diff --git a/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs b/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs
index 5d0bee4c85..da110a9da4 100644
--- a/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs
+++ b/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs
@@ -531,15 +531,7 @@ impl ProtoArray {
                 || latest_valid_ancestor_is_descendant
             {
                 match &node.execution_status {
-                    // It's illegal for an execution client to declare that some previously-valid block
-                    // is now invalid. This is a consensus failure on their behalf.
-                    ExecutionStatus::Valid(hash) => {
-                        return Err(Error::ValidExecutionStatusBecameInvalid {
-                            block_root: node.root,
-                            payload_block_hash: *hash,
-                        })
-                    }
-                    ExecutionStatus::Optimistic(hash) => {
+                    ExecutionStatus::Valid(hash) | ExecutionStatus::Optimistic(hash) => {
                         invalidated_indices.insert(index);
                         node.execution_status = ExecutionStatus::Invalid(*hash);