diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/proposer_preferences_verification/tests.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/proposer_preferences_verification/tests.rs
index f8fcdcc830..c04685e40e 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/proposer_preferences_verification/tests.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/proposer_preferences_verification/tests.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ struct TestContext {
     slot_clock: TestingSlotClock,
     spec: ChainSpec,
     store: Arc<HotColdDB<E, MemoryStore, MemoryStore>>,
+    head_block_root: Hash256,
 }
 
 impl TestContext {
@@ -59,12 +60,17 @@ impl TestContext {
         };
 
         let mut genesis_block = BeaconBlock::empty(&spec);
-        *genesis_block.state_root_mut() = state
+        let genesis_state_root = state
             .update_tree_hash_cache()
             .expect("should hash genesis state");
+        *genesis_block.state_root_mut() = genesis_state_root;
         let signed_block = SignedBeaconBlock::from_block(genesis_block, Signature::empty());
         let block_root = signed_block.canonical_root();
 
+        store
+            .put_state(&genesis_state_root, &state)
+            .expect("should persist genesis state");
+
         let snapshot = BeaconSnapshot::new(
             Arc::new(signed_block.clone()),
             None,
@@ -93,6 +99,7 @@ impl TestContext {
             slot_clock,
             spec,
             store,
+            head_block_root: block_root,
         }
     }
 
@@ -127,10 +134,11 @@ impl TestContext {
 fn make_signed_preferences(
     proposal_slot: Slot,
     validator_index: u64,
+    dependent_root: Hash256,
 ) -> Arc<SignedProposerPreferences> {
     Arc::new(SignedProposerPreferences {
         message: ProposerPreferences {
-            dependent_root: Hash256::ZERO,
+            dependent_root,
             proposal_slot,
             validator_index,
             fee_recipient: Address::ZERO,
@@ -150,11 +158,11 @@ fn already_seen_validator() {
     let slot = Slot::new(1);
 
     let verified = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences {
-        signed_preferences: make_signed_preferences(slot, 42),
+        signed_preferences: make_signed_preferences(slot, 42, Hash256::ZERO),
     };
     ctx.preferences_cache.insert_seen_validator(&verified);
 
-    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, 42);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, 42, Hash256::ZERO);
     let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
     assert!(matches!(
         result,
@@ -174,7 +182,7 @@ fn invalid_epoch_too_far_ahead() {
     let gossip = ctx.gossip_ctx();
 
     let far_slot = Slot::new(3 * E::slots_per_epoch());
-    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(far_slot, 0);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(far_slot, 0, Hash256::ZERO);
     let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
     assert!(matches!(
         result,
@@ -190,7 +198,7 @@ fn proposal_slot_already_passed() {
     let ctx = TestContext::new();
     let gossip = ctx.gossip_ctx();
 
-    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(Slot::new(0), 0);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(Slot::new(0), 0, Hash256::ZERO);
     let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
     assert!(matches!(
         result,
@@ -210,7 +218,7 @@ fn wrong_proposer_for_slot() {
     let actual_proposer = ctx.proposer_at_slot(slot);
     let wrong_validator = if actual_proposer == 0 { 1 } else { 0 };
 
-    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, wrong_validator);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, wrong_validator, ctx.head_block_root);
     let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
     assert!(matches!(
         result,
@@ -228,7 +236,7 @@ fn correct_proposer_bad_signature() {
     let slot = Slot::new(1);
 
     let actual_proposer = ctx.proposer_at_slot(slot);
-    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, actual_proposer);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, actual_proposer, ctx.head_block_root);
     let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
     assert!(matches!(
         result,
@@ -236,7 +244,7 @@ fn correct_proposer_bad_signature() {
     ));
     assert!(
         !ctx.preferences_cache
-            .get_seen_validator(&slot, Hash256::ZERO, actual_proposer)
+            .get_seen_validator(&slot, ctx.head_block_root, actual_proposer)
     );
     assert!(ctx.preferences_cache.get_preferences(&slot).is_none());
 }
@@ -250,7 +258,7 @@ fn validator_index_out_of_bounds() {
     let gossip = ctx.gossip_ctx();
     let slot = Slot::new(1);
 
-    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, u64::MAX);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, u64::MAX, ctx.head_block_root);
     let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
     assert!(matches!(
         result,
@@ -293,6 +301,43 @@ fn same_validator_different_dependent_root_not_deduplicated() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn dependent_root_unknown() {
+    if !fork_name_from_env().is_some_and(|f| f.gloas_enabled()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let ctx = TestContext::new();
+    let gossip = ctx.gossip_ctx();
+    let slot = Slot::new(1);
+
+    let unknown_root = Hash256::repeat_byte(0xff);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(slot, 0, unknown_root);
+    let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
+    assert!(matches!(
+        result,
+        Err(ProposerPreferencesError::DependentRootUnknown { .. })
+    ));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn invalid_epoch_too_old() {
+    if !fork_name_from_env().is_some_and(|f| f.gloas_enabled()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let ctx = TestContext::new();
+    // Advance the clock so that epoch 0 slots are too old.
+    ctx.slot_clock.set_slot(3 * E::slots_per_epoch());
+    let gossip = ctx.gossip_ctx();
+
+    let old_slot = Slot::new(1);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(old_slot, 0, Hash256::ZERO);
+    let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
+    assert!(matches!(
+        result,
+        Err(ProposerPreferencesError::InvalidProposalEpoch { .. })
+    ));
+}
+
 // TODO(gloas) add successful proposer preferences check once we have proposer preferences signing logic
 
 #[test]
@@ -307,7 +352,7 @@ fn preferences_for_next_epoch_slot() {
     let next_epoch_slot = Slot::new(E::slots_per_epoch() + 1);
     let actual_proposer = ctx.proposer_at_slot(next_epoch_slot);
 
-    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(next_epoch_slot, actual_proposer);
+    let prefs = make_signed_preferences(next_epoch_slot, actual_proposer, ctx.head_block_root);
     let result = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences::new(prefs, &gossip);
     // Should pass consistency checks but fail on signature (empty sig).
     assert!(