diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fa4ce82bc8d..d4c52a56ba7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 ## 23.1
 
+### Additions and Improvements
+- Add access list to Transaction Call Object [#4802](https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/issues/4801)
+
 ### Breaking Changes
 - GoQuorum-compatible privacy is deprecated and will be removed in 23.4
 - IBFT 1.0 is deprecated and will be removed in 23.4
diff --git a/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContext.java b/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContext.java
index c1f87fe846f..a05dc40c274 100644
--- a/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContext.java
+++ b/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContext.java
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ public boolean isSyncing() {
     return Optional.ofNullable(syncState.get()).map(s -> !s.isInSync()).orElse(Boolean.TRUE)
         // this is necessary for when we do not have a sync target yet, like at startup.
         // not being stopped at ttd implies we are syncing.
-        && !syncState.get().hasReachedTerminalDifficulty().orElse(Boolean.FALSE);
+        && Optional.ofNullable(syncState.get())
+            .map(s -> !(s.hasReachedTerminalDifficulty().orElse(Boolean.FALSE)))
+            .orElse(Boolean.TRUE);
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContextTest.java b/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContextTest.java
index fe9af337ecd..8a88d12d2e1 100644
--- a/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContextTest.java
+++ b/consensus/merge/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/PostMergeContextTest.java
@@ -202,6 +202,32 @@ public void tryingToRetrieveABlockPutButEvictedReturnsEmpty() {
     assertThat(postMergeContext.retrieveBlockById(evictedPayloadId)).isEmpty();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void syncStateNullShouldNotThrowWhenIsSyncingIsCalled() {
+    // simulate a possible syncState null when we still have got a syncState set yet.
+    postMergeContext.setSyncState(null);
+    assertThat(postMergeContext.isSyncing()).isTrue();
+
+    // after setting a syncState things should progress as expected.
+    postMergeContext.setSyncState(mockSyncState);
+
+    // Assuming we're not in sync
+    when(mockSyncState.isInSync()).thenReturn(Boolean.FALSE);
+
+    when(mockSyncState.hasReachedTerminalDifficulty()).thenReturn(Optional.empty());
+    assertThat(postMergeContext.isSyncing()).isTrue();
+
+    when(mockSyncState.hasReachedTerminalDifficulty()).thenReturn(Optional.of(Boolean.FALSE));
+    assertThat(postMergeContext.isSyncing()).isTrue();
+
+    when(mockSyncState.hasReachedTerminalDifficulty()).thenReturn(Optional.of(Boolean.TRUE));
+    assertThat(postMergeContext.isSyncing()).isFalse();
+
+    // if we're in sync reached ttd does not matter anymore
+    when(mockSyncState.isInSync()).thenReturn(Boolean.TRUE);
+    assertThat(postMergeContext.isSyncing()).isFalse();
+  }
+
   private static class MergeStateChangeCollector implements MergeStateHandler {
     final List<Boolean> stateChanges = new ArrayList<>();