diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/block_verification.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/block_verification.rs
index 75d6323d3f..eee17c5c3e 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/block_verification.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/block_verification.rs
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ impl<'a, T: BeaconChainTypes> FullyVerifiedBlock<'a, T> {
         }
 
         // This is the soonest we can run these checks as they must be called AFTER per_slot_processing
-        if is_execution_enabled(&state, block.message().body()) {
+        let execute_payload_handle = if is_execution_enabled(&state, block.message().body()) {
             let execution_layer = chain
                 .execution_layer
                 .as_ref()
@@ -1095,11 +1095,11 @@ impl<'a, T: BeaconChainTypes> FullyVerifiedBlock<'a, T> {
                         object_fork: block.message().body().fork_name(),
                     })?;
 
-            let (payload_status, payload_handle) = execution_layer
+            let (execute_payload_status, execute_payload_handle) = execution_layer
                 .block_on(|execution_layer| execution_layer.execute_payload(execution_payload))
                 .map_err(ExecutionPayloadError::from)?;
 
-            match payload_status {
+            match execute_payload_status {
                 ExecutePayloadResponse::Valid => Ok(()),
                 ExecutePayloadResponse::Invalid => {
                     Err(ExecutionPayloadError::RejectedByExecutionEngine)
@@ -1108,7 +1108,11 @@ impl<'a, T: BeaconChainTypes> FullyVerifiedBlock<'a, T> {
                     Err(ExecutionPayloadError::ExecutionEngineIsSyncing)
                 }
             }?;
-        }
+
+            Some(execute_payload_handle)
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
 
         // If the block is sufficiently recent, notify the validator monitor.
         if let Some(slot) = chain.slot_clock.now() {
@@ -1208,6 +1212,15 @@ impl<'a, T: BeaconChainTypes> FullyVerifiedBlock<'a, T> {
             });
         }
 
+        // If this block required an `executePayload` call to the execution node, inform it that the
+        // block is indeed valid.
+        //
+        // If the handle is dropped without explicitly declaring validity, an invalid message will
+        // be send to the execution engine.
+        if let Some(execute_payload_handle) = execute_payload_handle {
+            execute_payload_handle.publish_consensus_valid();
+        }
+
         Ok(Self {
             block,
             block_root,
diff --git a/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/execute_payload_handle.rs b/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/execute_payload_handle.rs
index 2b45318e1f..5bb7c10b5c 100644
--- a/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/execute_payload_handle.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/execute_payload_handle.rs
@@ -5,18 +5,21 @@ use types::Hash256;
 pub struct ExecutePayloadHandle {
     pub(crate) block_hash: Hash256,
     pub(crate) execution_layer: ExecutionLayer,
+    pub(crate) status: Option<ConsensusStatus>,
 }
 
 impl ExecutePayloadHandle {
-    pub fn publish_consensus_valid(self) {
+    pub fn publish_consensus_valid(mut self) {
         self.publish(ConsensusStatus::Valid)
     }
 
-    pub fn publish_consensus_invalid(self) {
+    pub fn publish_consensus_invalid(mut self) {
         self.publish(ConsensusStatus::Invalid)
     }
 
-    fn publish(&self, status: ConsensusStatus) {
+    fn publish(&mut self, status: ConsensusStatus) {
+        self.status = Some(status);
+
         if let Err(e) = self.execution_layer.block_on(|execution_layer| {
             execution_layer.consensus_validated(self.block_hash, status)
         }) {
@@ -34,6 +37,8 @@ impl ExecutePayloadHandle {
 
 impl Drop for ExecutePayloadHandle {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
-        self.publish(ConsensusStatus::Invalid)
+        if self.status.is_none() {
+            self.publish(ConsensusStatus::Invalid)
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/lib.rs b/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/lib.rs
index 316743e42c..ba4a1d3b66 100644
--- a/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/lib.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/execution_layer/src/lib.rs
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ impl ExecutionLayer {
         let execute_payload_handle = ExecutePayloadHandle {
             block_hash: execution_payload.block_hash,
             execution_layer: self.clone(),
+            status: None,
         };
 
         Ok((execute_payload_response, execute_payload_handle))