diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_column.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_column.rs
index 5ace1e25b2..a69bd22d34 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_column.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_column.rs
@@ -1,28 +1,41 @@
 use kzg::KzgProof;
 use ssz_types::VariableList;
-use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use types::{Cell, ColumnIndex, DataColumnSidecar, DataColumnSidecarGloas, EthSpec, Hash256, Slot};
 
-#[derive(Clone, Default)]
+#[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct PendingColumn<E: EthSpec> {
-    cells: HashMap<usize, (Cell<E>, KzgProof)>,
+    cells: Vec<Option<(Cell<E>, KzgProof)>>,
+}
+
+impl<E: EthSpec> Default for PendingColumn<E> {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self { cells: Vec::new() }
+    }
 }
 
 impl<E: EthSpec> PendingColumn<E> {
+    pub fn new_with_capacity(_blobs: usize) -> Self {
+        Self { cells: Vec::new() }
+    }
+
     pub fn insert(&mut self, index: usize, cell: &Cell<E>, proof: &KzgProof) {
-        self.cells
-            .entry(index)
-            .or_insert_with(|| (cell.clone(), *proof));
+        if let Some(existing_cell) = self.cells.get_mut(index)
+            && existing_cell.is_none()
+        {
+            *existing_cell = Some((cell.clone(), *proof));
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn cell_matches(&self, index: usize, cell: &Cell<E>, proof: &KzgProof) -> Option<bool> {
-        let (c, p) = self.cells.get(&index)?;
-        Some(c == cell && p == proof)
+        self.cells
+            .get(index)?
+            .as_ref()
+            .map(|(c, p)| c == cell && p == proof)
     }
 
     pub fn is_complete(&self, blob_count: usize) -> bool {
-        (0..blob_count).all(|i| self.cells.contains_key(&i))
+        self.cells.len() == blob_count && self.cells.iter().all(|cell| cell.is_some())
     }
 
     pub fn try_to_sidecar(
@@ -32,11 +45,17 @@ impl<E: EthSpec> PendingColumn<E> {
         beacon_block_root: Hash256,
         blob_count: usize,
     ) -> Option<Arc<DataColumnSidecar<E>>> {
-        let mut column = Vec::with_capacity(blob_count);
-        let mut kzg_proofs = Vec::with_capacity(blob_count);
+        if self.cells.len() != blob_count {
+            return None;
+        }
 
-        for i in 0..blob_count {
-            let (cell, proof) = self.cells.get(&i)?;
+        let mut column = Vec::with_capacity(blob_count);
+        let mut kzg_proofs = Vec::with_capacity(self.cells.len());
+
+        for cell in self.cells.iter() {
+            let Some((cell, proof)) = cell else {
+                return None;
+            };
             // TODO(gloas): we likely want to go and arc all cells
             column.push(cell.clone());
             kzg_proofs.push(*proof);
diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_components.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_components.rs
index de351cd527..d3b4e3007b 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_components.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/pending_payload_cache/pending_components.rs
@@ -81,10 +81,11 @@ impl<E: EthSpec> PendingComponents<E> {
     ) -> Result<(), AvailabilityCheckError> {
         for data_column in kzg_verified_data_columns {
             let data_column = data_column.as_data_column();
+            let num_blobs_expected = self.num_blobs_expected();
             let col = self
                 .verified_data_columns
                 .entry(*data_column.index())
-                .or_default();
+                .or_insert_with(|| PendingColumn::new_with_capacity(num_blobs_expected));
             for (cell_idx, (cell, proof)) in data_column
                 .column()
                 .iter()