diff --git a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_bid_verification/tests.rs b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_bid_verification/tests.rs
index ccdf64d41d..17b8aacdb7 100644
--- a/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_bid_verification/tests.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/beacon_chain/src/payload_bid_verification/tests.rs
@@ -260,10 +260,11 @@ fn make_signed_preferences(
     validator_index: u64,
     fee_recipient: Address,
     target_gas_limit: u64,
+    dependent_root: Hash256,
 ) -> Arc<SignedProposerPreferences> {
     Arc::new(SignedProposerPreferences {
         message: ProposerPreferences {
-            dependent_root: Hash256::ZERO,
+            dependent_root,
             proposal_slot,
             validator_index,
             fee_recipient,
@@ -274,8 +275,25 @@ fn make_signed_preferences(
 }
 
 fn seed_preferences(ctx: &TestContext, slot: Slot, fee_recipient: Address, gas_limit: u64) {
+    // Key the preferences by the same dependent root that gossip verification will compute from
+    // the head state, otherwise the lookup misses and verification returns `NoProposerPreferences`.
+    let cached_head = ctx.canonical_head.cached_head();
+    let head_state = &cached_head.snapshot.beacon_state;
+    let dependent_root = head_state
+        .proposer_shuffling_decision_root_at_epoch(
+            slot.epoch(E::slots_per_epoch()),
+            cached_head.head_block_root(),
+            &ctx.spec,
+        )
+        .expect("should compute proposer shuffling decision root");
     let prefs = GossipVerifiedProposerPreferences {
-        signed_preferences: make_signed_preferences(slot, 0, fee_recipient, gas_limit),
+        signed_preferences: make_signed_preferences(
+            slot,
+            0,
+            fee_recipient,
+            gas_limit,
+            dependent_root,
+        ),
     };
     ctx.preferences_cache.insert_preferences(prefs);
 }