diff --git a/beacon_chain/spec/datatypes/base.nim b/beacon_chain/spec/datatypes/base.nim
index 064501772..b3d4e2467 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/spec/datatypes/base.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/spec/datatypes/base.nim
@@ -1029,9 +1029,6 @@ func checkForkConsistency*(cfg: RuntimeConfig) =
 # won't be hit.
 const denebImplementationMissing* = false
 
-#template debugRaiseAssert*(x: string) = raiseAssert x
-template debugRaiseAssert*(x: string) = discard
-
 func ofLen*[T, N](ListType: type List[T, N], n: int): ListType =
   if n < N:
     distinctBase(result).setLen(n)
diff --git a/beacon_chain/validator_client/api.nim b/beacon_chain/validator_client/api.nim
index f3055ea9e..d30854a93 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/validator_client/api.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/validator_client/api.nim
@@ -648,8 +648,8 @@ template firstSuccessSequential*(
               if not(bodyFut.finished()):
                 await bodyFut.cancelAndWait()
               raise exc
-            except CatchableError as exc:
-              # This case could not be happened.
+            except CatchableError:
+              # This case should not happen.
               ApiOperation.Failure
           else:
             try:
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ template firstSuccessSequential*(
                 pending.add(timerFut.cancelAndWait())
               await noCancel allFutures(pending)
               raise exc
-            except CatchableError as exc:
+            except CatchableError:
               # This case should not happen.
               ApiOperation.Failure
 
@@ -2344,11 +2344,7 @@ proc publishBlindedBlock*(
         of ConsensusFork.Capella:
           publishBlindedBlock(it, data.capellaData)
         of ConsensusFork.Deneb:
-          debugRaiseAssert $denebImplementationMissing &
-                           ": validator_client/api.nim:publishBlindedBlock (1)"
-          let f = newFuture[RestPlainResponse]("")
-          f.fail(new RestError)
-          f
+          publishBlindedBlock(it, data.denebData)
       do:
         if apiResponse.isErr():
           handleCommunicationError()
@@ -2393,11 +2389,7 @@ proc publishBlindedBlock*(
       of ConsensusFork.Capella:
         publishBlindedBlock(it, data.capellaData)
       of ConsensusFork.Deneb:
-        debugRaiseAssert $denebImplementationMissing &
-                         ": validator_client/api.nim:publishBlindedBlock (2)"
-        let f = newFuture[RestPlainResponse]("")
-        f.fail(new RestError)
-        f
+        publishBlindedBlock(it, data.denebData)
     do:
       if apiResponse.isErr():
         handleCommunicationError()