diff --git a/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md b/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
index c343c2ec9..b8362771e 100644
--- a/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
+++ b/specs/merge/beacon-chain.md
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ order and append any additional fields to the end.
 
 ```python
 class BeaconBlockBody(phase0.BeaconBlockBody):
-    application_payload: ApplicationPayload  # [Added in Merge] application payload
+    application_payload: ApplicationPayload  # [New in Merge] application payload
 ```
 
 #### `BeaconState`
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ class BeaconBlockBody(phase0.BeaconBlockBody):
 ```python
 class BeaconState(phase0.BeaconState):
     # Application-layer
-    application_state_root: Bytes32 # [New in Merge]
-    application_block_hash: Bytes32 # [New in Merge]
+    application_state_root: Bytes32  # [New in Merge]
+    application_block_hash: Bytes32  # [New in Merge]
 ```
 
 ### New containers
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class Transaction(Container):
     gas_limit: uint64
     recipient: Bytes20
     value: uint256
-    input: List[Bytes1, MAX_BYTES_PER_TRANSACTION_PAYLOAD]
+    data: List[byte, MAX_BYTES_PER_TRANSACTION_PAYLOAD]
     v: uint256
     r: uint256
     s: uint256
@@ -115,7 +115,6 @@ class ApplicationPayload(Container):
     gas_used: uint64
     receipt_root: Bytes32
     logs_bloom: Vector[Bytes1, BYTES_PER_LOGS_BLOOM]
-    difficulty: uint64  # Temporary field, will be removed later on
     transactions: List[Transaction, MAX_APPLICATION_TRANSACTIONS]
 ```
 
@@ -178,11 +177,9 @@ def process_application_payload(state: BeaconState, body: BeaconBlockBody) -> No
 
         state.application_state_root = body.application_payload.state_root
         state.application_block_hash = body.application_payload.block_hash
-
     elif is_transition_block(state, body):
         assert body.application_payload == ApplicationPayload(block_hash=body.application_payload.block_hash)
         state.application_block_hash = body.application_payload.block_hash
-    
     else:
         assert body.application_payload == ApplicationPayload()
 ```
diff --git a/specs/merge/fork-choice.md b/specs/merge/fork-choice.md
index c022de4ab..d299a8247 100644
--- a/specs/merge/fork-choice.md
+++ b/specs/merge/fork-choice.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Used by fork-choice handler, `on_block`.
 ```python
 def is_valid_transition_block(block: PowBlock) -> boolean:
     is_total_difficulty_reached = block.total_difficulty >= TRANSITION_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY
-    return block.is_processed and block.is_valid and is_total_difficulty_reached
+    return block.is_valid and is_total_difficulty_reached
 ```
 
 ### Updated fork-choice handlers
@@ -74,9 +74,11 @@ def on_block(store: Store, signed_block: SignedBeaconBlock) -> None:
     # Check block is a descendant of the finalized block at the checkpoint finalized slot
     assert get_ancestor(store, block.parent_root, finalized_slot) == store.finalized_checkpoint.root
     
-    # [New in Merge] Consider delaying the beacon block processing until PoW block is accepted by the application node
+    # [New in Merge]
     if is_transition_block(pre_state, block.body):
         pow_block = get_pow_block(block.body.application_payload.block_hash)
+        # Delay consideration of block until PoW block is processed by the PoW node
+        assert pow_block.is_processed
         assert is_valid_transition_block(pow_block)
 
     # Check the block is valid and compute the post-state
diff --git a/specs/merge/validator.md b/specs/merge/validator.md
index 110a2a883..49f7f6137 100644
--- a/specs/merge/validator.md
+++ b/specs/merge/validator.md
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ The body of this function is implementation dependent.
 ```python
 def get_application_payload(state: BeaconState) -> ApplicationPayload:
     if not is_transition_completed(state):
-      pow_block = get_pow_chain_head()
-      if pow_block.total_difficulty < TRANSITION_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY:
-        # Pre-merge, empty payload
-        return ApplicationPayload()
-      else:
-        # Signify merge via last PoW block_hash and an otherwise empty payload
-        return ApplicationPayload(block_hash=pow_block.block_hash)
+        pow_block = get_pow_chain_head()
+        if pow_block.total_difficulty < TRANSITION_TOTAL_DIFFICULTY:
+            # Pre-merge, empty payload
+            return ApplicationPayload()
+        else:
+            # Signify merge via last PoW block_hash and an otherwise empty payload
+            return ApplicationPayload(block_hash=pow_block.block_hash)
 
     # Post-merge, normal payload
     application_parent_hash = state.application_block_hash