diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 02a428b0adad3..01cea5e00bab8 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/docker/docker v20.10.21+incompatible
 	github.com/docker/go-connections v0.4.0
 	github.com/ethereum-optimism/go-ethereum-hdwallet v0.1.3
-	github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.11.4
+	github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.11.5
 	github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.6.0
 	github.com/golang/snappy v0.0.4
 	github.com/google/go-cmp v0.5.9
@@ -189,6 +189,6 @@ require (
 	nhooyr.io/websocket v1.8.7 // indirect
 )
 
-replace github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.11.4 => github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth v1.11.2-de8c5df46.0.20230321002540-11f0554a4313
+replace github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.11.5 => github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth v1.11.2-de8c5df46.0.20230324105532-555b76f39878
 
-//replace github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.11.4 => ../go-ethereum
+//replace github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum v1.11.5 => ../go-ethereum
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index b01f9061f0a0c..8b4ea79a580f9 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -184,8 +184,8 @@ github.com/envoyproxy/protoc-gen-validate v0.1.0/go.mod h1:iSmxcyjqTsJpI2R4NaDN7
 github.com/etcd-io/bbolt v1.3.3/go.mod h1:ZF2nL25h33cCyBtcyWeZ2/I3HQOfTP+0PIEvHjkjCrw=
 github.com/ethereum-optimism/go-ethereum-hdwallet v0.1.3 h1:RWHKLhCrQThMfch+QJ1Z8veEq5ZO3DfIhZ7xgRP9WTc=
 github.com/ethereum-optimism/go-ethereum-hdwallet v0.1.3/go.mod h1:QziizLAiF0KqyLdNJYD7O5cpDlaFMNZzlxYNcWsJUxs=
-github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth v1.11.2-de8c5df46.0.20230321002540-11f0554a4313 h1:dBPc4CEzqmHUeU/Awk7Lw2mAaTc59T5W8CvAr+4YuzU=
-github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth v1.11.2-de8c5df46.0.20230321002540-11f0554a4313/go.mod h1:SGLXBOtu2JlKrNoUG76EatI2uJX/WZRY4nmEyvE9Q38=
+github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth v1.11.2-de8c5df46.0.20230324105532-555b76f39878 h1:pk3lFrP6zay7+jT+yoFAWxvGbP1Z/5lsorimXGrQoxE=
+github.com/ethereum-optimism/op-geth v1.11.2-de8c5df46.0.20230324105532-555b76f39878/go.mod h1:SGLXBOtu2JlKrNoUG76EatI2uJX/WZRY4nmEyvE9Q38=
 github.com/fasthttp-contrib/websocket v0.0.0-20160511215533-1f3b11f56072/go.mod h1:duJ4Jxv5lDcvg4QuQr0oowTf7dz4/CR8NtyCooz9HL8=
 github.com/fatih/structs v1.1.0/go.mod h1:9NiDSp5zOcgEDl+j00MP/WkGVPOlPRLejGD8Ga6PJ7M=
 github.com/fjl/memsize v0.0.1 h1:+zhkb+dhUgx0/e+M8sF0QqiouvMQUiKR+QYvdxIOKcQ=
diff --git a/op-chain-ops/genesis/check.go b/op-chain-ops/genesis/check.go
index ca8105052a155..75eab7f691878 100644
--- a/op-chain-ops/genesis/check.go
+++ b/op-chain-ops/genesis/check.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/rawdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
@@ -320,7 +319,7 @@ func PostCheckPredeploys(prevDB, currDB *state.StateDB) error {
 
 // PostCheckPredeployStorage will ensure that the predeploys had their storage
 // wiped correctly.
-func PostCheckPredeployStorage(db vm.StateDB, finalSystemOwner common.Address, proxyAdminOwner common.Address) error {
+func PostCheckPredeployStorage(db *state.StateDB, finalSystemOwner common.Address, proxyAdminOwner common.Address) error {
 	for name, addr := range predeploys.Predeploys {
 		if addr == nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("nil address in predeploys mapping for %s", name)
@@ -468,7 +467,7 @@ func PostCheckLegacyETH(prevDB, migratedDB *state.StateDB, migrationData crossdo
 }
 
 // PostCheckL1Block checks that the L1Block contract was properly set to the L1 origin.
-func PostCheckL1Block(db vm.StateDB, info *derive.L1BlockInfo) error {
+func PostCheckL1Block(db *state.StateDB, info *derive.L1BlockInfo) error {
 	// Slot 0 is the concatenation of the block number and timestamp
 	data := db.GetState(predeploys.L1BlockAddr, common.Hash{}).Bytes()
 	blockNumber := binary.BigEndian.Uint64(data[24:])
@@ -558,7 +557,7 @@ func PostCheckL1Block(db vm.StateDB, info *derive.L1BlockInfo) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func CheckWithdrawalsAfter(db vm.StateDB, data crossdomain.MigrationData, l1CrossDomainMessenger *common.Address) error {
+func CheckWithdrawalsAfter(db *state.StateDB, data crossdomain.MigrationData, l1CrossDomainMessenger *common.Address) error {
 	wds, invalidMessages, err := data.ToWithdrawals()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/op-e2e/actions/l1_replica.go b/op-e2e/actions/l1_replica.go
index 81c21768841e5..d3d18dec54551 100644
--- a/op-e2e/actions/l1_replica.go
+++ b/op-e2e/actions/l1_replica.go
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ func NewL1Replica(t Testing, log log.Logger, genesis *core.Genesis) *L1Replica {
 
 	backend, err := eth.New(n, ethCfg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
+	backend.Merger().FinalizePoS()
 
 	n.RegisterAPIs(tracers.APIs(backend.APIBackend))
 
diff --git a/op-e2e/geth.go b/op-e2e/geth.go
index 966abafb1f81f..a01b215f2e752 100644
--- a/op-e2e/geth.go
+++ b/op-e2e/geth.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum-optimism/optimism/op-node/rollup/derive"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/keystore"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/beacon/engine"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/cmd/utils"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethclient"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/event"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/miner"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
 )
@@ -112,7 +114,6 @@ func initL1Geth(cfg *SystemConfig, genesis *core.Genesis, opts ...GethOption) (*
 	ethConfig := &ethconfig.Config{
 		NetworkId: cfg.DeployConfig.L1ChainID,
 		Genesis:   genesis,
-		Miner:     miner.Config{Etherbase: cfg.DeployConfig.CliqueSignerAddress},
 	}
 	nodeConfig := &node.Config{
 		Name:        "l1-geth",
@@ -128,44 +129,107 @@ func initL1Geth(cfg *SystemConfig, genesis *core.Genesis, opts ...GethOption) (*
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+	// Activate merge
+	l1Eth.Merger().FinalizePoS()
 
-	// Clique does not have safe/finalized block info. But we do want to test the usage of that,
-	// since post-merge L1 has it (incl. Goerli testnet which is already upgraded). So we mock it on top of clique.
-	l1Node.RegisterLifecycle(&fakeSafeFinalizedL1{
-		eth: l1Eth,
+	// Instead of running a whole beacon node, we run this fake-proof-of-stake sidecar that sequences L1 blocks using the Engine API.
+	l1Node.RegisterLifecycle(&fakePoS{
+		eth:       l1Eth,
+		log:       log.Root(), // geth logger is global anyway. Would be nice to replace with a local logger though.
+		blockTime: cfg.DeployConfig.L1BlockTime,
 		// for testing purposes we make it really fast, otherwise we don't see it finalize in short tests
 		finalizedDistance: 8,
 		safeDistance:      4,
+		engineAPI:         catalyst.NewConsensusAPI(l1Eth),
 	})
 
 	return l1Node, l1Eth, nil
 }
 
-type fakeSafeFinalizedL1 struct {
-	eth               *eth.Ethereum
+// fakePoS is a testing-only utility to attach to Geth,
+// to build a fake proof-of-stake L1 chain with fixed block time and basic lagging safe/finalized blocks.
+type fakePoS struct {
+	eth       *eth.Ethereum
+	log       log.Logger
+	blockTime uint64
+
 	finalizedDistance uint64
 	safeDistance      uint64
-	sub               ethereum.Subscription
-}
 
-var _ node.Lifecycle = (*fakeSafeFinalizedL1)(nil)
+	engineAPI *catalyst.ConsensusAPI
+	sub       ethereum.Subscription
+}
 
-func (f *fakeSafeFinalizedL1) Start() error {
-	headChanges := make(chan core.ChainHeadEvent, 10)
-	headsSub := f.eth.BlockChain().SubscribeChainHeadEvent(headChanges)
+func (f *fakePoS) Start() error {
 	f.sub = event.NewSubscription(func(quit <-chan struct{}) error {
-		defer headsSub.Unsubscribe()
+		// poll every half a second: enough to catch up with any block time when ticks are missed
+		t := time.NewTicker(time.Second / 2)
 		for {
 			select {
-			case head := <-headChanges:
-				num := head.Block.NumberU64()
-				if num > f.finalizedDistance {
-					toFinalize := f.eth.BlockChain().GetHeaderByNumber(num - f.finalizedDistance)
-					f.eth.BlockChain().SetFinalized(toFinalize)
+			case now := <-t.C:
+				chain := f.eth.BlockChain()
+				head := chain.CurrentBlock()
+				finalized := chain.CurrentFinalBlock()
+				if finalized == nil { // fallback to genesis if nothing is finalized
+					finalized = chain.Genesis().Header()
+				}
+				safe := chain.CurrentSafeBlock()
+				if safe == nil { // fallback to finalized if nothing is safe
+					safe = finalized
+				}
+				if head.Number.Uint64() > f.finalizedDistance { // progress finalized block, if we can
+					finalized = f.eth.BlockChain().GetHeaderByNumber(head.Number.Uint64() - f.finalizedDistance)
+				}
+				if head.Number.Uint64() > f.safeDistance { // progress safe block, if we can
+					safe = f.eth.BlockChain().GetHeaderByNumber(head.Number.Uint64() - f.safeDistance)
+				}
+				// start building the block as soon as we are past the current head time
+				if head.Time >= uint64(now.Unix()) {
+					continue
+				}
+				res, err := f.engineAPI.ForkchoiceUpdatedV1(engine.ForkchoiceStateV1{
+					HeadBlockHash:      head.Hash(),
+					SafeBlockHash:      safe.Hash(),
+					FinalizedBlockHash: finalized.Hash(),
+				}, &engine.PayloadAttributes{
+					Timestamp:             head.Time + f.blockTime,
+					Random:                common.Hash{},
+					SuggestedFeeRecipient: head.Coinbase,
+				})
+				if err != nil {
+					f.log.Error("failed to start building L1 block", "err", err)
+					continue
+				}
+				if res.PayloadID == nil {
+					f.log.Error("failed to start block building", "res", res)
+					continue
+				}
+				// wait with sealing, if we are not behind already
+				delay := time.Until(time.Unix(int64(head.Time+f.blockTime), 0))
+				tim := time.NewTimer(delay)
+				select {
+				case <-tim.C:
+					// no-op
+				case <-quit:
+					tim.Stop()
+					return nil
+				}
+				payload, err := f.engineAPI.GetPayloadV1(*res.PayloadID)
+				if err != nil {
+					f.log.Error("failed to finish building L1 block", "err", err)
+					continue
+				}
+				if _, err := f.engineAPI.NewPayloadV1(*payload); err != nil {
+					f.log.Error("failed to insert built L1 block", "err", err)
+					continue
 				}
-				if num > f.safeDistance {
-					toSafe := f.eth.BlockChain().GetHeaderByNumber(num - f.safeDistance)
-					f.eth.BlockChain().SetSafe(toSafe)
+				if _, err := f.engineAPI.ForkchoiceUpdatedV1(engine.ForkchoiceStateV1{
+					HeadBlockHash:      payload.BlockHash,
+					SafeBlockHash:      safe.Hash(),
+					FinalizedBlockHash: finalized.Hash(),
+				}, nil); err != nil {
+					f.log.Error("failed to make built L1 block canonical", "err", err)
+					continue
 				}
 			case <-quit:
 				return nil
@@ -175,7 +239,7 @@ func (f *fakeSafeFinalizedL1) Start() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (f *fakeSafeFinalizedL1) Stop() error {
+func (f *fakePoS) Stop() error {
 	f.sub.Unsubscribe()
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/op-e2e/setup.go b/op-e2e/setup.go
index 015a3e373024f..db7429e205e3f 100644
--- a/op-e2e/setup.go
+++ b/op-e2e/setup.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func DefaultSystemConfig(t *testing.T) SystemConfig {
 
 		L1BlockTime:                 2,
 		L1GenesisBlockNonce:         4660,
-		CliqueSignerAddress:         addresses.CliqueSigner,
+		CliqueSignerAddress:         common.Address{}, // op-e2e used to run Clique, but now uses fake Proof of Stake.
 		L1GenesisBlockTimestamp:     hexutil.Uint64(time.Now().Unix()),
 		L1GenesisBlockGasLimit:      30_000_000,
 		L1GenesisBlockDifficulty:    uint642big(1),
@@ -384,11 +384,6 @@ func (cfg SystemConfig) Start(_opts ...SystemConfigOption) (*System, error) {
 		didErrAfterStart = true
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	err = l1Backend.StartMining(1)
-	if err != nil {
-		didErrAfterStart = true
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	for name, node := range sys.Nodes {
 		if name == "l1" {
 			continue