diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b5a898d37..9e5d7dc42 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ The merge is still actively in development. The exact specification has not been
   * [Merge fork](specs/merge/fork.md)
   * [Fork Choice changes](specs/merge/fork-choice.md)
   * [Validator additions](specs/merge/validator.md)
-  * [Client settings](specs/merge/client_settings.md)
+  * [Client settings](specs/merge/client-settings.md)
 
 ### Sharding
 
diff --git a/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md b/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
index 6a5a2730b..3e107b7a9 100644
--- a/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
+++ b/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ This patch adds transaction execution to the beacon chain as part of the Merge f
 | `BYTES_PER_LOGS_BLOOM` | `uint64(2**8)` (= 256) |
 | `GAS_LIMIT_DENOMINATOR` | `uint64(2**10)` (= 1,024) |
 | `MIN_GAS_LIMIT` | `uint64(5000)` (= 5,000) |
+| `MAX_EXTRA_DATA_BYTES` | `2**5` (= 32) |
 
 ## Configuration
 
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ class ExecutionPayload(Container):
     gas_limit: uint64
     gas_used: uint64
     timestamp: uint64
+    extra_data: ByteList[MAX_EXTRA_DATA_BYTES]
     base_fee_per_gas: Bytes32  # base fee introduced in EIP-1559, little-endian serialized
     # Extra payload fields
     block_hash: Hash32  # Hash of execution block
@@ -188,6 +190,7 @@ class ExecutionPayloadHeader(Container):
     gas_limit: uint64
     gas_used: uint64
     timestamp: uint64
+    extra_data: ByteList[MAX_EXTRA_DATA_BYTES]
     base_fee_per_gas: Bytes32
     # Extra payload fields
     block_hash: Hash32  # Hash of execution block
@@ -311,12 +314,14 @@ def is_valid_gas_limit(payload: ExecutionPayload, parent: ExecutionPayloadHeader
 
 ```python
 def process_execution_payload(state: BeaconState, payload: ExecutionPayload, execution_engine: ExecutionEngine) -> None:
-    # Verify consistency of the parent hash, block number, random, base fee per gas and gas limit
+    # Verify consistency of the parent hash, block number, base fee per gas and gas limit
+    # with respect to the previous execution payload header
     if is_merge_complete(state):
         assert payload.parent_hash == state.latest_execution_payload_header.block_hash
         assert payload.block_number == state.latest_execution_payload_header.block_number + uint64(1)
-        assert payload.random == get_randao_mix(state, get_current_epoch(state))
         assert is_valid_gas_limit(payload, state.latest_execution_payload_header)
+    # Verify random
+    assert payload.random == get_randao_mix(state, get_current_epoch(state))
     # Verify timestamp
     assert payload.timestamp == compute_timestamp_at_slot(state, state.slot)
     # Verify the execution payload is valid
@@ -333,6 +338,7 @@ def process_execution_payload(state: BeaconState, payload: ExecutionPayload, exe
         gas_limit=payload.gas_limit,
         gas_used=payload.gas_used,
         timestamp=payload.timestamp,
+        extra_data=payload.extra_data,
         base_fee_per_gas=payload.base_fee_per_gas,
         block_hash=payload.block_hash,
         transactions_root=hash_tree_root(payload.transactions),
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py
index 43be965a5..6126346a9 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/helpers/execution_payload.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ def build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state, randao_mix=None):
         gas_limit=latest.gas_limit,  # retain same limit
         gas_used=0,  # empty block, 0 gas
         timestamp=timestamp,
+        extra_data=spec.ByteList[spec.MAX_EXTRA_DATA_BYTES](),
         base_fee_per_gas=latest.base_fee_per_gas,  # retain same base_fee
         block_hash=spec.Hash32(),
         transactions=empty_txs,
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ def get_execution_payload_header(spec, execution_payload):
         gas_limit=execution_payload.gas_limit,
         gas_used=execution_payload.gas_used,
         timestamp=execution_payload.timestamp,
+        extra_data=execution_payload.extra_data,
         base_fee_per_gas=execution_payload.base_fee_per_gas,
         block_hash=execution_payload.block_hash,
         transactions_root=spec.hash_tree_root(execution_payload.transactions)
diff --git a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py
index a3aadc470..d44bad58c 100644
--- a/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py
+++ b/tests/core/pyspec/eth2spec/test/merge/block_processing/test_process_execution_payload.py
@@ -144,6 +144,34 @@ def test_bad_parent_hash_regular_payload(spec, state):
     yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False)
 
 
+@with_merge_and_later
+@spec_state_test
+def test_bad_random_first_payload(spec, state):
+    # pre-state
+    state = build_state_with_incomplete_transition(spec, state)
+    next_slot(spec, state)
+
+    # execution payload
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
+    execution_payload.random = b'\x42' * 32
+
+    yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False)
+
+
+@with_merge_and_later
+@spec_state_test
+def test_bad_random_regular_payload(spec, state):
+    # pre-state
+    state = build_state_with_complete_transition(spec, state)
+    next_slot(spec, state)
+
+    # execution payload
+    execution_payload = build_empty_execution_payload(spec, state)
+    execution_payload.random = b'\x04' * 32
+
+    yield from run_execution_payload_processing(spec, state, execution_payload, valid=False)
+
+
 @with_merge_and_later
 @spec_state_test
 def test_bad_number_regular_payload(spec, state):