diff --git a/crates/blockchain/fork_choice.rs b/crates/blockchain/fork_choice.rs
index a0daa6de7..0bf65b6f3 100644
--- a/crates/blockchain/fork_choice.rs
+++ b/crates/blockchain/fork_choice.rs
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ pub fn apply_fork_choice(
let head = head_block.header;
- total_difficulty_check(&head_hash, &head, store)?;
-
let latest = store.get_latest_block_number()?;
// If the head block is an already present head ancestor, skip the update.
@@ -197,54 +195,3 @@ fn find_link_with_canonical_chain(
Ok(None)
}
-
-fn total_difficulty_check<'a>(
- head_block_hash: &'a H256,
- head_block: &'a BlockHeader,
- storage: &'a Store,
-) -> Result<(), InvalidForkChoice> {
- // This check is performed only for genesis or for blocks with difficulty.
- if head_block.difficulty.is_zero() && head_block.number != 0 {
- return Ok(());
- }
-
- let total_difficulty = storage
- .get_block_total_difficulty(*head_block_hash)?
- .ok_or(StoreError::Custom(
- "Block difficulty not found for head block".to_string(),
- ))?;
-
- let terminal_total_difficulty = storage
- .get_chain_config()?
- .terminal_total_difficulty
- .ok_or(StoreError::Custom(
- "Terminal total difficulty not found in chain config".to_string(),
- ))?;
-
- // Check that the header is post-merge.
- if total_difficulty < terminal_total_difficulty.into() {
- return Err(InvalidForkChoice::PreMergeBlock);
- }
-
- if head_block.number == 0 {
- return Ok(());
- }
-
- // Non genesis checks
-
- let parent_total_difficulty = storage
- .get_block_total_difficulty(head_block.parent_hash)?
- .ok_or(StoreError::Custom(
- "Block difficulty not found for parent block".to_string(),
- ))?;
-
- // TODO(#790): is this check necessary and correctly implemented?
- if parent_total_difficulty >= terminal_total_difficulty.into() {
- Err((StoreError::Custom(
- "Parent block is already post terminal total difficulty".to_string(),
- ))
- .into())
- } else {
- Ok(())
- }
-}
diff --git a/crates/storage/store/api.rs b/crates/storage/store/api.rs
index a0f2a075e..324a78f79 100644
--- a/crates/storage/store/api.rs
+++ b/crates/storage/store/api.rs
@@ -64,19 +64,6 @@ pub trait StoreEngine: Debug + Send + Sync + RefUnwindSafe {
/// Obtain block number for a given hash
fn get_block_number(&self, block_hash: BlockHash) -> Result