses JSON objects to read and write data related to the transition operation. The
+following object definitions are required.
+
+##### `alloc`
+
+The `alloc` object defines the prestate that transition will begin with.
+
+```go
+// Map of address to account definition.
+type Alloc map[common.Address]Account
+// Genesis account. Each field is optional.
+type Account struct {
+    Code       []byte                           `json:"code"`
+    Storage    map[common.Hash]common.Hash      `json:"storage"`
+    Balance    *big.Int                         `json:"balance"`
+    Nonce      uint64                           `json:"nonce"`
+    SecretKey  []byte                            `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+```
+
+##### `env`
+
+The `env` object defines the environmental context in which the transition will
+take place.
+
+```go
+type Env struct {
+    // required
+    CurrentCoinbase  common.Address      `json:"currentCoinbase"`
+    CurrentGasLimit  uint64              `json:"currentGasLimit"`
+    CurrentNumber    uint64              `json:"currentNumber"`
+    CurrentTimestamp uint64              `json:"currentTimestamp"`
+    Withdrawals      []*Withdrawal       `json:"withdrawals"`
+    // optional
+    CurrentDifficulty *big.Int           `json:"currentDifficuly"`
+    CurrentRandom     *big.Int           `json:"currentRandom"`
+    CurrentBaseFee    *big.Int           `json:"currentBaseFee"`
+    ParentDifficulty  *big.Int           `json:"parentDifficulty"`
+    ParentGasUsed     uint64             `json:"parentGasUsed"`
+    ParentGasLimit    uint64             `json:"parentGasLimit"`
+    ParentTimestamp   uint64             `json:"parentTimestamp"`
+    BlockHashes       map[uint64]common.Hash `json:"blockHashes"`
+    ParentUncleHash   common.Hash        `json:"parentUncleHash"`
+    Ommers            []Ommer            `json:"ommers"`
+}
+type Ommer struct {
+    Delta   uint64         `json:"delta"`
+    Address common.Address `json:"address"`
+}
+type Withdrawal struct {
+    Index          uint64         `json:"index"`
+    ValidatorIndex uint64         `json:"validatorIndex"`
+    Recipient      common.Address `json:"recipient"`
+    Amount         *big.Int       `json:"amount"`
+}
+```
+
+##### `txs`
+
+The `txs` object is an array of any of the transaction types: `LegacyTx`,
+`AccessListTx`, or `DynamicFeeTx`.
+
+```go
+type LegacyTx struct {
+	Nonce     uint64          `json:"nonce"`
+	GasPrice  *big.Int        `json:"gasPrice"`
+	Gas       uint64          `json:"gas"`
+	To        *common.Address `json:"to"`
+	Value     *big.Int        `json:"value"`
+	Data      []byte          `json:"data"`
+	V         *big.Int        `json:"v"`
+	R         *big.Int        `json:"r"`
+	S         *big.Int        `json:"s"`
+    SecretKey *common.Hash    `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+type AccessList []AccessTuple
+type AccessTuple struct {
+	Address     common.Address `json:"address"        gencodec:"required"`
+	StorageKeys []common.Hash  `json:"storageKeys"    gencodec:"required"`
+}
+type AccessListTx struct {
+	ChainID    *big.Int        `json:"chainId"`
+	Nonce      uint64          `json:"nonce"`
+	GasPrice   *big.Int        `json:"gasPrice"`
+	Gas        uint64          `json:"gas"`
+	To         *common.Address `json:"to"`
+	Value      *big.Int        `json:"value"`
+	Data       []byte          `json:"data"`
+	AccessList AccessList      `json:"accessList"`
+	V          *big.Int        `json:"v"`
+	R          *big.Int        `json:"r"`
+	S          *big.Int        `json:"s"`
+    SecretKey  *common.Hash     `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+type DynamicFeeTx struct {
+	ChainID    *big.Int        `json:"chainId"`
+	Nonce      uint64          `json:"nonce"`
+	GasTipCap  *big.Int        `json:"maxPriorityFeePerGas"`
+	GasFeeCap  *big.Int        `json:"maxFeePerGas"`
+	Gas        uint64          `json:"gas"`
+	To         *common.Address `json:"to"`
+	Value      *big.Int        `json:"value"`
+	Data       []byte          `json:"data"`
+	AccessList AccessList      `json:"accessList"`
+	V          *big.Int        `json:"v"`
+	R          *big.Int        `json:"r"`
+	S          *big.Int        `json:"s"`
+    SecretKey  *common.Hash     `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+```
+
+##### `result`
+
+The `result` object is output after a transition is executed. It includes
+information about the post-transition environment.
+
+```go
+type ExecutionResult struct {
+    StateRoot   common.Hash    `json:"stateRoot"`
+    TxRoot      common.Hash    `json:"txRoot"`
+    ReceiptRoot common.Hash    `json:"receiptsRoot"`
+    LogsHash    common.Hash    `json:"logsHash"`
+    Bloom       types.Bloom    `json:"logsBloom"`
+    Receipts    types.Receipts `json:"receipts"`
+    Rejected    []*rejectedTx  `json:"rejected,omitempty"`
+    Difficulty  *big.Int       `json:"currentDifficulty"`
+    GasUsed     uint64         `json:"gasUsed"`
+    BaseFee     *big.Int       `json:"currentBaseFee,omitempty"`
+}
+```
+
+#### Error codes and output
 
 All logging should happen against the `stderr`.
 There are a few (not many) errors that can occur, those are defined below.
 
-#### EVM-based errors (`2` to `9`)
+##### EVM-based errors (`2` to `9`)
 
 - Other EVM error. Exit code `2`
 - Failed configuration: when a non-supported or invalid fork was specified. Exit code `3`.
@@ -58,18 +198,30 @@ There are a few (not many) errors that can occur, those are defined below.
   is invoked targeting a block which history has not been provided for, the program will
   exit with code `4`.
 
-#### IO errors (`10`-`20`)
+##### IO errors (`10`-`20`)
 
 - Invalid input json: the supplied data could not be marshalled.
   The program will exit with code `10`
 - IO problems: failure to load or save files, the program will exit with code `11`
 
-## Examples
+```
+# This should exit with 3
+./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --state.fork=Frontier+1346 2>/dev/null
+exitcode:3 OK
+```
+#### Forks
 ### Basic usage
 
+The chain configuration to be used for a transition is specified via the
+`--state.fork` CLI flag. A list of possible values and configurations can be
+found in [`tests/init.go`](tests/init.go).
+
+#### Examples
+##### Basic usage
+
 Invoking it with the provided example files
 ```
-./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json
+./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --state.fork=Berlin
 ```
 Two resulting files:
 
@@ -94,7 +246,7 @@ Two resulting files:
 {
  "stateRoot": "0x84208a19bc2b46ada7445180c1db162be5b39b9abc8c0a54b05d32943eae4e13",
  "txRoot": "0xc4761fd7b87ff2364c7c60b6c5c8d02e522e815328aaea3f20e3b7b7ef52c42d",
- "receiptRoot": "0x056b23fbba480696b65fe5a59b8f2148a1299103c4f57df839233af2cf4ca2d2",
+ "receiptsRoot": "0x056b23fbba480696b65fe5a59b8f2148a1299103c4f57df839233af2cf4ca2d2",
  "logsHash": "0x1dcc4de8dec75d7aab85b567b6ccd41ad312451b948a7413f0a142fd40d49347",
  "logsBloom": "0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
  "receipts": [
@@ -116,78 +268,82 @@ Two resulting files:
    "index": 1,
    "error": "nonce too low: address 0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192, tx: 0 state: 1"
   }
- ]
+ ],
+ "currentDifficulty": "0x20000",
+ "gasUsed": "0x5208"
 }
 ```
 
 We can make them spit out the data to e.g. `stdout` like this:
 ```
-./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --output.result=stdout --output.alloc=stdout
+./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --output.result=stdout --output.alloc=stdout --state.fork=Berlin
 ```
 Output:
 ```json
 {
- "alloc": {
-  "0x8a8eafb1cf62bfbeb1741769dae1a9dd47996192": {
-   "balance": "0xfeed1a9d",
-   "nonce": "0x1"
+  "alloc": {
+    "0x8a8eafb1cf62bfbeb1741769dae1a9dd47996192": {
+      "balance": "0xfeed1a9d",
+      "nonce": "0x1"
+    },
+    "0xa94f5374fce5edbc8e2a8697c15331677e6ebf0b": {
+      "balance": "0x5ffd4878be161d74",
+      "nonce": "0xac"
+    },
+    "0xc94f5374fce5edbc8e2a8697c15331677e6ebf0b": {
+      "balance": "0xa410"
+    }
   },
-  "0xa94f5374fce5edbc8e2a8697c15331677e6ebf0b": {
-   "balance": "0x5ffd4878be161d74",
-   "nonce": "0xac"
-  },
-  "0xc94f5374fce5edbc8e2a8697c15331677e6ebf0b": {
-   "balance": "0xa410"
-  }
- },
- "result": {
-  "stateRoot": "0x84208a19bc2b46ada7445180c1db162be5b39b9abc8c0a54b05d32943eae4e13",
-  "txRoot": "0xc4761fd7b87ff2364c7c60b6c5c8d02e522e815328aaea3f20e3b7b7ef52c42d",
-  "receiptRoot": "0x056b23fbba480696b65fe5a59b8f2148a1299103c4f57df839233af2cf4ca2d2",
-  "logsHash": "0x1dcc4de8dec75d7aab85b567b6ccd41ad312451b948a7413f0a142fd40d49347",
-  "logsBloom": "0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
-  "receipts": [
-   {
-    "root": "0x",
-    "status": "0x1",
-    "cumulativeGasUsed": "0x5208",
+  "result": {
+    "stateRoot": "0x84208a19bc2b46ada7445180c1db162be5b39b9abc8c0a54b05d32943eae4e13",
+    "txRoot": "0xc4761fd7b87ff2364c7c60b6c5c8d02e522e815328aaea3f20e3b7b7ef52c42d",
+    "receiptsRoot": "0x056b23fbba480696b65fe5a59b8f2148a1299103c4f57df839233af2cf4ca2d2",
+    "logsHash": "0x1dcc4de8dec75d7aab85b567b6ccd41ad312451b948a7413f0a142fd40d49347",
     "logsBloom": "0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
-    "logs": null,
-    "transactionHash": "0x0557bacce3375c98d806609b8d5043072f0b6a8bae45ae5a67a00d3a1a18d673",
-    "contractAddress": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
-    "gasUsed": "0x5208",
-    "blockHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
-    "transactionIndex": "0x0"
-   }
-  ],
-  "rejected": [
-   {
-    "index": 1,
-    "error": "nonce too low: address 0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192, tx: 0 state: 1"
-   }
-  ]
- }
+    "receipts": [
+      {
+        "root": "0x",
+        "status": "0x1",
+        "cumulativeGasUsed": "0x5208",
+        "logsBloom": "0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+        "logs": null,
+        "transactionHash": "0x0557bacce3375c98d806609b8d5043072f0b6a8bae45ae5a67a00d3a1a18d673",
+        "contractAddress": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+        "gasUsed": "0x5208",
+        "blockHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+        "transactionIndex": "0x0"
+      }
+    ],
+    "rejected": [
+      {
+        "index": 1,
+        "error": "nonce too low: address 0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192, tx: 0 state: 1"
+      }
+    ],
+    "currentDifficulty": "0x20000",
+    "gasUsed": "0x5208"
+  }
 }
 ```
 
-## About Ommers
+#### About Ommers
 
 Mining rewards and ommer rewards might need to be added. This is how those are applied:
 
 - `block_reward` is the block mining reward for the miner (`0xaa`), of a block at height `N`.
 - For each ommer (mined by `0xbb`), with blocknumber `N-delta`
-  - (where `delta` is the difference between the current block and the ommer)
-  - The account `0xbb` (ommer miner) is awarded `(8-delta)/ 8 * block_reward`
-  - The account `0xaa` (block miner) is awarded `block_reward / 32`
+   - (where `delta` is the difference between the current block and the ommer)
+   - The account `0xbb` (ommer miner) is awarded `(8-delta)/ 8 * block_reward`
+   - The account `0xaa` (block miner) is awarded `block_reward / 32`
 
-To make `state_t8n` apply these, the following inputs are required:
+To make `t8n` apply these, the following inputs are required:
 
-- `state.reward`
+- `--state.reward`
   - For ethash, it is `5000000000000000000` `wei`,
   - If this is not defined, mining rewards are not applied,
   - A value of `0` is valid, and causes accounts to be 'touched'.
-- For each ommer, the tool needs to be given an `address` and a `delta`. This
-  is done via the `env`.
+- For each ommer, the tool needs to be given an `addres\` and a `delta`. This
+  is done via the `ommers` field in `env`.
 
 Note: the tool does not verify that e.g. the normal uncle rules apply,
 and allows e.g two uncles at the same height, or the uncle-distance. This means that
@@ -208,42 +364,38 @@ Example:
   ]
 }
 ```
-When applying this, using a reward of `0x80`
+When applying this, using a reward of `0x08`
 Output:
 ```json
 {
- "alloc": {
-  "0xaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa": {
-   "balance": "0x88"
-  },
-  "0xbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb": {
-   "balance": "0x70"
-  },
-  "0xcccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc": {
-   "balance": "0x60"
+  "alloc": {
+    "0xaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa": {
+      "balance": "0x88"
+    },
+    "0xbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb": {
+      "balance": "0x70"
+    },
+    "0xcccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc": {
+      "balance": "0x60"
+    }
   }
- }
 }
 ```
-### Future EIPS
+#### Future EIPS
 
 It is also possible to experiment with future eips that are not yet defined in a hard fork.
-Example, putting EIP-1344 into Frontier:
+Example, putting EIP-1344 into Frontier: 
 ```
 ./evm t8n --state.fork=Frontier+1344 --input.pre=./testdata/1/pre.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=/testdata/1/env.json
 ```
 
-### Block history
+#### Block history
 
 The `BLOCKHASH` opcode requires blockhashes to be provided by the caller, inside the `env`.
 If a required blockhash is not provided, the exit code should be `4`:
-Example where blockhashes are provided:
+Example where blockhashes are provided: 
 ```
-./evm --verbosity=1 t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/3/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/3/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/3/env.json  --trace
-INFO [07-27|11:53:40.960] Trie dumping started                     root=b7341d..857ea1
-INFO [07-27|11:53:40.960] Trie dumping complete                    accounts=3 elapsed="103.298µs"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:40.960] Wrote file                               file=alloc.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:40.960] Wrote file                               file=result.json
+./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/3/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/3/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/3/env.json  --trace --state.fork=Berlin
 
 ```
 
@@ -251,44 +403,34 @@ INFO [07-27|11:53:40.960] Wrote file                               file=result.j
 cat trace-0-0x72fadbef39cd251a437eea619cfeda752271a5faaaa2147df012e112159ffb81.jsonl | grep BLOCKHASH -C2
 ```
 ```
-{"pc":0,"op":96,"gas":"0x5f58ef8","gasCost":"0x3","memory":"0x","memSize":0,"stack":[],"returnData":"0x","depth":1,"refund":0,"opName":"PUSH1","error":""}
-{"pc":2,"op":64,"gas":"0x5f58ef5","gasCost":"0x14","memory":"0x","memSize":0,"stack":["0x1"],"returnData":"0x","depth":1,"refund":0,"opName":"BLOCKHASH","error":""}
-{"pc":3,"op":0,"gas":"0x5f58ee1","gasCost":"0x0","memory":"0x","memSize":0,"stack":["0xdac58aa524e50956d0c0bae7f3f8bb9d35381365d07804dd5b48a5a297c06af4"],"returnData":"0x","depth":1,"refund":0,"opName":"STOP","error":""}
-{"output":"","gasUsed":"0x17","time":156276}
+{"pc":0,"op":96,"gas":"0x5f58ef8","gasCost":"0x3","memSize":0,"stack":[],"depth":1,"refund":0,"opName":"PUSH1"}
+{"pc":2,"op":64,"gas":"0x5f58ef5","gasCost":"0x14","memSize":0,"stack":["0x1"],"depth":1,"refund":0,"opName":"BLOCKHASH"}
+{"pc":3,"op":0,"gas":"0x5f58ee1","gasCost":"0x0","memSize":0,"stack":["0xdac58aa524e50956d0c0bae7f3f8bb9d35381365d07804dd5b48a5a297c06af4"],"depth":1,"refund":0,"opName":"STOP"}
+{"output":"","gasUsed":"0x17"}
 ```
 
 In this example, the caller has not provided the required blockhash:
 ```
-./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/4/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/4/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/4/env.json --trace
+./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/4/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/4/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/4/env.json --trace --state.fork=Berlin
 ERROR(4): getHash(3) invoked, blockhash for that block not provided
 ```
 Error code: 4
 
-### Chaining
+#### Chaining
 
 Another thing that can be done, is to chain invocations:
 ```
-./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --output.alloc=stdout | ./evm t8n --input.alloc=stdin --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.049] rejected tx                              index=1 hash=0557ba..18d673 from=0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192 error="nonce too low: address 0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192, tx: 0 state: 1"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.050] Trie dumping started                     root=84208a..ae4e13
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.050] Trie dumping complete                    accounts=3 elapsed="59.412µs"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.050] Wrote file                               file=result.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.051] rejected tx                              index=0 hash=0557ba..18d673 from=0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192 error="nonce too low: address 0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192, tx: 0 state: 1"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.051] rejected tx                              index=1 hash=0557ba..18d673 from=0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192 error="nonce too low: address 0x8A8eAFb1cf62BfBeb1741769DAE1a9dd47996192, tx: 0 state: 1"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.052] Trie dumping started                     root=84208a..ae4e13
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.052] Trie dumping complete                    accounts=3 elapsed="45.734µs"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.052] Wrote file                               file=alloc.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.052] Wrote file                               file=result.json
+./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --state.fork=Berlin --output.alloc=stdout | ./evm t8n --input.alloc=stdin --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --state.fork=Berlin
 
 ```
-What happened here, is that we first applied two identical transactions, so the second one was rejected.
+What happened here, is that we first applied two identical transactions, so the second one was rejected. 
 Then, taking the poststate alloc as the input for the next state, we tried again to include
 the same two transactions: this time, both failed due to too low nonce.
 
 In order to meaningfully chain invocations, one would need to provide meaningful new `env`, otherwise the
 actual blocknumber (exposed to the EVM) would not increase.
 
-### Transactions in RLP form
+#### Transactions in RLP form
 
 It is possible to provide already-signed transactions as input to, using an `input.txs` which ends with the `rlp` suffix.
 The input format for RLP-form transactions is _identical_ to the _output_ format for block bodies. Therefore, it's fully possible
@@ -297,12 +439,11 @@ to use the evm to go from `json` input to `rlp` input.
 The following command takes **json** the transactions in `./testdata/13/txs.json` and signs them. After execution, they are output to `signed_txs.rlp`.:
 ```
 ./evm t8n --state.fork=London --input.alloc=./testdata/13/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/13/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/13/env.json --output.result=alloc_jsontx.json --output.body=signed_txs.rlp
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.124] Trie dumping started                     root=e4b924..6aef61
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.124] Trie dumping complete                    accounts=3 elapsed="94.284µs"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.125] Wrote file                               file=alloc.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.125] Wrote file                               file=alloc_jsontx.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.125] Wrote file                               file=signed_txs.rlp
-
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.380] Trie dumping started                     root=e4b924..6aef61
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.380] Trie dumping complete                    accounts=3 elapsed="85.765µs"
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.380] Wrote file                               file=alloc.json
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.380] Wrote file                               file=alloc_jsontx.json
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.380] Wrote file                               file=signed_txs.rlp
 ```
 
 The `output.body` is the rlp-list of transactions, encoded in hex and placed in a string a'la `json` encoding rules:
@@ -311,7 +452,7 @@ cat signed_txs.rlp
 "0xf8d2b86702f864010180820fa08284d09411111111111111111111111111111111111111118080c001a0b7dfab36232379bb3d1497a4f91c1966b1f932eae3ade107bf5d723b9cb474e0a06261c359a10f2132f126d250485b90cf20f30340801244a08ef6142ab33d1904b86702f864010280820fa08284d09411111111111111111111111111111111111111118080c080a0d4ec563b6568cd42d998fc4134b36933c6568d01533b5adf08769270243c6c7fa072bf7c21eac6bbeae5143371eef26d5e279637f3bd73482b55979d76d935b1e9"
 ```
 
-We can use `rlpdump` to check what the contents are:
+We can use `rlpdump` to check what the contents are: 
 ```
 rlpdump -hex $(cat signed_txs.rlp | jq -r )
 [
@@ -319,17 +460,15 @@ rlpdump -hex $(cat signed_txs.rlp | jq -r )
   02f864010280820fa08284d09411111111111111111111111111111111111111118080c080a0d4ec563b6568cd42d998fc4134b36933c6568d01533b5adf08769270243c6c7fa072bf7c21eac6bbeae5143371eef26d5e279637f3bd73482b55979d76d935b1e9,
 ]
 ```
-Now, we can now use those (or any other already signed transactions), as input, like so:
+Now, we can now use those (or any other already signed transactions), as input, like so: 
 ```
 ./evm t8n --state.fork=London --input.alloc=./testdata/13/alloc.json --input.txs=./signed_txs.rlp --input.env=./testdata/13/env.json --output.result=alloc_rlptx.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.253] Trie dumping started                     root=e4b924..6aef61
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.253] Trie dumping complete                    accounts=3 elapsed="128.445µs"
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.253] Wrote file                               file=alloc.json
-INFO [07-27|11:53:41.255] Wrote file                               file=alloc_rlptx.json
-
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.425] Trie dumping started                     root=e4b924..6aef61
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.425] Trie dumping complete                    accounts=3 elapsed="70.684µs"
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.425] Wrote file                               file=alloc.json
+INFO [12-07|04:30:12.425] Wrote file                               file=alloc_rlptx.json
 ```
-
-You might have noticed that the results from these two invocations were stored in two separate files.
+You might have noticed that the results from these two invocations were stored in two separate files. 
 And we can now finally check that they match.
 ```
 cat alloc_jsontx.json | jq .stateRoot && cat alloc_rlptx.json | jq .stateRoot
diff --git a/cmd/evm/t8n_test.go b/cmd/evm/t8n_test.go
index 031def021..b7a0d9c2c 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/t8n_test.go
+++ b/cmd/evm/t8n_test.go
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ func TestT8n(t *testing.T) {
 		{ // Test post-merge transition
 			base: "./testdata/24",
 			input: t8nInput{
-				"alloc.json", "txs.json", "env.json", "Merged", "",
+				"alloc.json", "txs.json", "env.json", "Merge", "",
 			},
 			output: t8nOutput{alloc: true, result: true},
 			expOut: "exp.json",
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ func TestT8n(t *testing.T) {
 		{ // Test post-merge transition where input is missing random
 			base: "./testdata/24",
 			input: t8nInput{
-				"alloc.json", "txs.json", "env-missingrandom.json", "Merged", "",
+				"alloc.json", "txs.json", "env-missingrandom.json", "Merge", "",
 			},
 			output:      t8nOutput{alloc: false, result: false},
 			expExitCode: 3,
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ func TestT8n(t *testing.T) {
 		{ // Test base fee calculation
 			base: "./testdata/25",
 			input: t8nInput{
-				"alloc.json", "txs.json", "env.json", "Merged", "",
+				"alloc.json", "txs.json", "env.json", "Merge", "",
 			},
 			output: t8nOutput{alloc: true, result: true},
 			expOut: "exp.json",
diff --git a/cmd/evm/transition-test.sh b/cmd/evm/transition-test.sh
index 250238d16..8d7fd7997 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/transition-test.sh
+++ b/cmd/evm/transition-test.sh
@@ -20,10 +20,24 @@ function tick(){
   echo "$ticks"
 }
 
-cat << EOF
-## EVM state transition tool
+function code(){
+  echo "$ticks$1"
+}
 
-The \`evm t8n\` tool is a stateless state transition utility. It is a utility
+cat << "EOF"
+# EVM tool
+
+The EVM tool provides a few useful subcommands to facilitate testing at the EVM
+layer.
+
+* transition tool    (`t8n`) : a stateless state transition utility
+* transaction tool   (`t9n`) : a transaction validation utility
+* block builder tool (`b11r`): a block assembler utility
+
+## State transition tool (`t8n`)
+
+
+The `evm t8n` tool is a stateless state transition utility. It is a utility
 which can
 
 1. Take a prestate, including
@@ -37,55 +51,200 @@ which can
   - Information about rejected transactions,
   - Optionally: a full or partial post-state dump
 
-## Specification
+### Specification
 
 The idea is to specify the behaviour of this binary very _strict_, so that other
 node implementors can build replicas based on their own state-machines, and the
 state generators can swap between a \`geth\`-based implementation and a \`parityvm\`-based
 implementation.
 
-### Command line params
+#### Command line params
 
-Command line params that has to be supported are
-$(tick)
+Command line params that need to be supported are
 
-` ./evm t8n -h | grep "trace\|output\|state\."`
+```
+EOF
+./evm t8n -h | grep "\-\-trace\.\|\-\-output\.\|\-\-state\.\|\-\-input"
+cat << "EOF"
+```
+#### Objects
 
-$(tick)
+The transition tool uses JSON objects to read and write data related to the transition operation. The
+following object definitions are required.
 
-### Error codes and output
+##### `alloc`
 
-All logging should happen against the \`stderr\`.
+The `alloc` object defines the prestate that transition will begin with.
+
+```go
+// Map of address to account definition.
+type Alloc map[common.Address]Account
+// Genesis account. Each field is optional.
+type Account struct {
+    Code       []byte                           `json:"code"`
+    Storage    map[common.Hash]common.Hash      `json:"storage"`
+    Balance    *big.Int                         `json:"balance"`
+    Nonce      uint64                           `json:"nonce"`
+    SecretKey  []byte                            `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+```
+
+##### `env`
+
+The `env` object defines the environmental context in which the transition will
+take place.
+
+```go
+type Env struct {
+    // required
+    CurrentCoinbase  common.Address      `json:"currentCoinbase"`
+    CurrentGasLimit  uint64              `json:"currentGasLimit"`
+    CurrentNumber    uint64              `json:"currentNumber"`
+    CurrentTimestamp uint64              `json:"currentTimestamp"`
+    Withdrawals      []*Withdrawal       `json:"withdrawals"`
+    // optional
+    CurrentDifficulty *big.Int           `json:"currentDifficuly"`
+    CurrentRandom     *big.Int           `json:"currentRandom"`
+    CurrentBaseFee    *big.Int           `json:"currentBaseFee"`
+    ParentDifficulty  *big.Int           `json:"parentDifficulty"`
+    ParentGasUsed     uint64             `json:"parentGasUsed"`
+    ParentGasLimit    uint64             `json:"parentGasLimit"`
+    ParentTimestamp   uint64             `json:"parentTimestamp"`
+    BlockHashes       map[uint64]common.Hash `json:"blockHashes"`
+    ParentUncleHash   common.Hash        `json:"parentUncleHash"`
+    Ommers            []Ommer            `json:"ommers"`
+}
+type Ommer struct {
+    Delta   uint64         `json:"delta"`
+    Address common.Address `json:"address"`
+}
+type Withdrawal struct {
+    Index          uint64         `json:"index"`
+    ValidatorIndex uint64         `json:"validatorIndex"`
+    Recipient      common.Address `json:"recipient"`
+    Amount         *big.Int       `json:"amount"`
+}
+```
+
+##### `txs`
+
+The `txs` object is an array of any of the transaction types: `LegacyTx`,
+`AccessListTx`, or `DynamicFeeTx`.
+
+```go
+type LegacyTx struct {
+	Nonce     uint64          `json:"nonce"`
+	GasPrice  *big.Int        `json:"gasPrice"`
+	Gas       uint64          `json:"gas"`
+	To        *common.Address `json:"to"`
+	Value     *big.Int        `json:"value"`
+	Data      []byte          `json:"data"`
+	V         *big.Int        `json:"v"`
+	R         *big.Int        `json:"r"`
+	S         *big.Int        `json:"s"`
+    SecretKey *common.Hash    `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+type AccessList []AccessTuple
+type AccessTuple struct {
+	Address     common.Address `json:"address"        gencodec:"required"`
+	StorageKeys []common.Hash  `json:"storageKeys"    gencodec:"required"`
+}
+type AccessListTx struct {
+	ChainID    *big.Int        `json:"chainId"`
+	Nonce      uint64          `json:"nonce"`
+	GasPrice   *big.Int        `json:"gasPrice"`
+	Gas        uint64          `json:"gas"`
+	To         *common.Address `json:"to"`
+	Value      *big.Int        `json:"value"`
+	Data       []byte          `json:"data"`
+	AccessList AccessList      `json:"accessList"`
+	V          *big.Int        `json:"v"`
+	R          *big.Int        `json:"r"`
+	S          *big.Int        `json:"s"`
+    SecretKey  *common.Hash     `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+type DynamicFeeTx struct {
+	ChainID    *big.Int        `json:"chainId"`
+	Nonce      uint64          `json:"nonce"`
+	GasTipCap  *big.Int        `json:"maxPriorityFeePerGas"`
+	GasFeeCap  *big.Int        `json:"maxFeePerGas"`
+	Gas        uint64          `json:"gas"`
+	To         *common.Address `json:"to"`
+	Value      *big.Int        `json:"value"`
+	Data       []byte          `json:"data"`
+	AccessList AccessList      `json:"accessList"`
+	V          *big.Int        `json:"v"`
+	R          *big.Int        `json:"r"`
+	S          *big.Int        `json:"s"`
+    SecretKey  *common.Hash     `json:"secretKey"`
+}
+```
+
+##### `result`
+
+The `result` object is output after a transition is executed. It includes
+information about the post-transition environment.
+
+```go
+type ExecutionResult struct {
+    StateRoot   common.Hash    `json:"stateRoot"`
+    TxRoot      common.Hash    `json:"txRoot"`
+    ReceiptRoot common.Hash    `json:"receiptsRoot"`
+    LogsHash    common.Hash    `json:"logsHash"`
+    Bloom       types.Bloom    `json:"logsBloom"`
+    Receipts    types.Receipts `json:"receipts"`
+    Rejected    []*rejectedTx  `json:"rejected,omitempty"`
+    Difficulty  *big.Int       `json:"currentDifficulty"`
+    GasUsed     uint64         `json:"gasUsed"`
+    BaseFee     *big.Int       `json:"currentBaseFee,omitempty"`
+}
+```
+
+#### Error codes and output
+
+All logging should happen against the `stderr`.
 There are a few (not many) errors that can occur, those are defined below.
 
-#### EVM-based errors (\`2\` to \`9\`)
+##### EVM-based errors (`2` to `9`)
 
-- Other EVM error. Exit code \`2\`
-- Failed configuration: when a non-supported or invalid fork was specified. Exit code \`3\`.
-- Block history is not supplied, but needed for a \`BLOCKHASH\` operation. If \`BLOCKHASH\`
+- Other EVM error. Exit code `2`
+- Failed configuration: when a non-supported or invalid fork was specified. Exit code `3`.
+- Block history is not supplied, but needed for a `BLOCKHASH` operation. If `BLOCKHASH`
   is invoked targeting a block which history has not been provided for, the program will
-  exit with code \`4\`.
+  exit with code `4`.
 
-#### IO errors (\`10\`-\`20\`)
+##### IO errors (`10`-`20`)
 
 - Invalid input json: the supplied data could not be marshalled.
-  The program will exit with code \`10\`
-- IO problems: failure to load or save files, the program will exit with code \`11\`
-
-EOF
+  The program will exit with code `10`
+- IO problems: failure to load or save files, the program will exit with code `11`
 
+```
 # This should exit with 3
 ./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --state.fork=Frontier+1346 2>/dev/null
-if [ $? !=  3 ]; then
-	echo "Failed, exitcode should be 3"
+EOF
+./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --state.fork=Frontier+1346 2>/dev/null
+exitcode=$?
+if [ $exitcode !=  3 ]; then
+	echo "Failed, exitcode should be 3,was $exitcode"
+else
+  echo "exitcode:$exitcode OK"
 fi
-cat << EOF
-## Examples
+cat << "EOF"
+```
+#### Forks
 ### Basic usage
 
+The chain configuration to be used for a transition is specified via the
+`--state.fork` CLI flag. A list of possible values and configurations can be
+found in [`tests/init.go`](tests/init.go).
+
+#### Examples
+##### Basic usage
+
 Invoking it with the provided example files
 EOF
-cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json"
+cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --state.fork=Berlin"
 tick;echo "$cmd"; tick
 $cmd 2>/dev/null
 echo "Two resulting files:"
@@ -95,7 +254,7 @@ showjson result.json
 echo ""
 
 echo "We can make them spit out the data to e.g. \`stdout\` like this:"
-cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --output.result=stdout --output.alloc=stdout"
+cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --output.result=stdout --output.alloc=stdout --state.fork=Berlin"
 tick;echo "$cmd"; tick
 output=`$cmd 2>/dev/null`
 echo "Output:"
@@ -103,26 +262,26 @@ echo "${ticks}json"
 echo "$output"
 echo "$ticks"
 
-cat << EOF
+cat << "EOF"
 
-## About Ommers
+#### About Ommers
 
 Mining rewards and ommer rewards might need to be added. This is how those are applied:
 
-- \`block_reward\` is the block mining reward for the miner (\`0xaa\`), of a block at height \`N\`.
-- For each ommer (mined by \`0xbb\`), with blocknumber \`N-delta\`
-   - (where \`delta\` is the difference between the current block and the ommer)
-   - The account \`0xbb\` (ommer miner) is awarded \`(8-delta)/ 8 * block_reward\`
-   - The account \`0xaa\` (block miner) is awarded \`block_reward / 32\`
+- `block_reward` is the block mining reward for the miner (`0xaa`), of a block at height `N`.
+- For each ommer (mined by `0xbb`), with blocknumber `N-delta`
+   - (where `delta` is the difference between the current block and the ommer)
+   - The account `0xbb` (ommer miner) is awarded `(8-delta)/ 8 * block_reward`
+   - The account `0xaa` (block miner) is awarded `block_reward / 32`
 
-To make \`state_t8n\` apply these, the following inputs are required:
+To make `t8n` apply these, the following inputs are required:
 
-- \`state.reward\`
-  - For ethash, it is \`5000000000000000000\` \`wei\`,
+- `--state.reward`
+  - For ethash, it is `5000000000000000000` `wei`,
   - If this is not defined, mining rewards are not applied,
-  - A value of \`0\` is valid, and causes accounts to be 'touched'.
-- For each ommer, the tool needs to be given an \`address\` and a \`delta\`. This
-  is done via the \`env\`.
+  - A value of `0` is valid, and causes accounts to be 'touched'.
+- For each ommer, the tool needs to be given an `addres\` and a `delta`. This
+  is done via the `ommers` field in `env`.
 
 Note: the tool does not verify that e.g. the normal uncle rules apply,
 and allows e.g two uncles at the same height, or the uncle-distance. This means that
@@ -134,14 +293,14 @@ EOF
 showjson ./testdata/5/env.json
 
 echo "When applying this, using a reward of \`0x08\`"
-cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/5/alloc.json -input.txs=./testdata/5/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/5/env.json  --output.alloc=stdout --state.reward=0x80"
+cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/5/alloc.json -input.txs=./testdata/5/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/5/env.json  --output.alloc=stdout --state.reward=0x80 --state.fork=Berlin"
 output=`$cmd 2>/dev/null`
 echo "Output:"
 echo "${ticks}json"
 echo "$output"
 echo "$ticks"
 
-echo "### Future EIPS"
+echo "#### Future EIPS"
 echo ""
 echo "It is also possible to experiment with future eips that are not yet defined in a hard fork."
 echo "Example, putting EIP-1344 into Frontier: "
@@ -149,12 +308,12 @@ cmd="./evm t8n --state.fork=Frontier+1344 --input.pre=./testdata/1/pre.json --in
 tick;echo "$cmd"; tick
 echo ""
 
-echo "### Block history"
+echo "#### Block history"
 echo ""
 echo "The \`BLOCKHASH\` opcode requires blockhashes to be provided by the caller, inside the \`env\`."
 echo "If a required blockhash is not provided, the exit code should be \`4\`:"
 echo "Example where blockhashes are provided: "
-demo "./evm --verbosity=1 t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/3/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/3/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/3/env.json  --trace"
+demo "./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/3/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/3/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/3/env.json  --trace --state.fork=Berlin"
 cmd="cat trace-0-0x72fadbef39cd251a437eea619cfeda752271a5faaaa2147df012e112159ffb81.jsonl | grep BLOCKHASH -C2"
 tick && echo $cmd && tick
 echo "$ticks"
@@ -163,18 +322,18 @@ echo "$ticks"
 echo ""
 
 echo "In this example, the caller has not provided the required blockhash:"
-cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/4/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/4/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/4/env.json  --trace"
-tick && echo $cmd && $cmd
+cmd="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/4/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/4/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/4/env.json  --trace --state.fork=Berlin"
+tick && echo $cmd && $cmd 2>&1
 errc=$?
 tick
 echo "Error code: $errc"
 echo ""
 
-echo "### Chaining"
+echo "#### Chaining"
 echo ""
 echo "Another thing that can be done, is to chain invocations:"
-cmd1="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --output.alloc=stdout"
-cmd2="./evm t8n --input.alloc=stdin --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json"
+cmd1="./evm t8n --input.alloc=./testdata/1/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --state.fork=Berlin --output.alloc=stdout"
+cmd2="./evm t8n --input.alloc=stdin --input.env=./testdata/1/env.json --input.txs=./testdata/1/txs.json --state.fork=Berlin"
 echo "$ticks"
 echo "$cmd1 | $cmd2"
 output=$($cmd1 | $cmd2 )
@@ -188,14 +347,19 @@ echo "In order to meaningfully chain invocations, one would need to provide mean
 echo "actual blocknumber (exposed to the EVM) would not increase."
 echo ""
 
-echo "### Transactions in RLP form"
+echo "#### Transactions in RLP form"
 echo ""
 echo "It is possible to provide already-signed transactions as input to, using an \`input.txs\` which ends with the \`rlp\` suffix."
 echo "The input format for RLP-form transactions is _identical_ to the _output_ format for block bodies. Therefore, it's fully possible"
 echo "to use the evm to go from \`json\` input to \`rlp\` input."
 echo ""
 echo "The following command takes **json** the transactions in \`./testdata/13/txs.json\` and signs them. After execution, they are output to \`signed_txs.rlp\`.:"
-demo "./evm t8n --state.fork=London --input.alloc=./testdata/13/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/13/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/13/env.json --output.result=alloc_jsontx.json --output.body=signed_txs.rlp"
+cmd="./evm t8n --state.fork=London --input.alloc=./testdata/13/alloc.json --input.txs=./testdata/13/txs.json --input.env=./testdata/13/env.json --output.result=alloc_jsontx.json --output.body=signed_txs.rlp"
+echo "$ticks"
+echo $cmd
+$cmd 2>&1
+echo "$ticks"
+echo ""
 echo "The \`output.body\` is the rlp-list of transactions, encoded in hex and placed in a string a'la \`json\` encoding rules:"
 demo "cat signed_txs.rlp"
 echo "We can use \`rlpdump\` to check what the contents are: "
@@ -204,8 +368,11 @@ echo "rlpdump -hex \$(cat signed_txs.rlp | jq -r )"
 rlpdump -hex $(cat signed_txs.rlp | jq -r )
 echo "$ticks"
 echo "Now, we can now use those (or any other already signed transactions), as input, like so: "
-demo "./evm t8n --state.fork=London --input.alloc=./testdata/13/alloc.json --input.txs=./signed_txs.rlp --input.env=./testdata/13/env.json --output.result=alloc_rlptx.json"
-
+cmd="./evm t8n --state.fork=London --input.alloc=./testdata/13/alloc.json --input.txs=./signed_txs.rlp --input.env=./testdata/13/env.json --output.result=alloc_rlptx.json"
+echo "$ticks"
+echo $cmd
+$cmd 2>&1
+echo "$ticks"
 echo "You might have noticed that the results from these two invocations were stored in two separate files. "
 echo "And we can now finally check that they match."
 echo "$ticks"
diff --git a/consensus/beacon/consensus.go b/consensus/beacon/consensus.go
index 6d108856e..274b9cf36 100644
--- a/consensus/beacon/consensus.go
+++ b/consensus/beacon/consensus.go
@@ -95,44 +95,71 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) VerifyHeader(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, header *ty
 	return beacon.verifyHeader(chain, header, parent)
 }
 
+// errOut constructs an error channel with prefilled errors inside.
+func errOut(n int, err error) chan error {
+	errs := make(chan error, n)
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		errs <- err
+	}
+	return errs
+}
+
+// splitHeaders splits the provided header batch into two parts according to
+// the configured ttd. It requires the parent of header batch along with its
+// td are stored correctly in chain. If ttd is not configured yet, all headers
+// will be treated legacy PoW headers.
+// Note, this function will not verify the header validity but just split them.
+func (beacon *Beacon) splitHeaders(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, headers []*types.Header) ([]*types.Header, []*types.Header, error) {
+	// TTD is not defined yet, all headers should be in legacy format.
+	ttd := chain.Config().TerminalTotalDifficulty
+	if ttd == nil {
+		return headers, nil, nil
+	}
+	ptd := chain.GetTd(headers[0].ParentHash, headers[0].Number.Uint64()-1)
+	if ptd == nil {
+		return nil, nil, consensus.ErrUnknownAncestor
+	}
+	// The entire header batch already crosses the transition.
+	if ptd.Cmp(ttd) >= 0 {
+		return nil, headers, nil
+	}
+	var (
+		preHeaders  = headers
+		postHeaders []*types.Header
+		td          = new(big.Int).Set(ptd)
+		tdPassed    bool
+	)
+	for i, header := range headers {
+		if tdPassed {
+			preHeaders = headers[:i]
+			postHeaders = headers[i:]
+			break
+		}
+		td = td.Add(td, header.Difficulty)
+		if td.Cmp(ttd) >= 0 {
+			// This is the last PoW header, it still belongs to
+			// the preHeaders, so we cannot split+break yet.
+			tdPassed = true
+		}
+	}
+	return preHeaders, postHeaders, nil
+}
+
 // VerifyHeaders is similar to VerifyHeader, but verifies a batch of headers
 // concurrently. The method returns a quit channel to abort the operations and
 // a results channel to retrieve the async verifications.
 // VerifyHeaders expect the headers to be ordered and continuous.
 func (beacon *Beacon) VerifyHeaders(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, headers []*types.Header, seals []bool) (chan<- struct{}, <-chan error) {
-	if !beacon.IsPoSHeader(headers[len(headers)-1]) {
+	preHeaders, postHeaders, err := beacon.splitHeaders(chain, headers)
+	if err != nil {
+		return make(chan struct{}), errOut(len(headers), err)
+	}
+	if len(postHeaders) == 0 {
 		return beacon.ethone.VerifyHeaders(chain, headers, seals)
 	}
-	var (
-		preHeaders  []*types.Header
-		postHeaders []*types.Header
-		preSeals    []bool
-	)
-	for index, header := range headers {
-		if beacon.IsPoSHeader(header) {
-			preHeaders = headers[:index]
-			postHeaders = headers[index:]
-			preSeals = seals[:index]
-			break
-		}
-	}
-
 	if len(preHeaders) == 0 {
-		// All the headers are pos headers. Verify that the parent block reached total terminal difficulty.
-		if reached, err := IsTTDReached(chain, headers[0].ParentHash, headers[0].Number.Uint64()-1); !reached {
-			// TTD not reached for the first block, mark subsequent with invalid terminal block
-			if err == nil {
-				err = consensus.ErrInvalidTerminalBlock
-			}
-			results := make(chan error, len(headers))
-			for i := 0; i < len(headers); i++ {
-				results <- err
-			}
-			return make(chan struct{}), results
-		}
 		return beacon.verifyHeaders(chain, headers, nil)
 	}
-
 	// The transition point exists in the middle, separate the headers
 	// into two batches and apply different verification rules for them.
 	var (
@@ -144,16 +171,9 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) VerifyHeaders(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, headers [
 			old, new, out      = 0, len(preHeaders), 0
 			errors             = make([]error, len(headers))
 			done               = make([]bool, len(headers))
-			oldDone, oldResult = beacon.ethone.VerifyHeaders(chain, preHeaders, preSeals)
+			oldDone, oldResult = beacon.ethone.VerifyHeaders(chain, preHeaders, seals[:len(preHeaders)])
 			newDone, newResult = beacon.verifyHeaders(chain, postHeaders, preHeaders[len(preHeaders)-1])
 		)
-		// Verify that pre-merge headers don't overflow the TTD
-		if index, err := verifyTerminalPoWBlock(chain, preHeaders); err != nil {
-			// Mark all subsequent pow headers with the error.
-			for i := index; i < len(preHeaders); i++ {
-				errors[i], done[i] = err, true
-			}
-		}
 		// Collect the results
 		for {
 			for ; done[out]; out++ {
@@ -181,33 +201,6 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) VerifyHeaders(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, headers [
 	return abort, results
 }
 
-// verifyTerminalPoWBlock verifies that the preHeaders conform to the specification
-// wrt. their total difficulty.
-// It expects:
-// - preHeaders to be at least 1 element
-// - the parent of the header element to be stored in the chain correctly
-// - the preHeaders to have a set difficulty
-// - the last element to be the terminal block
-func verifyTerminalPoWBlock(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, preHeaders []*types.Header) (int, error) {
-	td := chain.GetTd(preHeaders[0].ParentHash, preHeaders[0].Number.Uint64()-1)
-	if td == nil {
-		return 0, consensus.ErrUnknownAncestor
-	}
-	td = new(big.Int).Set(td)
-	// Check that all blocks before the last one are below the TTD
-	for i, head := range preHeaders {
-		if td.Cmp(chain.Config().TerminalTotalDifficulty) >= 0 {
-			return i, consensus.ErrInvalidTerminalBlock
-		}
-		td.Add(td, head.Difficulty)
-	}
-	// Check that the last block is the terminal block
-	if td.Cmp(chain.Config().TerminalTotalDifficulty) < 0 {
-		return len(preHeaders) - 1, consensus.ErrInvalidTerminalBlock
-	}
-	return 0, nil
-}
-
 // VerifyUncles verifies that the given block's uncles conform to the consensus
 // rules of the Ethereum consensus engine.
 func (beacon *Beacon) VerifyUncles(chain consensus.ChainReader, block *types.Block) error {
@@ -419,11 +412,11 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) SetThreads(threads int) {
 // IsTTDReached checks if the TotalTerminalDifficulty has been surpassed on the `parentHash` block.
 // It depends on the parentHash already being stored in the database.
 // If the parentHash is not stored in the database a UnknownAncestor error is returned.
-func IsTTDReached(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, parentHash common.Hash, number uint64) (bool, error) {
+func IsTTDReached(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, parentHash common.Hash, parentNumber uint64) (bool, error) {
 	if chain.Config().TerminalTotalDifficulty == nil {
 		return false, nil
 	}
-	td := chain.GetTd(parentHash, number)
+	td := chain.GetTd(parentHash, parentNumber)
 	if td == nil {
 		return false, consensus.ErrUnknownAncestor
 	}
diff --git a/consensus/beacon/consensus_test.go b/consensus/beacon/consensus_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 09c0b27c4..000000000
--- a/consensus/beacon/consensus_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,137 +0,0 @@
-package beacon
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"math/big"
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
-)
-
-type mockChain struct {
-	config *params.ChainConfig
-	tds    map[uint64]*big.Int
-}
-
-func newMockChain() *mockChain {
-	return &mockChain{
-		config: new(params.ChainConfig),
-		tds:    make(map[uint64]*big.Int),
-	}
-}
-
-func (m *mockChain) Config() *params.ChainConfig {
-	return m.config
-}
-
-func (m *mockChain) CurrentHeader() *types.Header { panic("not implemented") }
-
-func (m *mockChain) GetHeader(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *types.Header {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (m *mockChain) GetHeaderByNumber(number uint64) *types.Header { panic("not implemented") }
-
-func (m *mockChain) GetHeaderByHash(hash common.Hash) *types.Header { panic("not implemented") }
-
-func (m *mockChain) GetTd(hash common.Hash, number uint64) *big.Int {
-	num, ok := m.tds[number]
-	if ok {
-		return new(big.Int).Set(num)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func TestVerifyTerminalBlock(t *testing.T) {
-	chain := newMockChain()
-	chain.tds[0] = big.NewInt(10)
-	chain.config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = big.NewInt(50)
-
-	tests := []struct {
-		preHeaders []*types.Header
-		ttd        *big.Int
-		err        error
-		index      int
-	}{
-		// valid ttd
-		{
-			preHeaders: []*types.Header{
-				{Number: big.NewInt(1), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(2), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(3), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(4), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-			},
-			ttd: big.NewInt(50),
-		},
-		// last block doesn't reach ttd
-		{
-			preHeaders: []*types.Header{
-				{Number: big.NewInt(1), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(2), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(3), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(4), Difficulty: big.NewInt(9)},
-			},
-			ttd:   big.NewInt(50),
-			err:   consensus.ErrInvalidTerminalBlock,
-			index: 3,
-		},
-		// two blocks reach ttd
-		{
-			preHeaders: []*types.Header{
-				{Number: big.NewInt(1), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(2), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(3), Difficulty: big.NewInt(20)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(4), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-			},
-			ttd:   big.NewInt(50),
-			err:   consensus.ErrInvalidTerminalBlock,
-			index: 3,
-		},
-		// three blocks reach ttd
-		{
-			preHeaders: []*types.Header{
-				{Number: big.NewInt(1), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(2), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(3), Difficulty: big.NewInt(20)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(4), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-				{Number: big.NewInt(4), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-			},
-			ttd:   big.NewInt(50),
-			err:   consensus.ErrInvalidTerminalBlock,
-			index: 3,
-		},
-		// parent reached ttd
-		{
-			preHeaders: []*types.Header{
-				{Number: big.NewInt(1), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-			},
-			ttd:   big.NewInt(9),
-			err:   consensus.ErrInvalidTerminalBlock,
-			index: 0,
-		},
-		// unknown parent
-		{
-			preHeaders: []*types.Header{
-				{Number: big.NewInt(4), Difficulty: big.NewInt(10)},
-			},
-			ttd:   big.NewInt(9),
-			err:   consensus.ErrUnknownAncestor,
-			index: 0,
-		},
-	}
-
-	for i, test := range tests {
-		fmt.Printf("Test: %v\n", i)
-		chain.config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = test.ttd
-		index, err := verifyTerminalPoWBlock(chain, test.preHeaders)
-		if err != test.err {
-			t.Fatalf("Invalid error encountered, expected %v got %v", test.err, err)
-		}
-		if index != test.index {
-			t.Fatalf("Invalid index, expected %v got %v", test.index, index)
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/core/block_validator_test.go b/core/block_validator_test.go
index 3bdb20e7e..3e951d56a 100644
--- a/core/block_validator_test.go
+++ b/core/block_validator_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 package core
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"math/big"
 	"runtime"
 	"testing"
@@ -135,31 +134,29 @@ func testHeaderVerificationForMerging(t *testing.T, isClique bool) {
 		config := *params.TestChainConfig
 		gspec = &Genesis{Config: &config}
 		engine = beacon.New(ethash.NewFaker())
-
-		td := 0
+		td := int(params.GenesisDifficulty.Uint64())
 		genDb, blocks, _ := GenerateChainWithGenesis(gspec, engine, 8, nil)
-		for _, block := range preBlocks {
+		for _, block := range blocks {
 			// calculate td
 			td += int(block.Difficulty().Uint64())
 		}
 		preBlocks = blocks
 		gspec.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = big.NewInt(int64(td))
-		postBlocks, _ = GenerateChain(gspec.Config, preBlocks[len(preBlocks)-1], engine, genDb, 8, nil)
+		t.Logf("Set ttd to %v\n", gspec.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty)
+		postBlocks, _ = GenerateChain(gspec.Config, preBlocks[len(preBlocks)-1], engine, genDb, 8, func(i int, gen *BlockGen) {
+			gen.SetPoS()
+		})
 	}
 	// Assemble header batch
 	preHeaders := make([]*types.Header, len(preBlocks))
 	for i, block := range preBlocks {
 		preHeaders[i] = block.Header()
-
-		blob, _ := json.Marshal(block.Header())
-		t.Logf("Log header before the merging %d: %v", block.NumberU64(), string(blob))
+		t.Logf("Pre-merge header: %d", block.NumberU64())
 	}
 	postHeaders := make([]*types.Header, len(postBlocks))
 	for i, block := range postBlocks {
 		postHeaders[i] = block.Header()
-
-		blob, _ := json.Marshal(block.Header())
-		t.Logf("Log header after the merging %d: %v", block.NumberU64(), string(blob))
+		t.Logf("Post-merge header: %d", block.NumberU64())
 	}
 	// Run the header checker for blocks one-by-one, checking for both valid and invalid nonces
 	chain, _ := NewBlockChain(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase(), nil, gspec, nil, engine, vm.Config{}, nil, nil)
@@ -172,15 +169,15 @@ func testHeaderVerificationForMerging(t *testing.T, isClique bool) {
 		select {
 		case result := <-results:
 			if result != nil {
-				t.Errorf("test %d: verification failed %v", i, result)
+				t.Errorf("pre-block %d: verification failed %v", i, result)
 			}
 		case <-time.After(time.Second):
-			t.Fatalf("test %d: verification timeout", i)
+			t.Fatalf("pre-block %d: verification timeout", i)
 		}
 		// Make sure no more data is returned
 		select {
 		case result := <-results:
-			t.Fatalf("test %d: unexpected result returned: %v", i, result)
+			t.Fatalf("pre-block %d: unexpected result returned: %v", i, result)
 		case <-time.After(25 * time.Millisecond):
 		}
 		chain.InsertChain(preBlocks[i : i+1])
@@ -197,7 +194,7 @@ func testHeaderVerificationForMerging(t *testing.T, isClique bool) {
 		select {
 		case result := <-results:
 			if result != nil {
-				t.Errorf("test %d: verification failed %v", i, result)
+				t.Errorf("post-block %d: verification failed %v", i, result)
 			}
 		case <-time.After(time.Second):
 			t.Fatalf("test %d: verification timeout", i)
@@ -205,7 +202,7 @@ func testHeaderVerificationForMerging(t *testing.T, isClique bool) {
 		// Make sure no more data is returned
 		select {
 		case result := <-results:
-			t.Fatalf("test %d: unexpected result returned: %v", i, result)
+			t.Fatalf("post-block %d: unexpected result returned: %v", i, result)
 		case <-time.After(25 * time.Millisecond):
 		}
 		chain.InsertBlockWithoutSetHead(postBlocks[i])
diff --git a/core/blockchain_test.go b/core/blockchain_test.go
index faa4b383f..d803617e2 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -1959,7 +1959,8 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 			Alloc:   GenesisAlloc{addr: {Balance: big.NewInt(math.MaxInt64)}},
 			BaseFee: big.NewInt(params.InitialBaseFee),
 		}
-		signer = types.LatestSigner(gspec.Config)
+		signer     = types.LatestSigner(gspec.Config)
+		mergeBlock = math.MaxInt32
 	)
 	// Generate and import the canonical chain
 	chain, err := NewBlockChain(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase(), nil, gspec, nil, engine, vm.Config{}, nil, nil)
@@ -1970,6 +1971,7 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 
 	// Activate the transition since genesis if required
 	if mergePoint == 0 {
+		mergeBlock = 0
 		merger.ReachTTD()
 		merger.FinalizePoS()
 
@@ -1982,6 +1984,9 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 			t.Fatalf("failed to create tx: %v", err)
 		}
 		gen.AddTx(tx)
+		if int(gen.header.Number.Uint64()) >= mergeBlock {
+			gen.SetPoS()
+		}
 		nonce++
 	})
 	if n, err := chain.InsertChain(blocks); err != nil {
@@ -2006,7 +2011,10 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 		merger.ReachTTD()
 		merger.FinalizePoS()
 		// Set the terminal total difficulty in the config
-		gspec.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = big.NewInt(int64(len(blocks)))
+		ttd := big.NewInt(int64(len(blocks)))
+		ttd.Mul(ttd, params.GenesisDifficulty)
+		gspec.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = ttd
+		mergeBlock = len(blocks)
 	}
 
 	// Generate the sidechain
@@ -2018,6 +2026,9 @@ func testSideImport(t *testing.T, numCanonBlocksInSidechain, blocksBetweenCommon
 	parent := blocks[parentIndex]
 	fork, _ := GenerateChain(gspec.Config, parent, engine, genDb, 2*TriesInMemory, func(i int, b *BlockGen) {
 		b.SetCoinbase(common.Address{2})
+		if int(b.header.Number.Uint64()) >= mergeBlock {
+			b.SetPoS()
+		}
 	})
 	// Prepend the parent(s)
 	var sidechain []*types.Block
@@ -2226,25 +2237,45 @@ func testInsertKnownChainDataWithMerging(t *testing.T, typ string, mergeHeight i
 			BaseFee: big.NewInt(params.InitialBaseFee),
 			Config:  &chainConfig,
 		}
-		engine = beacon.New(ethash.NewFaker())
+		engine     = beacon.New(ethash.NewFaker())
+		mergeBlock = uint64(math.MaxUint64)
 	)
 	// Apply merging since genesis
 	if mergeHeight == 0 {
 		genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = big.NewInt(0)
+		mergeBlock = uint64(0)
 	}
-	genDb, blocks, receipts := GenerateChainWithGenesis(genesis, engine, 32, func(i int, b *BlockGen) { b.SetCoinbase(common.Address{1}) })
+
+	genDb, blocks, receipts := GenerateChainWithGenesis(genesis, engine, 32,
+		func(i int, b *BlockGen) {
+			if b.header.Number.Uint64() >= mergeBlock {
+				b.SetPoS()
+			}
+			b.SetCoinbase(common.Address{1})
+		})
 
 	// Apply merging after the first segment
 	if mergeHeight == 1 {
-		genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = big.NewInt(int64(len(blocks)))
+		// TTD is genesis diff + blocks
+		ttd := big.NewInt(1 + int64(len(blocks)))
+		ttd.Mul(ttd, params.GenesisDifficulty)
+		genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = ttd
+		mergeBlock = uint64(len(blocks))
 	}
 	// Longer chain and shorter chain
-	blocks2, receipts2 := GenerateChain(genesis.Config, blocks[len(blocks)-1], engine, genDb, 65, func(i int, b *BlockGen) { b.SetCoinbase(common.Address{1}) })
+	blocks2, receipts2 := GenerateChain(genesis.Config, blocks[len(blocks)-1], engine, genDb, 65, func(i int, b *BlockGen) {
+		b.SetCoinbase(common.Address{1})
+		if b.header.Number.Uint64() >= mergeBlock {
+			b.SetPoS()
+		}
+	})
 	blocks3, receipts3 := GenerateChain(genesis.Config, blocks[len(blocks)-1], engine, genDb, 64, func(i int, b *BlockGen) {
 		b.SetCoinbase(common.Address{1})
 		b.OffsetTime(-9) // Time shifted, difficulty shouldn't be changed
+		if b.header.Number.Uint64() >= mergeBlock {
+			b.SetPoS()
+		}
 	})
-
 	// Import the shared chain and the original canonical one
 	chaindb, err := rawdb.NewDatabaseWithFreezer(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase(), t.TempDir(), "", false)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -2268,7 +2299,10 @@ func testInsertKnownChainDataWithMerging(t *testing.T, typ string, mergeHeight i
 			for _, block := range blocks {
 				headers = append(headers, block.Header())
 			}
-			_, err := chain.InsertHeaderChain(headers, 1)
+			i, err := chain.InsertHeaderChain(headers, 1)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("index %d, number %d: %w", i, headers[i].Number, err)
+			}
 			return err
 		}
 		asserter = func(t *testing.T, block *types.Block) {
@@ -2282,9 +2316,9 @@ func testInsertKnownChainDataWithMerging(t *testing.T, typ string, mergeHeight i
 			for _, block := range blocks {
 				headers = append(headers, block.Header())
 			}
-			_, err := chain.InsertHeaderChain(headers, 1)
+			i, err := chain.InsertHeaderChain(headers, 1)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				return fmt.Errorf("index %d: %w", i, err)
 			}
 			_, err = chain.InsertReceiptChain(blocks, receipts, 0)
 			return err
@@ -2296,8 +2330,11 @@ func testInsertKnownChainDataWithMerging(t *testing.T, typ string, mergeHeight i
 		}
 	} else {
 		inserter = func(blocks []*types.Block, receipts []types.Receipts) error {
-			_, err := chain.InsertChain(blocks)
-			return err
+			i, err := chain.InsertChain(blocks)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("index %d: %w", i, err)
+			}
+			return nil
 		}
 		asserter = func(t *testing.T, block *types.Block) {
 			if chain.CurrentBlock().Hash() != block.Hash() {
diff --git a/core/chain_makers.go b/core/chain_makers.go
index 52dd6e2e4..cbfe5c3ec 100644
--- a/core/chain_makers.go
+++ b/core/chain_makers.go
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ func (b *BlockGen) SetDifficulty(diff *big.Int) {
 	b.header.Difficulty = diff
 }
 
+// SetPos makes the header a PoS-header (0 difficulty)
+func (b *BlockGen) SetPoS() {
+	b.header.Difficulty = new(big.Int)
+}
+
 // addTx adds a transaction to the generated block. If no coinbase has
 // been set, the block's coinbase is set to the zero address.
 //
diff --git a/eth/catalyst/api_test.go b/eth/catalyst/api_test.go
index 7872c7f71..00ef2203f 100644
--- a/eth/catalyst/api_test.go
+++ b/eth/catalyst/api_test.go
@@ -852,11 +852,11 @@ func TestInvalidBloom(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNewPayloadOnInvalidTerminalBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	genesis, preMergeBlocks := generatePreMergeChain(100)
-	genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = preMergeBlocks[0].Difficulty() //.Sub(genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty, preMergeBlocks[len(preMergeBlocks)-1].Difficulty())
 
 	n, ethservice := startEthService(t, genesis, preMergeBlocks)
 	defer n.Close()
 
+	genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = preMergeBlocks[0].Difficulty() //.Sub(genesis.Config.TerminalTotalDifficulty, preMergeBlocks[len(preMergeBlocks)-1].Difficulty())
 	var (
 		api    = NewConsensusAPI(ethservice)
 		parent = preMergeBlocks[len(preMergeBlocks)-1]
diff --git a/les/catalyst/api_test.go b/les/catalyst/api_test.go
index 6d0eedecc..91d5c9bbb 100644
--- a/les/catalyst/api_test.go
+++ b/les/catalyst/api_test.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ var (
 	testBalance = big.NewInt(2e18)
 )
 
-func generatePreMergeChain(n int) (*core.Genesis, []*types.Header, []*types.Block) {
+func generatePreMergeChain(pre, post int) (*core.Genesis, []*types.Header, []*types.Block, []*types.Header, []*types.Block) {
 	config := *params.AllEthashProtocolChanges
 	genesis := &core.Genesis{
 		Config:    &config,
@@ -53,21 +53,33 @@ func generatePreMergeChain(n int) (*core.Genesis, []*types.Header, []*types.Bloc
 		Timestamp: 9000,
 		BaseFee:   big.NewInt(params.InitialBaseFee),
 	}
-	_, blocks, _ := core.GenerateChainWithGenesis(genesis, ethash.NewFaker(), n, nil)
-	totalDifficulty := big.NewInt(0)
+	// Pre-merge blocks
+	db, preBLocks, _ := core.GenerateChainWithGenesis(genesis, ethash.NewFaker(), pre, nil)
+	totalDifficulty := new(big.Int).Set(params.GenesisDifficulty)
 
-	var headers []*types.Header
-	for _, b := range blocks {
+	var preHeaders []*types.Header
+	for _, b := range preBLocks {
 		totalDifficulty.Add(totalDifficulty, b.Difficulty())
-		headers = append(headers, b.Header())
+		preHeaders = append(preHeaders, b.Header())
 	}
 	config.TerminalTotalDifficulty = totalDifficulty
+	// Post-merge blocks
+	postBlocks, _ := core.GenerateChain(genesis.Config,
+		preBLocks[len(preBLocks)-1], ethash.NewFaker(), db, post,
+		func(i int, b *core.BlockGen) {
+			b.SetPoS()
+		})
 
-	return genesis, headers, blocks
+	var postHeaders []*types.Header
+	for _, b := range postBlocks {
+		postHeaders = append(postHeaders, b.Header())
+	}
+
+	return genesis, preHeaders, preBLocks, postHeaders, postBlocks
 }
 
 func TestSetHeadBeforeTotalDifficulty(t *testing.T) {
-	genesis, headers, blocks := generatePreMergeChain(10)
+	genesis, headers, blocks, _, _ := generatePreMergeChain(10, 0)
 	n, lesService := startLesService(t, genesis, headers)
 	defer n.Close()
 
@@ -83,21 +95,21 @@ func TestSetHeadBeforeTotalDifficulty(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestExecutePayloadV1(t *testing.T) {
-	genesis, headers, blocks := generatePreMergeChain(10)
-	n, lesService := startLesService(t, genesis, headers[:9])
+	genesis, headers, _, _, postBlocks := generatePreMergeChain(10, 2)
+	n, lesService := startLesService(t, genesis, headers)
 	lesService.Merger().ReachTTD()
 	defer n.Close()
 
 	api := NewConsensusAPI(lesService)
 	fcState := beacon.ForkchoiceStateV1{
-		HeadBlockHash:      blocks[8].Hash(),
+		HeadBlockHash:      postBlocks[0].Hash(),
 		SafeBlockHash:      common.Hash{},
 		FinalizedBlockHash: common.Hash{},
 	}
 	if _, err := api.ForkchoiceUpdatedV1(fcState, nil); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Failed to update head %v", err)
 	}
-	block := blocks[9]
+	block := postBlocks[0]
 
 	fakeBlock := types.NewBlock(&types.Header{
 		ParentHash:  block.ParentHash(),
diff --git a/tests/block_test.go b/tests/block_test.go
index 74c7ed819..9e72f7f97 100644
--- a/tests/block_test.go
+++ b/tests/block_test.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func TestBlockchain(t *testing.T) {
 	// test takes a lot for time and goes easily OOM because of sha3 calculation on a huge range,
 	// using 4.6 TGas
 	bt.skipLoad(`.*randomStatetest94.json.*`)
+
 	bt.walk(t, blockTestDir, func(t *testing.T, name string, test *BlockTest) {
 		if err := bt.checkFailure(t, test.Run(false)); err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("test without snapshotter failed: %v", err)
diff --git a/tests/block_test_util.go b/tests/block_test_util.go
index 5b200a607..df4f08a76 100644
--- a/tests/block_test_util.go
+++ b/tests/block_test_util.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/math"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus/beacon"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus/ethash"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/rawdb"
@@ -120,6 +121,9 @@ func (t *BlockTest) Run(snapshotter bool) error {
 	} else {
 		engine = ethash.NewShared()
 	}
+	// Wrap the original engine within the beacon-engine
+	engine = beacon.New(engine)
+
 	cache := &core.CacheConfig{TrieCleanLimit: 0}
 	if snapshotter {
 		cache.SnapshotLimit = 1
diff --git a/tests/init.go b/tests/init.go
index ef5ea4bb9..e6faa483a 100644
--- a/tests/init.go
+++ b/tests/init.go
@@ -197,6 +197,24 @@ var Forks = map[string]*params.ChainConfig{
 		LondonBlock:         big.NewInt(0),
 		ArrowGlacierBlock:   big.NewInt(0),
 	},
+	"ArrowGlacierToMergeAtDiffC0000": {
+		ChainID:                 big.NewInt(1),
+		HomesteadBlock:          big.NewInt(0),
+		EIP150Block:             big.NewInt(0),
+		EIP155Block:             big.NewInt(0),
+		EIP158Block:             big.NewInt(0),
+		ByzantiumBlock:          big.NewInt(0),
+		ConstantinopleBlock:     big.NewInt(0),
+		PetersburgBlock:         big.NewInt(0),
+		IstanbulBlock:           big.NewInt(0),
+		MuirGlacierBlock:        big.NewInt(0),
+		BerlinBlock:             big.NewInt(0),
+		LondonBlock:             big.NewInt(0),
+		ArrowGlacierBlock:       big.NewInt(0),
+		GrayGlacierBlock:        big.NewInt(0),
+		MergeNetsplitBlock:      big.NewInt(0),
+		TerminalTotalDifficulty: big.NewInt(0xC0000),
+	},
 	"GrayGlacier": {
 		ChainID:             big.NewInt(1),
 		HomesteadBlock:      big.NewInt(0),
@@ -213,7 +231,7 @@ var Forks = map[string]*params.ChainConfig{
 		ArrowGlacierBlock:   big.NewInt(0),
 		GrayGlacierBlock:    big.NewInt(0),
 	},
-	"Merged": {
+	"Merge": {
 		ChainID:                 big.NewInt(1),
 		HomesteadBlock:          big.NewInt(0),
 		EIP150Block:             big.NewInt(0),
diff --git a/tests/state_test.go b/tests/state_test.go
index cb7f76521..64d01076c 100644
--- a/tests/state_test.go
+++ b/tests/state_test.go
@@ -56,14 +56,12 @@ func TestState(t *testing.T) {
 	// Uses 1GB RAM per tested fork
 	st.skipLoad(`^stStaticCall/static_Call1MB`)
 
+	// Not yet supported TODO
+	st.skipLoad(`^stEIP3540/`)
+	st.skipLoad(`^stEIP3860/`)
+
 	// Broken tests:
 	// Expected failures:
-	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Byzantium/0`, "bug in test")
-	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Byzantium/3`, "bug in test")
-	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Constantinople/0`, "bug in test")
-	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Constantinople/3`, "bug in test")
-	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/ConstantinopleFix/0`, "bug in test")
-	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/ConstantinopleFix/3`, "bug in test")
 
 	// For Istanbul, older tests were moved into LegacyTests
 	for _, dir := range []string{
diff --git a/tests/state_test_util.go b/tests/state_test_util.go
index 838e85dca..67605a127 100644
--- a/tests/state_test_util.go
+++ b/tests/state_test_util.go
@@ -249,10 +249,16 @@ func (t *StateTest) RunNoVerify(subtest StateSubtest, vmconfig vm.Config, snapsh
 	context.GetHash = vmTestBlockHash
 	context.BaseFee = baseFee
 	context.Random = nil
-	if config.IsLondon(new(big.Int)) && t.json.Env.Random != nil {
-		rnd := common.BigToHash(t.json.Env.Random)
-		context.Random = &rnd
+	if config.IsLondon(new(big.Int)) {
+		if t.json.Env.Random != nil {
+			rnd := common.BigToHash(t.json.Env.Random)
+			context.Random = &rnd
+		}
 		context.Difficulty = big.NewInt(0)
+	} else {
+		if t.json.Env.Difficulty != nil {
+			context.Difficulty = new(big.Int).Set(t.json.Env.Difficulty)
+		}
 	}
 	evm := vm.NewEVM(context, txContext, statedb, config, vmconfig)
 	// Execute the message.
diff --git a/tests/testdata b/tests/testdata
index a380655e5..24fa31adb 160000
--- a/tests/testdata
+++ b/tests/testdata
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit a380655e5ffab1a5ea0f4d860224bdb19013f06a
+Subproject commit 24fa31adb30f71ee700b27decb5204e53a11d9f3