diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e924dfce3..b20036fd2 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ def get_spec(file_name: Path, preset: Dict[str, str], config: Dict[str, str]) ->
                 # NOTE: trim whitespace from spec
                 ssz_objects[current_name] = "\n".join(line.rstrip() for line in source.splitlines())
             else:
-                raise Exception("unrecognized python code element")
+                raise Exception("unrecognized python code element: " + source)
         elif isinstance(child, Table):
             for row in child.children:
                 cells = row.children
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/VERSION.txt b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/VERSION.txt
index 524cb5524..45a1b3f44 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/VERSION.txt
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/VERSION.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.1.1
+1.1.2
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/gen_helpers/gen_from_tests/gen.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/gen_helpers/gen_from_tests/gen.py
index 88bc6d601..328b7edf1 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/gen_helpers/gen_from_tests/gen.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/gen_helpers/gen_from_tests/gen.py
@@ -109,3 +109,24 @@ def run_state_test_generators(runner_name: str,
                     preset_name=preset_name,
                     all_mods=all_mods,
                 ))
+
+
+def combine_mods(dict_1, dict_2):
+    """
+    Return the merged dicts, where the result value would be a list of the values from two dicts.
+    """
+    # The duplicate dict_1 items would be ignored here.
+    dict_3 = {**dict_1, **dict_2}
+
+    intersection = dict_1.keys() & dict_2.keys()
+    for key in intersection:
+        # To list
+        if not isinstance(dict_3[key], List):
+            dict_3[key] = [dict_3[key]]
+        # Append dict_1 value to list
+        if isinstance(dict_1[key], List):
+            dict_3[key] += dict_1[key]
+        else:
+            dict_3[key].append(dict_1[key])
+
+    return dict_3
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/sanity/test_blocks.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/sanity/test_blocks.py
index 662891762..058db2ee6 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/sanity/test_blocks.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/altair/sanity/test_blocks.py
@@ -23,13 +23,19 @@ from eth2spec.test.helpers.inactivity_scores import randomize_inactivity_scores
 def run_sync_committee_sanity_test(spec, state, fraction_full=1.0, rng=Random(454545)):
     all_pubkeys = [v.pubkey for v in state.validators]
     committee = [all_pubkeys.index(pubkey) for pubkey in state.current_sync_committee.pubkeys]
-    participants = rng.sample(committee, int(len(committee) * fraction_full))
+    selected_indices = rng.sample(range(len(committee)), int(len(committee) * fraction_full))
+    sync_committee_bits = [i in selected_indices for i in range(len(committee))]
+    participants = [
+        validator_index
+        for i, validator_index in enumerate(committee)
+        if sync_committee_bits[i]
+    ]
 
     yield 'pre', state
 
     block = build_empty_block_for_next_slot(spec, state)
     block.body.sync_aggregate = spec.SyncAggregate(
-        sync_committee_bits=[index in participants for index in committee],
+        sync_committee_bits=sync_committee_bits,
         sync_committee_signature=compute_aggregate_sync_committee_signature(
             spec,
             state,
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/sanity/test_blocks.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/sanity/test_blocks.py
index 4a6db4106..09cb547c2 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/sanity/test_blocks.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/sanity/test_blocks.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from eth2spec.test.context import (
 
 @with_merge_and_later
 @spec_state_test
-def test_empty_block_transition(spec, state):
+def test_empty_block_transition_no_tx(spec, state):
     yield 'pre', state
 
     block = build_empty_block_for_next_slot(spec, state)
diff --git a/tests/generators/epoch_processing/main.py b/tests/generators/epoch_processing/main.py
index 4c1a68d0a..10893fc7d 100644
--- a/tests/generators/epoch_processing/main.py
+++ b/tests/generators/epoch_processing/main.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators
+from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators, combine_mods
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.constants import PHASE0, ALTAIR, MERGE
 
 
@@ -15,14 +15,13 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         'historical_roots_update',
         'participation_record_updates',
     ]}
-    altair_mods = {
-        **{key: 'eth2spec.test.altair.epoch_processing.test_process_' + key for key in [
-            'inactivity_updates',
-            'participation_flag_updates',
-            'sync_committee_updates',
-        ]},
-        **phase_0_mods,
-    }  # also run the previous phase 0 tests
+
+    _new_altair_mods = {key: 'eth2spec.test.altair.epoch_processing.test_process_' + key for key in [
+        'inactivity_updates',
+        'participation_flag_updates',
+        'sync_committee_updates',
+    ]}
+    altair_mods = combine_mods(_new_altair_mods, phase_0_mods)
 
     # No epoch-processing changes in Merge and previous testing repeats with new types, so no additional tests required.
     merge_mods = altair_mods
diff --git a/tests/generators/fork_choice/main.py b/tests/generators/fork_choice/main.py
index 94516a39c..562f851d1 100644
--- a/tests/generators/fork_choice/main.py
+++ b/tests/generators/fork_choice/main.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators
+from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators, combine_mods
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.constants import PHASE0, ALTAIR, MERGE
 
 
@@ -9,14 +9,13 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     ]}
     # No additional Altair specific finality tests, yet.
     altair_mods = phase_0_mods
+
     # For merge `on_merge_block` test kind added with `pow_block_N.ssz` files with several
     # PowBlock's which should be resolved by `get_pow_block(hash: Hash32) -> PowBlock` function
-    merge_mods = {
-        **{key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.fork_choice.test_' + key for key in [
-            'on_merge_block',
-        ]},
-        **altair_mods,
-    }
+    _new_merge_mods = {key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.fork_choice.test_' + key for key in [
+        'on_merge_block',
+    ]}
+    merge_mods = combine_mods(_new_merge_mods, altair_mods)
 
     all_mods = {
         PHASE0: phase_0_mods,
diff --git a/tests/generators/genesis/main.py b/tests/generators/genesis/main.py
index a595db612..331381aa7 100644
--- a/tests/generators/genesis/main.py
+++ b/tests/generators/genesis/main.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators
+from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators, combine_mods
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.constants import PHASE0, ALTAIR, MERGE
 
 
@@ -7,14 +7,15 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         'initialization',
         'validity',
     ]}
-    altair_mods = phase_0_mods
+
     # we have new unconditional lines in `initialize_beacon_state_from_eth1` and we want to test it
-    merge_mods = {
-        **{key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.genesis.test_' + key for key in [
-            'initialization',
-        ]},
-        **altair_mods,
-    }
+    altair_mods = phase_0_mods
+
+    _new_merge_mods = {key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.genesis.test_' + key for key in [
+        'initialization',
+    ]}
+    merge_mods = combine_mods(_new_merge_mods, altair_mods)
+
     all_mods = {
         PHASE0: phase_0_mods,
         ALTAIR: altair_mods,
diff --git a/tests/generators/operations/main.py b/tests/generators/operations/main.py
index 3844ce186..4467b71b7 100644
--- a/tests/generators/operations/main.py
+++ b/tests/generators/operations/main.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators
+from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators, combine_mods
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.constants import PHASE0, ALTAIR, MERGE
 
 
@@ -11,29 +11,26 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         'proposer_slashing',
         'voluntary_exit',
     ]}
-    altair_mods = {
-        **{'sync_aggregate': [
-            'eth2spec.test.altair.block_processing.sync_aggregate.test_process_' + key
-            for key in ['sync_aggregate', 'sync_aggregate_random']
-        ]},
-        **phase_0_mods,
-    }  # also run the previous phase 0 tests
+    _new_altair_mods = {'sync_aggregate': [
+        'eth2spec.test.altair.block_processing.sync_aggregate.test_process_' + key
+        for key in ['sync_aggregate', 'sync_aggregate_random']
+    ]}
+    altair_mods = combine_mods(_new_altair_mods, phase_0_mods)
 
-    merge_mods = {
-        **{key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.block_processing.test_process_' + key for key in [
-            'execution_payload',
-        ]},
-        **altair_mods,
-    }
+    _new_merge_mods = {key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.block_processing.test_process_' + key for key in [
+        'execution_payload',
+    ]}
+    merge_mods = combine_mods(_new_merge_mods, altair_mods)
 
     # TODO Custody Game testgen is disabled for now
-    # custody_game_mods = {**{key: 'eth2spec.test.custody_game.block_processing.test_process_' + key for key in [
+    # _new_custody_game_mods = {key: 'eth2spec.test.custody_game.block_processing.test_process_' + key for key in [
     #     'attestation',
     #     'chunk_challenge',
     #     'custody_key_reveal',
     #     'custody_slashing',
     #     'early_derived_secret_reveal',
-    # ]}, **phase_0_mods}  # also run the previous phase 0 tests (but against custody game spec)
+    # ]}
+    # custody_game_mods = combine_mods(_new_custody_game_mods, phase0_mods)
 
     all_mods = {
         PHASE0: phase_0_mods,
diff --git a/tests/generators/sanity/main.py b/tests/generators/sanity/main.py
index f5a6ccb41..705456824 100644
--- a/tests/generators/sanity/main.py
+++ b/tests/generators/sanity/main.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from eth2spec.test.helpers.constants import PHASE0, ALTAIR, MERGE
-from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators
+from eth2spec.gen_helpers.gen_from_tests.gen import run_state_test_generators, combine_mods
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
@@ -7,12 +7,16 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         'blocks',
         'slots',
     ]}
-    altair_mods = {**{key: 'eth2spec.test.altair.sanity.test_' + key for key in [
+
+    _new_altair_mods = {key: 'eth2spec.test.altair.sanity.test_' + key for key in [
         'blocks',
-    ]}, **phase_0_mods}
-    merge_mods = {**{key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.sanity.test_' + key for key in [
+    ]}
+    altair_mods = combine_mods(_new_altair_mods, phase_0_mods)
+
+    _new_merge_mods = {key: 'eth2spec.test.merge.sanity.test_' + key for key in [
         'blocks',
-    ]}, **altair_mods}
+    ]}
+    merge_mods = combine_mods(_new_merge_mods, altair_mods)
 
     all_mods = {
         PHASE0: phase_0_mods,