diff --git a/beacon_chain/consensus_object_pools/blockchain_dag.nim b/beacon_chain/consensus_object_pools/blockchain_dag.nim
index 2eac31387..4e5e2ccc6 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/consensus_object_pools/blockchain_dag.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/consensus_object_pools/blockchain_dag.nim
@@ -1961,13 +1961,13 @@ proc pruneBlocksDAG(dag: ChainDAGRef) =
     dagPruneDur = Moment.now() - startTick
 
 # https://github.com/ethereum/consensus-specs/blob/v1.3.0/sync/optimistic.md#helpers
-template is_optimistic*(dag: ChainDAGRef, root: Eth2Digest): bool =
-  let blck = dag.getBlockRef(root)
-  if blck.isSome:
-    not blck.get.executionValid
-  else:
-    # Either it doesn't exist at all, or it's finalized
-    not dag.finalizedHead.blck.executionValid
+template is_optimistic*(dag: ChainDAGRef, bid: BlockId): bool =
+  let blck =
+    if bid.slot <= dag.finalizedHead.slot:
+      dag.finalizedHead.blck
+    else:
+      dag.getBlockRef(bid.root).expect("Non-finalized block is known")
+  not blck.executionValid
 
 proc markBlockVerified*(dag: ChainDAGRef, blck: BlockRef) =
   var cur = blck
diff --git a/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim b/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim
index 0fa9f9654..88cd8c841 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ proc initFullNode(
   proc onBlockAdded(data: ForkedTrustedSignedBeaconBlock) =
     let optimistic =
       if node.currentSlot().epoch() >= dag.cfg.BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH:
-        some node.dag.is_optimistic(data.root)
+        some node.dag.is_optimistic(data.toBlockId())
       else:
         none[bool]()
     node.eventBus.blocksQueue.emit(
@@ -255,7 +255,8 @@ proc initFullNode(
     let eventData =
       if node.currentSlot().epoch() >= dag.cfg.BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH:
         var res = data
-        res.optimistic = some node.dag.is_optimistic(data.block_root)
+        res.optimistic = some node.dag.is_optimistic(
+          BlockId(slot: data.slot, root: data.block_root))
         res
       else:
         data
@@ -264,7 +265,8 @@ proc initFullNode(
     let eventData =
       if node.currentSlot().epoch() >= dag.cfg.BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH:
         var res = data
-        res.optimistic = some node.dag.is_optimistic(data.new_head_block)
+        res.optimistic = some node.dag.is_optimistic(
+          BlockId(slot: data.slot, root: data.new_head_block))
         res
       else:
         data
@@ -285,7 +287,10 @@ proc initFullNode(
       let eventData =
         if node.currentSlot().epoch() >= dag.cfg.BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH:
           var res = data
-          res.optimistic = some node.dag.is_optimistic(data.block_root)
+          # `slot` in this `BlockId` may be higher than block's actual slot,
+          # this is alright for the purpose of calling `is_optimistic`.
+          res.optimistic = some node.dag.is_optimistic(
+            BlockId(slot: data.epoch.start_slot, root: data.block_root))
           res
         else:
           data
@@ -1186,7 +1191,7 @@ proc onSlotEnd(node: BeaconNode, slot: Slot) {.async.} =
 
   # Update upcoming actions - we do this every slot in case a reorg happens
   let head = node.dag.head
-  if node.isSynced(head) == SyncStatus.synced:
+  if node.isSynced(head) and head.executionValid:
     withState(node.dag.headState):
       if node.consensusManager[].actionTracker.needsUpdate(
           forkyState, slot.epoch + 1):
diff --git a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_debug_api.nim b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_debug_api.nim
index c867bbe8f..279aaeb3c 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_debug_api.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_debug_api.nim
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ proc installDebugApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
         validity:
           if item.invalid:
             RestNodeValidity.invalid
-          elif node.dag.is_optimistic(item.bid.root):
+          elif node.dag.is_optimistic(item.bid):
             RestNodeValidity.optimistic
           else:
             RestNodeValidity.valid,
diff --git a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_nimbus_api.nim b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_nimbus_api.nim
index 8427a2244..f8ddc849a 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_nimbus_api.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_nimbus_api.nim
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# beacon_chain
 # Copyright (c) 2018-2023 Status Research & Development GmbH
 # Licensed and distributed under either of
 #   * MIT license (license terms in the root directory or at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT).
@@ -238,9 +239,9 @@ proc installNimbusApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
           return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError,
                                            $res.error())
         let tres = res.get()
-        if tres.optimistic:
+        if not tres.executionValid:
           return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError)
-        tres.head
+        tres
     let proposalState = assignClone(node.dag.headState)
     node.dag.withUpdatedState(
         proposalState[],
diff --git a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_utils.nim b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_utils.nim
index 2079baa55..5033af075 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_utils.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_utils.nim
@@ -33,23 +33,17 @@ func match(data: openArray[char], charset: set[char]): int =
 proc getSyncedHead*(
        node: BeaconNode,
        slot: Slot
-     ): Result[tuple[head: BlockRef, optimistic: bool], cstring] =
-  let
-    head = node.dag.head
-    optimistic =
-      case node.isSynced(head)
-      of SyncStatus.unsynced:
-        return err("Beacon node not fully and non-optimistically synced")
-      of SyncStatus.synced:
-        false
-      of SyncStatus.optimistic:
-        true
+     ): Result[BlockRef, cstring] =
+  let head = node.dag.head
+
+  if not node.isSynced(head):
+    return err("Beacon node not fully and non-optimistically synced")
 
   # Enough ahead not to know the shuffling
   if slot > head.slot + SLOTS_PER_EPOCH * 2:
     return err("Requesting far ahead of the current head")
 
-  ok((head, optimistic))
+  ok(head)
 
 func getCurrentSlot*(node: BeaconNode, slot: Slot):
     Result[Slot, cstring] =
@@ -61,7 +55,7 @@ func getCurrentSlot*(node: BeaconNode, slot: Slot):
 proc getSyncedHead*(
        node: BeaconNode,
        epoch: Epoch,
-     ): Result[tuple[head: BlockRef, optimistic: bool], cstring] =
+     ): Result[BlockRef, cstring] =
   if epoch > MaxEpoch:
     return err("Requesting epoch for which slot would overflow")
   node.getSyncedHead(epoch.start_slot())
@@ -276,30 +270,22 @@ proc getShufflingOptimistic*(node: BeaconNode,
                              dependentSlot: Slot,
                              dependentRoot: Eth2Digest): Option[bool] =
   if node.currentSlot().epoch() >= node.dag.cfg.BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH:
-    if dependentSlot <= node.dag.finalizedHead.slot:
-      some[bool](false)
-    else:
-      some[bool](node.dag.is_optimistic(dependentRoot))
+    # `slot` in this `BlockId` may be higher than block's actual slot,
+    # this is alright for the purpose of calling `is_optimistic`.
+    let bid = BlockId(slot: dependentSlot, root: dependentRoot)
+    some[bool](node.dag.is_optimistic(bid))
   else:
     none[bool]()
 
 proc getStateOptimistic*(node: BeaconNode,
                          state: ForkedHashedBeaconState): Option[bool] =
   if node.currentSlot().epoch() >= node.dag.cfg.BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH:
-    case state.kind
-    of ConsensusFork.Phase0, ConsensusFork.Altair:
-      some[bool](false)
-    of  ConsensusFork.Bellatrix, ConsensusFork.Capella,
-        ConsensusFork.Deneb:
+    if state.kind >= ConsensusFork.Bellatrix:
       # A state is optimistic iff the block which created it is
-      withState(state):
-        # The block root which created the state at slot `n` is at slot `n-1`
-        if forkyState.data.slot == GENESIS_SLOT:
-          some[bool](false)
-        else:
-          doAssert forkyState.data.slot > 0
-          some[bool](node.dag.is_optimistic(
-            get_block_root_at_slot(forkyState.data, forkyState.data.slot - 1)))
+      let stateBid = withState(state): forkyState.latest_block_id
+      some[bool](node.dag.is_optimistic(stateBid))
+    else:
+      some[bool](false)
   else:
     none[bool]()
 
@@ -307,11 +293,10 @@ proc getBlockOptimistic*(node: BeaconNode,
                          blck: ForkedTrustedSignedBeaconBlock |
                                ForkedSignedBeaconBlock): Option[bool] =
   if node.currentSlot().epoch() >= node.dag.cfg.BELLATRIX_FORK_EPOCH:
-    case blck.kind
-    of ConsensusFork.Phase0, ConsensusFork.Altair:
+    if blck.kind >= ConsensusFork.Bellatrix:
+      some[bool](node.dag.is_optimistic(blck.toBlockId()))
+    else:
       some[bool](false)
-    of ConsensusFork.Bellatrix, ConsensusFork.Capella, ConsensusFork.Deneb:
-      some[bool](node.dag.is_optimistic(blck.root))
   else:
     none[bool]()
 
diff --git a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_validator_api.nim b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_validator_api.nim
index d0027f45d..5e057d7ac 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_validator_api.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/rpc/rest_validator_api.nim
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
           return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http400, InvalidEpochValueError,
                                         "Cannot request duties past next epoch")
         res
-    let (qhead, _) =
+    let qhead =
       block:
         let res = node.getSyncedHead(qepoch)
         if res.isErr():
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
           return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http400, InvalidEpochValueError,
                                         "Cannot request duties past next epoch")
         res
-    let (qhead, _) =
+    let qhead =
       block:
         let res = node.getSyncedHead(qepoch)
         if res.isErr():
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
       return RestApiResponse.jsonResponseWOpt(res, optimistic)
     elif qSyncPeriod > headSyncPeriod:
       # The requested epoch may still be too far in the future.
-      if node.isSynced(node.dag.head) != SyncStatus.synced:
+      if not node.isSynced(node.dag.head) or not node.dag.head.executionValid:
         return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError)
       else:
         return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http400, EpochFromFutureError)
@@ -378,9 +378,9 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
               return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError,
                                                $res.error())
             let tres = res.get()
-            if tres.optimistic:
+            if not tres.executionValid:
               return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError)
-            tres.head
+            tres
         let
           proposer = node.dag.getProposer(qhead, qslot).valueOr:
             return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http400, ProposerNotFoundError)
@@ -488,9 +488,9 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
           return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError,
                                            $res.error())
         let tres = res.get()
-        if tres.optimistic:
+        if not tres.executionValid:
           return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError)
-        tres.head
+        tres
     let proposer = node.dag.getProposer(qhead, qslot).valueOr:
       return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http400, ProposerNotFoundError)
 
@@ -586,9 +586,9 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
               return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError,
                                                $res.error())
             let tres = res.get()
-            if tres.optimistic:
+            if not tres.executionValid:
               return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError)
-            tres.head
+            tres
         let epochRef = node.dag.getEpochRef(qhead, qslot.epoch, true).valueOr:
           return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http400, PrunedStateError, $error)
         makeAttestationData(epochRef, qhead.atSlot(qslot), qindex)
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
                                            $dres.error())
         dres.get()
 
-    if node.isSynced(node.dag.head) == SyncStatus.unsynced:
+    if not node.isSynced(node.dag.head):
       return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError)
 
     let
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ proc installValidatorApiHandlers*(router: var RestRouter, node: BeaconNode) =
         return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError,
                                          $res.error())
       let tres = res.get()
-      if tres.optimistic:
+      if not tres.executionValid:
         return RestApiResponse.jsonError(Http503, BeaconNodeInSyncError)
 
     var contribution = SyncCommitteeContribution()
diff --git a/beacon_chain/validators/validator_duties.nim b/beacon_chain/validators/validator_duties.nim
index d41036032..76c318adb 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/validators/validator_duties.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/validators/validator_duties.nim
@@ -90,11 +90,6 @@ type
   BlindedBlockResult[SBBB] =
     Result[tuple[blindedBlckPart: SBBB, blockValue: UInt256], string]
 
-  SyncStatus* {.pure.} = enum
-    synced
-    unsynced
-    optimistic
-
 proc getValidator*(validators: auto,
                    pubkey: ValidatorPubKey): Opt[ValidatorAndIndex] =
   let idx = validators.findIt(it.pubkey == pubkey)
@@ -139,7 +134,7 @@ proc getValidatorForDuties*(
   node.attachedValidators[].getValidatorForDuties(
     key.toPubKey(), slot, slashingSafe)
 
-proc isSynced*(node: BeaconNode, head: BlockRef): SyncStatus =
+proc isSynced*(node: BeaconNode, head: BlockRef): bool =
   ## TODO This function is here as a placeholder for some better heurestics to
   ##      determine if we're in sync and should be producing blocks and
   ##      attestations. Generally, the problem is that slot time keeps advancing
@@ -160,14 +155,8 @@ proc isSynced*(node: BeaconNode, head: BlockRef): SyncStatus =
   # TODO if everyone follows this logic, the network will not recover from a
   #      halt: nobody will be producing blocks because everone expects someone
   #      else to do it
-  if  wallSlot.afterGenesis and
-      head.slot + node.config.syncHorizon < wallSlot.slot:
-    SyncStatus.unsynced
-  else:
-    if not head.executionValid:
-      SyncStatus.optimistic
-    else:
-      SyncStatus.synced
+  not wallSlot.afterGenesis or
+    head.slot + node.config.syncHorizon >= wallSlot.slot
 
 proc handleLightClientUpdates*(node: BeaconNode, slot: Slot) {.async.} =
   static: doAssert lightClientFinalityUpdateSlotOffset ==
@@ -1550,8 +1539,7 @@ proc handleValidatorDuties*(node: BeaconNode, lastSlot, slot: Slot) {.async.} =
   # The dag head might be updated by sync while we're working due to the
   # await calls, thus we use a local variable to keep the logic straight here
   var head = node.dag.head
-  case node.isSynced(head)
-  of SyncStatus.unsynced:
+  if not node.isSynced(head):
     info "Beacon node not in sync; skipping validator duties for now",
       slot, headSlot = head.slot
 
@@ -1560,7 +1548,7 @@ proc handleValidatorDuties*(node: BeaconNode, lastSlot, slot: Slot) {.async.} =
 
     return
 
-  of SyncStatus.optimistic:
+  elif not head.executionValid:
     info "Execution client not in sync; skipping validator duties for now",
       slot, headSlot = head.slot
 
@@ -1568,7 +1556,7 @@ proc handleValidatorDuties*(node: BeaconNode, lastSlot, slot: Slot) {.async.} =
     updateValidatorMetrics(node)
 
     return
-  of SyncStatus.synced:
+  else:
     discard # keep going
 
   withState(node.dag.headState):
@@ -1681,7 +1669,7 @@ proc registerDuties*(node: BeaconNode, wallSlot: Slot) {.async.} =
   ## Register upcoming duties of attached validators with the duty tracker
 
   if node.attachedValidators[].count() == 0 or
-      node.isSynced(node.dag.head) != SyncStatus.synced:
+      not node.isSynced(node.dag.head) or not node.dag.head.executionValid:
     # Nothing to do because we have no validator attached
     return