diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/dev/dev_prague.json b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/dev/dev_prague.json
index f4551b261c5..5290605428f 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/dev/dev_prague.json
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/dev/dev_prague.json
@@ -32,10 +32,7 @@
         "baseFeeUpdateFraction": 5007716
       }
     },
-    "clique": {
-      "period": 5,
-      "epoch": 30000
-    },
+    "ethash": {},
     "depositContractAddress": "0x4242424242424242424242424242424242424242",
     "withdrawalRequestContractAddress": "0x00A3ca265EBcb825B45F985A16CEFB49958cE017",
     "consolidationRequestContractAddress": "0x00b42dbF2194e931E80326D950320f7d9Dbeac02"
@@ -142,4 +139,4 @@
   "gasUsed":"0x0",
   "parentHash":"0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
   "baseFeePerGas":"0x7"
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/osaka/genesis.json b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/osaka/genesis.json
index ab84fde2973..6733a2e0ae7 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/osaka/genesis.json
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/osaka/genesis.json
@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@
     "cancunTime":0,
     "pragueTime":0,
     "osakaTime": 32,
-    "clique": {
-      "period": 5,
-      "epoch": 30000
-    },
+    "ethash": {},
     "depositContractAddress": "0x4242424242424242424242424242424242424242",
     "withdrawalRequestContractAddress": "0x00A3ca265EBcb825B45F985A16CEFB49958cE017",
     "consolidationRequestContractAddress": "0x00b42dbF2194e931E80326D950320f7d9Dbeac02"
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/paris/genesis.json b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/paris/genesis.json
index 085b69a1dd5..2bd120f4795 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/paris/genesis.json
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/paris/genesis.json
@@ -13,10 +13,7 @@
     "berlinBlock":0,
     "londonBlock":0,
     "terminalTotalDifficulty":0,
-    "clique": {
-      "period": 5,
-      "epoch": 30000
-    }
+    "ethash": {}
   },
   "nonce":"0x42",
   "timestamp":"0x0",
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/prague/genesis.json b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/prague/genesis.json
index ef3d2c1be4b..366815baf34 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/prague/genesis.json
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/prague/genesis.json
@@ -15,10 +15,7 @@
     "terminalTotalDifficulty":0,
     "cancunTime":0,
     "pragueTime":20,
-    "clique": {
-      "period": 5,
-      "epoch": 30000
-    },
+    "ethash": {},
     "depositContractAddress": "0x4242424242424242424242424242424242424242",
     "withdrawalRequestContractAddress": "0x00A3ca265EBcb825B45F985A16CEFB49958cE017",
     "consolidationRequestContractAddress": "0x00b42dbF2194e931E80326D950320f7d9Dbeac02"
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/shanghai/genesis.json b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/shanghai/genesis.json
index 6b596fee607..0da01355734 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/shanghai/genesis.json
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/engine/shanghai/genesis.json
@@ -14,10 +14,7 @@
     "londonBlock":0,
     "terminalTotalDifficulty":0,
     "shanghaiTime":10,
-    "clique": {
-      "period": 5,
-      "epoch": 30000
-    }
+    "ethash": {}
   },
   "nonce":"0x42",
   "timestamp":"0x0",
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/eth/getBlockBy/genesis.json b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/eth/getBlockBy/genesis.json
index 98a1201c9aa..92004dad9bb 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/eth/getBlockBy/genesis.json
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/resources/jsonrpc/eth/getBlockBy/genesis.json
@@ -13,10 +13,7 @@
     "berlinBlock":0,
     "londonBlock":0,
     "shanghaiTime":10,
-    "clique": {
-      "period": 5,
-      "epoch": 30000
-    },
+    "ethash": {},
     "terminalTotalDifficulty":0
   },
   "nonce":"0x42",
diff --git a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/MainnetProtocolSpecs.java b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/MainnetProtocolSpecs.java
index ff9dfeaf463..a56867f2776 100644
--- a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/MainnetProtocolSpecs.java
+++ b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/mainnet/MainnetProtocolSpecs.java
@@ -866,7 +866,10 @@ static ProtocolSpecBuilder cancunDefinition(
                     evm.getMaxInitcodeSize()))
         .precompileContractRegistryBuilder(MainnetPrecompiledContractRegistries::cancun)
         .blockHeaderValidatorBuilder(MainnetBlockHeaderValidator::blobAwareBlockHeaderValidator)
-        .preExecutionProcessor(new CancunPreExecutionProcessor())
+        .preExecutionProcessor(
+            isPoAConsensus(genesisConfigOptions)
+                ? new FrontierPreExecutionProcessor()
+                : new CancunPreExecutionProcessor())
         .hardforkId(CANCUN);
   }
 
@@ -947,22 +950,36 @@ static ProtocolSpecBuilder pragueDefinition(
                                 new CodeDelegationService()))
                         .build())
             // EIP-2935 Blockhash processor
-            .preExecutionProcessor(new PraguePreExecutionProcessor())
+            .preExecutionProcessor(
+                isPoAConsensus(genesisConfigOptions)
+                    ? new FrontierPreExecutionProcessor()
+                    : new PraguePreExecutionProcessor())
             .hardforkId(PRAGUE);
-    try {
-      RequestContractAddresses requestContractAddresses =
-          RequestContractAddresses.fromGenesis(genesisConfigOptions);
-
-      pragueSpecBuilder.requestProcessorCoordinator(
-          pragueRequestsProcessors(requestContractAddresses));
-    } catch (NoSuchElementException nsee) {
-      LOG.warn("Prague definitions require system contract addresses in genesis");
-      throw nsee;
+    if (isPoAConsensus(genesisConfigOptions)) {
+      LOG.debug(
+          "Skipping system contract request processors for PoA consensus (clique/ibft/qbft).");
+    } else {
+      try {
+        RequestContractAddresses requestContractAddresses =
+            RequestContractAddresses.fromGenesis(genesisConfigOptions);
+
+        pragueSpecBuilder.requestProcessorCoordinator(
+            pragueRequestsProcessors(requestContractAddresses));
+      } catch (NoSuchElementException nsee) {
+        LOG.warn("Prague definitions require system contract addresses in genesis");
+        throw nsee;
+      }
     }
 
     return pragueSpecBuilder;
   }
 
+  private static boolean isPoAConsensus(final GenesisConfigOptions genesisConfigOptions) {
+    return genesisConfigOptions.isClique()
+        || genesisConfigOptions.isIbft2()
+        || genesisConfigOptions.isQbft();
+  }
+
   static ProtocolSpecBuilder osakaDefinition(
       final Optional<BigInteger> chainId,
       final boolean enableRevertReason,