diff --git a/packages/lodestar/src/chain/blocks/verifyBlock.ts b/packages/lodestar/src/chain/blocks/verifyBlock.ts
index 24f449d465f6..989b8fea7f28 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/src/chain/blocks/verifyBlock.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/src/chain/blocks/verifyBlock.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import {ssz} from "@chainsafe/lodestar-types";
-import {CachedBeaconState, computeStartSlotAtEpoch, allForks} from "@chainsafe/lodestar-beacon-state-transition";
+import {CachedBeaconState, computeStartSlotAtEpoch, allForks, merge} from "@chainsafe/lodestar-beacon-state-transition";
 import {toHexString} from "@chainsafe/ssz";
 import {IForkChoice} from "@chainsafe/lodestar-fork-choice";
 import {IChainForkConfig} from "@chainsafe/lodestar-config";
 import {IMetrics} from "../../metrics";
+import {IExecutionEngine} from "../../executionEngine";
 import {BlockError, BlockErrorCode} from "../errors";
 import {IBeaconClock} from "../clock";
 import {BlockProcessOpts} from "../options";
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ import {FullyVerifiedBlock, PartiallyVerifiedBlock} from "./types";
 
 export type VerifyBlockModules = {
   bls: IBlsVerifier;
+  executionEngine: IExecutionEngine;
   regen: IStateRegenerator;
   clock: IBeaconClock;
   forkChoice: IForkChoice;
@@ -136,6 +138,18 @@ export async function verifyBlockStateTransition(
     }
   }
 
+  if (
+    merge.isMergeStateType(postState) &&
+    merge.isMergeBlockBodyType(block.message.body) &&
+    merge.isExecutionEnabled(postState, block.message.body)
+  ) {
+    // TODO: Handle better executePayload() returning error is syncing
+    const isValid = await chain.executionEngine.executePayload(block.message.body.executionPayload);
+    if (!isValid) {
+      throw new BlockError(block, {code: BlockErrorCode.EXECUTION_PAYLOAD_NOT_VALID});
+    }
+  }
+
   // Check state root matches
   if (!ssz.Root.equals(block.message.stateRoot, postState.tree.root)) {
     throw new BlockError(block, {code: BlockErrorCode.INVALID_STATE_ROOT, preState, postState});
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/src/chain/chain.ts b/packages/lodestar/src/chain/chain.ts
index 278ebcc96da6..c28b5a68fb39 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/src/chain/chain.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/src/chain/chain.ts
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ export class BeaconChain implements IBeaconChain {
         clock,
         bls,
         regen,
+        executionEngine,
         eth1,
         db,
         forkChoice,
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/src/chain/errors/blockError.ts b/packages/lodestar/src/chain/errors/blockError.ts
index 2de8cc0b2738..8baeff186721 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/src/chain/errors/blockError.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/src/chain/errors/blockError.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ export enum BlockErrorCode {
   SAME_PARENT_HASH = "BLOCK_ERROR_SAME_PARENT_HASH",
   /** Total size of executionPayload.transactions exceed a sane limit to prevent DOS attacks */
   TRANSACTIONS_TOO_BIG = "BLOCK_ERROR_TRANSACTIONS_TOO_BIG",
+  /** Execution engine returned not valid after executePayload() call */
+  EXECUTION_PAYLOAD_NOT_VALID = "BLOCK_ERROR_EXECUTION_PAYLOAD_NOT_VALID",
 }
 
 export type BlockErrorType =
@@ -86,7 +88,8 @@ export type BlockErrorType =
   | {code: BlockErrorCode.INCORRECT_TIMESTAMP; timestamp: number; expectedTimestamp: number}
   | {code: BlockErrorCode.TOO_MUCH_GAS_USED; gasUsed: number; gasLimit: number}
   | {code: BlockErrorCode.SAME_PARENT_HASH; blockHash: RootHex}
-  | {code: BlockErrorCode.TRANSACTIONS_TOO_BIG; size: number; max: number};
+  | {code: BlockErrorCode.TRANSACTIONS_TOO_BIG; size: number; max: number}
+  | {code: BlockErrorCode.EXECUTION_PAYLOAD_NOT_VALID};
 
 export class BlockGossipError extends GossipActionError<BlockErrorType> {}