diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_envelope_verification/import.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_envelope_verification/import.rs
index 1fcf0c6574..29f8f610d7 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_envelope_verification/import.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_envelope_verification/import.rs
@@ -266,6 +266,30 @@ impl<T: BeaconChainTypes> BeaconChain<T> {
             .on_valid_payload_envelope_received(block_root)
             .map_err(|e| BlockError::InternalError(format!("{e:?}")))?;
 
+        // Check if the envelope's payload satisfies the inclusion list for this slot.
+        // This is used by fork choice's `should_extend_payload` tiebreaker to decide
+        // whether Full or Empty wins when weights are equal.
+        let il_slot = signed_envelope.message().slot();
+        let il_satisfied = {
+            let il_cache = self.inclusion_list_cache.read();
+            if let Some(il_transactions) =
+                il_cache.get_inclusion_list_transactions(il_slot, false)
+            {
+                let envelope_message = signed_envelope.message();
+                let payload = envelope_message.payload();
+                let payload_transactions = payload.transactions();
+                let payload_tx_set: std::collections::HashSet<_> =
+                    payload_transactions.iter().collect();
+                il_transactions.iter().all(|tx| payload_tx_set.contains(tx))
+            } else {
+                // No inclusion list for this slot — considered satisfied
+                true
+            }
+        };
+
+        fork_choice
+            .record_payload_inclusion_list_satisfaction(block_root, il_satisfied);
+
         // TODO(gloas) emit SSE event if the payload became the new head payload
 
         // It is important NOT to return errors here before the database commit, because the envelope
diff --git a/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs b/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs
index 4dc1232bc8..605403e177 100644
--- a/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs
+++ b/consensus/proto_array/src/proto_array.rs
@@ -1509,17 +1509,28 @@ impl ProtoArray {
         proto_node: &ProtoNode,
         proposer_boost_root: Hash256,
     ) -> Result<bool, Error> {
-        // Per spec: is_payload_inclusion_list_satisfied returns false unless the
-        // root is in the map AND the value is true.
-        if !self
-            .payload_inclusion_list_satisfaction
-            .get(&fc_node.root)
-            .copied()
-            .unwrap_or(false)
+        // Per spec (Gloas): if not is_payload_verified(store, root): return False
+        // In our implementation, payload_received == True means the envelope was received.
+        if !proto_node
+            .payload_received()
+            .map_err(|_| Error::InvalidNodeVariant { block_root: fc_node.root })?
         {
             return Ok(false);
         }
 
+        // Per spec (Heze/FOCIL): is_payload_inclusion_list_satisfied check.
+        // Only applies when the IL satisfaction map has entries (i.e., heze is active).
+        // For gloas-only slots where no IL exists, the map won't contain the root,
+        // but we should NOT gate on this — only check if the root IS in the map.
+        if let Some(&satisfied) = self
+            .payload_inclusion_list_satisfaction
+            .get(&fc_node.root)
+        {
+            if !satisfied {
+                return Ok(false);
+            }
+        }
+
         // Per spec: `proposer_root == Root()` is one of the `or` conditions that
         // makes `should_extend_payload` return True.
         if proposer_boost_root.is_zero() {