diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/builder.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/builder.rs
index 2c5a68388e..f83cf471b0 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/builder.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/builder.rs
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ where
             .ok_or("set_genesis_state requires a store")?;
 
         let beacon_block = genesis_block(&mut beacon_state, &self.spec)?;
+        let blinded_block = beacon_block.clone_as_blinded();
 
         beacon_state
             .build_all_caches(&self.spec)
@@ -330,12 +331,12 @@ where
             .put_state(&beacon_state_root, &beacon_state)
             .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to store genesis state: {:?}", e))?;
         store
-            .put_block(&beacon_block_root, beacon_block.clone())
+            .put_cold_blinded_block(&beacon_block_root, &blinded_block)
             .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to store genesis block: {:?}", e))?;
 
         // Store the genesis block under the `ZERO_HASH` key.
         store
-            .put_block(&Hash256::zero(), beacon_block.clone())
+            .put_cold_blinded_block(&Hash256::zero(), &blinded_block)
             .map_err(|e| {
                 format!(
                     "Failed to store genesis block under 0x00..00 alias: {:?}",
diff --git a/beacon_node/store/src/hot_cold_store.rs b/beacon_node/store/src/hot_cold_store.rs
index 8bc308951d..b8706be6e0 100644
--- a/beacon_node/store/src/hot_cold_store.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/store/src/hot_cold_store.rs
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ impl<E: EthSpec, Hot: ItemStore<E>, Cold: ItemStore<E>> HotColdDB<E, Hot, Cold>
         slot: Option<Slot>,
     ) -> Result<Option<SignedBlindedBeaconBlock<E>>, Error> {
         if let Some(slot) = slot {
-            if slot < self.get_split_slot() {
+            if slot < self.get_split_slot() || slot == 0 {
                 // To the freezer DB.
                 self.get_cold_blinded_block_by_slot(slot)
             } else {
@@ -469,6 +469,16 @@ impl<E: EthSpec, Hot: ItemStore<E>, Cold: ItemStore<E>> HotColdDB<E, Hot, Cold>
         )?))
     }
 
+    pub fn put_cold_blinded_block(
+        &self,
+        block_root: &Hash256,
+        block: &SignedBlindedBeaconBlock<E>,
+    ) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let mut ops = Vec::with_capacity(2);
+        self.blinded_block_as_cold_kv_store_ops(block_root, block, &mut ops)?;
+        self.cold_db.do_atomically(ops)
+    }
+
     pub fn blinded_block_as_cold_kv_store_ops(
         &self,
         block_root: &Hash256,