diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/transition/test_transition.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/transition/test_transition.py
index a6e06b1d2..b9b67d55a 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/transition/test_transition.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/transition/test_transition.py
@@ -1,24 +1,44 @@
-from eth2spec.test.context import (
-    fork_transition_test,
-    single_phase,
-    with_custom_state,
-    default_activation_threshold,
-    low_balances,
-)
+from eth2spec.test.context import fork_transition_test
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.constants import PHASE0, ALTAIR
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.state import state_transition_and_sign_block
-from eth2spec.test.helpers.block import build_empty_block_for_next_slot
+from eth2spec.test.helpers.block import build_empty_block_for_next_slot, build_empty_block, sign_block
+
+
+def _state_transition_and_sign_block_at_slot(spec, state):
+    """
+    Cribbed from `transition_unsigned_block` helper
+    where the early parts of the state transition have already
+    been applied to `state`.
+
+    Used to produce a block during an irregular state transition.
+    """
+    block = build_empty_block(spec, state)
+
+    assert state.latest_block_header.slot < block.slot
+    assert state.slot == block.slot
+    spec.process_block(state, block)
+    block.state_root = state.hash_tree_root()
+    return sign_block(spec, state, block)
 
 
 @fork_transition_test(PHASE0, ALTAIR, fork_epoch=2)
 def test_normal_transition(state, fork_epoch, spec, post_spec, pre_tag, post_tag):
     yield "pre", state
 
+    assert spec.get_current_epoch(state) < fork_epoch
+
     blocks = []
-    for slot in range(state.slot, fork_epoch * spec.SLOTS_PER_EPOCH):
+    # regular state transition until fork:
+    for _ in range(state.slot, fork_epoch * spec.SLOTS_PER_EPOCH - 1):
         block = build_empty_block_for_next_slot(spec, state)
-        state_transition_and_sign_block(spec, state, block)
-        blocks.append(pre_tag(block))
+        signed_block = state_transition_and_sign_block(spec, state, block)
+        blocks.append(pre_tag(signed_block))
+
+    # irregular state transition to handle fork:
+    spec.process_slots(state, state.slot + 1)
+
+    assert state.slot % spec.SLOTS_PER_EPOCH == 0
+    assert spec.compute_epoch_at_slot(state.slot) == fork_epoch
 
     state = post_spec.upgrade_to_altair(state)
 
@@ -26,26 +46,21 @@ def test_normal_transition(state, fork_epoch, spec, post_spec, pre_tag, post_tag
     assert state.fork.previous_version == post_spec.GENESIS_FORK_VERSION
     assert state.fork.current_version == post_spec.ALTAIR_FORK_VERSION
 
-    block = build_empty_block_for_next_slot(post_spec, state)
-    state_transition_and_sign_block(post_spec, state, block)
-    blocks.append(post_tag(block))
+    signed_block = _state_transition_and_sign_block_at_slot(post_spec, state)
+    blocks.append(post_tag(signed_block))
+
+    # continue regular state transition with new spec into next epoch
+    for _ in range(post_spec.SLOTS_PER_EPOCH):
+        block = build_empty_block_for_next_slot(post_spec, state)
+        signed_block = state_transition_and_sign_block(post_spec, state, block)
+        blocks.append(post_tag(signed_block))
+
+    assert state.slot % post_spec.SLOTS_PER_EPOCH == 0
+    assert post_spec.compute_epoch_at_slot(state.slot) == fork_epoch + 1
+
+    slots_with_blocks = [block.message.slot for block in blocks]
+    assert len(set(slots_with_blocks)) == len(slots_with_blocks)
+    assert set(range(1, state.slot + 1)) == set(slots_with_blocks)
 
     yield "blocks", blocks
     yield "post", state
-
-
-@fork_transition_test(PHASE0, ALTAIR)
-def test_normal_transition_with_manual_fork_epoch(state, spec, post_spec, pre_tag, post_tag):
-    fork_epoch = 2
-    yield "fork_epoch", "meta", fork_epoch
-
-    # run test with computed fork_epoch...
-
-
-@fork_transition_test(PHASE0, ALTAIR, fork_epoch=2)
-@with_custom_state(low_balances, default_activation_threshold)
-@single_phase
-def test_normal_transition_with_low_balances(state, fork_epoch, spec, post_spec, pre_tag, post_tag):
-    yield "pre", state
-
-    # run test with custom state...