diff --git a/acceptance-tests/dsl/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/dsl/node/ThreadBesuNodeRunner.java b/acceptance-tests/dsl/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/dsl/node/ThreadBesuNodeRunner.java
index 267d6f1f97d..12456d1b152 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/dsl/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/dsl/node/ThreadBesuNodeRunner.java
+++ b/acceptance-tests/dsl/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/dsl/node/ThreadBesuNodeRunner.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
 import java.io.File;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.time.Clock;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -147,8 +148,12 @@ public void startNode(final BesuNode node) {
             .setBootNodes(bootnodes);
     node.getConfiguration().getGenesisConfig().ifPresent(networkConfigBuilder::setGenesisConfig);
     final EthNetworkConfig ethNetworkConfig = networkConfigBuilder.build();
+    final SynchronizerConfiguration synchronizerConfiguration =
+        new SynchronizerConfiguration.Builder().build();
     final BesuControllerBuilder builder =
-        new BesuController.Builder().fromEthNetworkConfig(ethNetworkConfig);
+        new BesuController.Builder()
+            .fromEthNetworkConfig(
+                ethNetworkConfig, Collections.emptyMap(), synchronizerConfiguration.getSyncMode());
 
     final KeyValueStorageProvider storageProvider =
         new KeyValueStorageProviderBuilder()
diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
index 708e92cf03a..21858bd37bb 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.cli.util.CommandLineUtils;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.cli.util.ConfigOptionSearchAndRunHandler;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.cli.util.VersionProvider;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.config.CheckpointConfigOptions;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.GenesisConfigFile;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.GenesisConfigOptions;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.GoQuorumOptions;
@@ -1780,6 +1781,7 @@ private void validateOptions() {
     ensureValidPeerBoundParams();
     validateRpcOptionsParams();
     validateChainDataPruningParams();
+    validatePostMergeCheckpointBlockRequirements();
     p2pTLSConfigOptions.checkP2PTLSOptionsDependencies(logger, commandLine);
     pkiBlockCreationOptions.checkPkiBlockCreationOptionsDependencies(logger, commandLine);
   }
@@ -2003,6 +2005,12 @@ private void issueOptionWarnings() {
         !SyncMode.isFullSync(getDefaultSyncModeIfNotSet(syncMode)),
         singletonList("--fast-sync-min-peers"));
 
+    CommandLineUtils.failIfOptionDoesntMeetRequirement(
+        commandLine,
+        "--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled can only be used with X_CHECKPOINT sync-mode",
+        SyncMode.X_CHECKPOINT.equals(getDefaultSyncModeIfNotSet(syncMode)),
+        singletonList("--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled"));
+
     if (!securityModuleName.equals(DEFAULT_SECURITY_MODULE)
         && nodePrivateKeyFileOption.getNodePrivateKeyFile() != null) {
       logger.warn(
@@ -2156,7 +2164,7 @@ public BesuController buildController() {
   public BesuControllerBuilder getControllerBuilder() {
     final KeyValueStorageProvider storageProvider = keyValueStorageProvider(keyValueStorageName);
     return controllerBuilderFactory
-        .fromEthNetworkConfig(updateNetworkConfig(network), genesisConfigOverrides)
+        .fromEthNetworkConfig(updateNetworkConfig(network), genesisConfigOverrides, syncMode)
         .synchronizerConfiguration(buildSyncConfig())
         .ethProtocolConfiguration(unstableEthProtocolOptions.toDomainObject())
         .dataDirectory(dataDir())
@@ -3344,6 +3352,46 @@ private void setMergeConfigOptions() {
             .isPresent());
   }
 
+  private void validatePostMergeCheckpointBlockRequirements() {
+    final GenesisConfigOptions genesisOptions =
+        Optional.ofNullable(genesisConfigOptions)
+            .orElseGet(
+                () ->
+                    GenesisConfigFile.fromConfig(
+                            genesisConfig(Optional.ofNullable(network).orElse(MAINNET)))
+                        .getConfigOptions(genesisConfigOverrides));
+    final SynchronizerConfiguration synchronizerConfiguration =
+        unstableSynchronizerOptions.toDomainObject().build();
+    final Optional<UInt256> terminalTotalDifficulty = genesisOptions.getTerminalTotalDifficulty();
+    final CheckpointConfigOptions checkpointConfigOptions = genesisOptions.getCheckpointOptions();
+    if (synchronizerConfiguration.isCheckpointPostMergeEnabled()) {
+      if (!checkpointConfigOptions.isValid()) {
+        throw new InvalidConfigurationException(
+            "Near head checkpoint sync requires a checkpoint block configured in the genesis file");
+      }
+      terminalTotalDifficulty.ifPresentOrElse(
+          ttd -> {
+            if (UInt256.fromHexString(
+                        genesisOptions.getCheckpointOptions().getTotalDifficulty().get())
+                    .equals(UInt256.ZERO)
+                && ttd.equals(UInt256.ZERO)) {
+              throw new InvalidConfigurationException(
+                  "Post Merge checkpoint sync can't be used with TTD = 0 and checkpoint totalDifficulty = 0");
+            }
+            if (UInt256.fromHexString(
+                    genesisOptions.getCheckpointOptions().getTotalDifficulty().get())
+                .lessOrEqualThan(ttd)) {
+              throw new InvalidConfigurationException(
+                  "Near head checkpoint sync requires a block with total difficulty greater than the TTD");
+            }
+          },
+          () -> {
+            throw new InvalidConfigurationException(
+                "Near head checkpoint sync requires TTD in the genesis file");
+          });
+    }
+  }
+
   private boolean isMergeEnabled() {
     return MergeConfigOptions.isMergeEnabled();
   }
diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/options/unstable/SynchronizerOptions.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/options/unstable/SynchronizerOptions.java
index 4b125c4c445..0492bd8ba1c 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/options/unstable/SynchronizerOptions.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/options/unstable/SynchronizerOptions.java
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ public class SynchronizerOptions implements CLIOptions<SynchronizerConfiguration
   private static final String SNAP_TRIENODE_COUNT_PER_REQUEST_FLAG =
       "--Xsnapsync-synchronizer-trienode-count-per-request";
 
+  private static final String CHECKPOINT_POST_MERGE_FLAG = "--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled";
+
   @CommandLine.Option(
       names = BLOCK_PROPAGATION_RANGE_FLAG,
       hidden = true,
@@ -272,6 +274,13 @@ public void parseBlockPropagationRange(final String arg) {
   private int snapsyncTrieNodeCountPerRequest =
       SnapSyncConfiguration.DEFAULT_TRIENODE_COUNT_PER_REQUEST;
 
+  @CommandLine.Option(
+      names = {CHECKPOINT_POST_MERGE_FLAG},
+      hidden = true,
+      description = "Enable the sync to start from a post-merge block.")
+  private Boolean checkpointPostMergeSyncEnabled =
+      SynchronizerConfiguration.DEFAULT_CHECKPOINT_POST_MERGE_ENABLED;
+
   private SynchronizerOptions() {}
 
   public static SynchronizerOptions create() {
@@ -308,6 +317,7 @@ public static SynchronizerOptions fromConfig(final SynchronizerConfiguration con
         config.getSnapSyncConfiguration().getBytecodeCountPerRequest();
     options.snapsyncTrieNodeCountPerRequest =
         config.getSnapSyncConfiguration().getTrienodeCountPerRequest();
+    options.checkpointPostMergeSyncEnabled = config.isCheckpointPostMergeEnabled();
     return options;
   }
 
@@ -338,6 +348,7 @@ public SynchronizerConfiguration.Builder toDomainObject() {
             .bytecodeCountPerRequest(snapsyncBytecodeCountPerRequest)
             .trienodeCountPerRequest(snapsyncTrieNodeCountPerRequest)
             .build());
+    builder.checkpointPostMergeEnabled(checkpointPostMergeSyncEnabled);
 
     return builder;
   }
diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuController.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuController.java
index b8e11b58690..7e3062dc54d 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuController.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuController.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  */
 package org.hyperledger.besu.controller;
 
+import static org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode.isCheckpointSync;
+
 import org.hyperledger.besu.cli.config.EthNetworkConfig;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.GenesisConfigFile;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.GenesisConfigOptions;
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.PrivacyParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.Synchronizer;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.manager.EthProtocolManager;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.state.SyncState;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPool;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.ProtocolSchedule;
@@ -41,6 +44,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.apache.tuweni.units.bigints.UInt256;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -171,24 +175,26 @@ public PluginServiceFactory getAdditionalPluginServices() {
 
   public static class Builder {
 
-    public BesuControllerBuilder fromEthNetworkConfig(final EthNetworkConfig ethNetworkConfig) {
-      return fromEthNetworkConfig(ethNetworkConfig, Collections.emptyMap());
-    }
-
     public BesuControllerBuilder fromEthNetworkConfig(
-        final EthNetworkConfig ethNetworkConfig, final Map<String, String> genesisConfigOverrides) {
+        final EthNetworkConfig ethNetworkConfig,
+        final Map<String, String> genesisConfigOverrides,
+        final SyncMode syncMode) {
       return fromGenesisConfig(
               GenesisConfigFile.fromConfig(ethNetworkConfig.getGenesisConfig()),
-              genesisConfigOverrides)
+              genesisConfigOverrides,
+              syncMode)
           .networkId(ethNetworkConfig.getNetworkId());
     }
 
-    public BesuControllerBuilder fromGenesisConfig(final GenesisConfigFile genesisConfig) {
-      return fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfig, Collections.emptyMap());
+    public BesuControllerBuilder fromGenesisConfig(
+        final GenesisConfigFile genesisConfig, final SyncMode syncMode) {
+      return fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfig, Collections.emptyMap(), syncMode);
     }
 
     BesuControllerBuilder fromGenesisConfig(
-        final GenesisConfigFile genesisConfig, final Map<String, String> genesisConfigOverrides) {
+        final GenesisConfigFile genesisConfig,
+        final Map<String, String> genesisConfigOverrides,
+        final SyncMode syncMode) {
       final GenesisConfigOptions configOptions =
           genesisConfig.getConfigOptions(genesisConfigOverrides);
       final BesuControllerBuilder builder;
@@ -213,11 +219,17 @@ BesuControllerBuilder fromGenesisConfig(
 
       // wrap with TransitionBesuControllerBuilder if we have a terminal total difficulty:
       if (configOptions.getTerminalTotalDifficulty().isPresent()) {
-        // TODO this should be changed to vanilla MergeBesuControllerBuilder and the Transition*
-        // series of classes removed after we successfully transition to PoS
-        // https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/issues/2897
-        return new TransitionBesuControllerBuilder(builder, new MergeBesuControllerBuilder())
-            .genesisConfigFile(genesisConfig);
+        // Enable start with vanilla MergeBesuControllerBuilder for PoS checkpoint block
+        if (isCheckpointSync(syncMode) && isCheckpointPoSBlock(configOptions)) {
+          return new MergeBesuControllerBuilder().genesisConfigFile(genesisConfig);
+        } else {
+          // TODO this should be changed to vanilla MergeBesuControllerBuilder and the Transition*
+          // series of classes removed after we successfully transition to PoS
+          // https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/issues/2897
+          return new TransitionBesuControllerBuilder(builder, new MergeBesuControllerBuilder())
+              .genesisConfigFile(genesisConfig);
+        }
+
       } else return builder.genesisConfigFile(genesisConfig);
     }
 
@@ -258,5 +270,13 @@ private Long readQbftStartBlockConfig(final QbftConfigOptions qbftConfigOptions)
 
       return startBlock;
     }
+
+    private boolean isCheckpointPoSBlock(final GenesisConfigOptions configOptions) {
+      final UInt256 terminalTotalDifficulty = configOptions.getTerminalTotalDifficulty().get();
+
+      return configOptions.getCheckpointOptions().isValid()
+          && (UInt256.fromHexString(configOptions.getCheckpointOptions().getTotalDifficulty().get())
+              .greaterThan(terminalTotalDifficulty));
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java
index 9ee618cccd0..78f068d7647 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/MergeBesuControllerBuilder.java
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ protected MergeContext createConsensusContext(
                     .get()
                     .getTerminalTotalDifficulty()
                     .map(Difficulty::of)
-                    .orElse(Difficulty.ZERO));
+                    .orElse(Difficulty.ZERO))
+            .setCheckpointPostMergeSync(syncConfig.isCheckpointPostMergeEnabled());
 
     blockchain
         .getFinalized()
@@ -235,6 +236,13 @@ protected List<PeerValidator> createPeerValidators(final ProtocolSchedule protoc
     return retval;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public BesuController build() {
+    final BesuController controller = super.build();
+    PostMergeContext.get().setSyncState(controller.getSyncState());
+    return controller;
+  }
+
   public TimestampSchedule createTimestampProtocolSchedule() {
     return MergeProtocolSchedule.createTimestamp(
         configOptionsSupplier.get(), privacyParameters, isRevertReasonEnabled);
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyReorgTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyReorgTest.java
index b894d5bb2db..796a450e1fe 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyReorgTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyReorgTest.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.PrivacyParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.Transaction;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.EthProtocolConfiguration;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SynchronizerConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPoolConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.HeaderValidationMode;
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ public void setUp() throws IOException {
 
     besuController =
         new BesuController.Builder()
-            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.development())
+            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.development(), SyncMode.FULL)
             .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
             .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
             .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyTest.java
index c2fc271c205..c58e42107ac 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/PrivacyTest.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.MiningParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.PrivacyParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.EthProtocolConfiguration;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SynchronizerConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPoolConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.privacy.storage.PrivacyStorageProvider;
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ private BesuController setUpControllerWithPrivacyEnabled(final boolean flexibleE
             .setFlexiblePrivacyGroupsEnabled(flexibleEnabled)
             .build();
     return new BesuController.Builder()
-        .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet())
+        .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet(), SyncMode.FULL)
         .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
         .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
         .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainexport/RlpBlockExporterTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainexport/RlpBlockExporterTest.java
index 1e78d15c645..e42df7e2e60 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainexport/RlpBlockExporterTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainexport/RlpBlockExporterTest.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.MiningParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.PrivacyParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.EthProtocolConfiguration;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SynchronizerConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPoolConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.mainnet.ProtocolSchedule;
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ private static Blockchain importBlocks(final BesuController controller, final Pa
   private static BesuController createController() throws IOException {
     final Path dataDir = folder.newFolder().toPath();
     return new BesuController.Builder()
-        .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet())
+        .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet(), SyncMode.FAST)
         .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
         .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
         .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/JsonBlockImporterTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/JsonBlockImporterTest.java
index 4b3c315e72e..de20b222797 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/JsonBlockImporterTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/JsonBlockImporterTest.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.PrivacyParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.Transaction;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.EthProtocolConfiguration;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SynchronizerConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPoolConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.evm.internal.EvmConfiguration;
@@ -413,7 +414,7 @@ protected BesuController createController(final GenesisConfigFile genesisConfigF
       throws IOException {
     final Path dataDir = folder.newFolder().toPath();
     return new BesuController.Builder()
-        .fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile)
+        .fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, SyncMode.FAST)
         .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
         .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
         .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/RlpBlockImporterTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/RlpBlockImporterTest.java
index 6aa682eccd6..ee654327324 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/RlpBlockImporterTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/chainimport/RlpBlockImporterTest.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.MiningParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.core.PrivacyParameters;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.EthProtocolConfiguration;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SynchronizerConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.transactions.TransactionPoolConfiguration;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.evm.internal.EvmConfiguration;
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ public void blockImport() throws IOException {
     BlockTestUtil.write1000Blocks(source);
     final BesuController targetController =
         new BesuController.Builder()
-            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet())
+            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet(), SyncMode.FAST)
             .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
             .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
             .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ public void blockImportRejectsBadPow() throws IOException {
     BlockTestUtil.writeBadPowBlocks(source);
     final BesuController targetController =
         new BesuController.Builder()
-            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet())
+            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet(), SyncMode.FAST)
             .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
             .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
             .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
@@ -125,7 +126,7 @@ public void blockImportCanSkipPow() throws IOException {
     BlockTestUtil.writeBadPowBlocks(source);
     final BesuController targetController =
         new BesuController.Builder()
-            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet())
+            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.mainnet(), SyncMode.FAST)
             .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
             .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
             .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ public void ibftImport() throws IOException {
 
     final BesuController controller =
         new BesuController.Builder()
-            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.fromConfig(config))
+            .fromGenesisConfig(GenesisConfigFile.fromConfig(config), SyncMode.FULL)
             .synchronizerConfiguration(SynchronizerConfiguration.builder().build())
             .ethProtocolConfiguration(EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())
             .storageProvider(new InMemoryKeyValueStorageProvider())
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java
index 98d5e630f82..5c4db3dea38 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommandTest.java
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@
 import java.net.ServerSocket;
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URL;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.nio.file.Paths;
@@ -258,7 +259,8 @@ public void callingBesuCommandWithoutOptionsMustSyncWithDefaultValues() {
     verify(mockRunnerBuilder).rpcMaxLogsRange(eq(1000L));
     verify(mockRunnerBuilder).build();
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(ethNetworkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory)
+        .fromEthNetworkConfig(ethNetworkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     final ArgumentCaptor<MiningParameters> miningArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(MiningParameters.class);
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).synchronizerConfiguration(syncConfigurationCaptor.capture());
@@ -420,7 +422,7 @@ public void overrideDefaultValuesIfKeyIsPresentInConfigFile() throws IOException
             .setDnsDiscoveryUrl(null)
             .build();
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).dataDirectory(eq(dataFolder.toPath()));
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(eq(networkConfig), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(eq(networkConfig), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).synchronizerConfiguration(syncConfigurationCaptor.capture());
 
     assertThat(syncConfigurationCaptor.getValue().getSyncMode()).isEqualTo(SyncMode.FAST);
@@ -966,7 +968,7 @@ public void genesisPathOptionMustBeUsed() throws Exception {
 
     parseCommand("--genesis-file", genesisFile.toString());
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue().getGenesisConfig())
@@ -985,7 +987,7 @@ public void testGenesisPathEthOptions() throws Exception {
 
     parseCommand("--genesis-file", genesisFile.toString());
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1001,7 +1003,7 @@ public void testGenesisPathMainnetEthConfig() throws Exception {
 
     parseCommand("--network", "mainnet");
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1019,7 +1021,7 @@ public void testGenesisPathGoerliEthConfig() {
 
     parseCommand("--network", "goerli");
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1035,7 +1037,7 @@ public void testGenesisPathRinkebyEthConfig() {
 
     parseCommand("--network", "rinkeby");
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1051,7 +1053,7 @@ public void testGenesisPathShandongEthConfig() {
 
     parseCommand("--network", "shandong");
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1094,7 +1096,7 @@ public void testDnsDiscoveryUrlEthConfig() throws Exception {
         "--discovery-dns-url",
         "enrtree://AM5FCQLWIZX2QFPNJAP7VUERCCRNGRHWZG3YYHIUV7BVDQ5FDPRT2@nodes.example.org");
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1114,7 +1116,7 @@ public void testDnsDiscoveryUrlOverridesNetworkEthConfig() throws Exception {
         "--discovery-dns-url",
         "enrtree://AM5FCQLWIZX2QFPNJAP7VUERCCRNGRHWZG3YYHIUV7BVDQ5FDPRT2@nodes.example.org");
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1132,7 +1134,7 @@ public void defaultNetworkIdAndBootnodesForCustomNetworkOptions() throws Excepti
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue().getGenesisConfig())
@@ -1153,7 +1155,7 @@ public void defaultNetworkIdForInvalidGenesisMustBeMainnetNetworkId() throws Exc
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue().getGenesisConfig())
@@ -1309,7 +1311,7 @@ public void loadDiscoveryOptionsFromGenesisFile() throws IOException {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1331,7 +1333,7 @@ public void discoveryDnsUrlCliArgTakesPrecedenceOverGenesisFile() throws IOExcep
 
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -1350,7 +1352,7 @@ public void bootnodesUrlCliArgTakesPrecedenceOverGenesisFile() throws IOExceptio
 
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     final EthNetworkConfig config = networkArg.getValue();
@@ -3910,7 +3912,7 @@ public void devModeOptionMustBeUsed() throws Exception {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(DEV));
@@ -3926,7 +3928,7 @@ public void rinkebyValuesAreUsed() {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(RINKEBY));
@@ -3944,7 +3946,7 @@ public void ropstenValuesAreUsed() {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(ROPSTEN));
@@ -3962,7 +3964,7 @@ public void kilnValuesAreUsed() {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(KILN));
@@ -3980,7 +3982,7 @@ public void goerliValuesAreUsed() {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(GOERLI));
@@ -3998,7 +4000,7 @@ public void sepoliaValuesAreUsed() {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(SEPOLIA));
@@ -4016,7 +4018,7 @@ public void shandongValuesAreUsed() {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(SHANDONG));
@@ -4034,7 +4036,7 @@ public void classicValuesAreUsed() throws Exception {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(CLASSIC));
@@ -4050,7 +4052,7 @@ public void kottiValuesAreUsed() throws Exception {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(KOTTI));
@@ -4066,7 +4068,7 @@ public void mordorValuesAreUsed() throws Exception {
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue()).isEqualTo(EthNetworkConfig.getNetworkConfig(MORDOR));
@@ -4126,7 +4128,7 @@ private void networkValuesCanBeOverridden(final String network) throws Exception
     final ArgumentCaptor<EthNetworkConfig> networkArg =
         ArgumentCaptor.forClass(EthNetworkConfig.class);
 
-    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any());
+    verify(mockControllerBuilderFactory).fromEthNetworkConfig(networkArg.capture(), any(), any());
     verify(mockControllerBuilder).build();
 
     assertThat(networkArg.getValue().getBootNodes())
@@ -5476,4 +5478,83 @@ public void havingRequiredOptionInConfigShouldFail() throws IOException {
         .startsWith(
             "Missing required option: '--accept-terms-and-conditions=<acceptTermsAndConditions>'");
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void checkpointPostMergeShouldFailWhenGenesisHasNoTTD() throws IOException {
+    final String configText =
+        Resources.toString(
+            Resources.getResource("invalid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json"),
+            StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+    final Path genesisFile = createFakeGenesisFile(new JsonObject(configText));
+
+    parseCommand(
+        "--genesis-file",
+        genesisFile.toString(),
+        "--sync-mode",
+        "X_CHECKPOINT",
+        "--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled");
+
+    assertThat(commandOutput.toString(UTF_8)).isEmpty();
+    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString(UTF_8))
+        .contains("Near head checkpoint sync requires TTD in the genesis file");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void checkpointPostMergeShouldFailWhenGenesisUsesCheckpointFromPreMerge() {
+    // using the default genesis which has a checkpoint sync block prior to the merge
+    parseCommand("--sync-mode", "X_CHECKPOINT", "--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled");
+
+    assertThat(commandOutput.toString(UTF_8)).isEmpty();
+    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString(UTF_8))
+        .contains(
+            "Near head checkpoint sync requires a block with total difficulty greater than the TTD");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void checkpointPostMergeShouldFailWhenSyncModeIsNotCheckpoint() {
+
+    parseCommand("--sync-mode", "X_SNAP", "--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled");
+    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString(UTF_8))
+        .contains("--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled can only be used with X_CHECKPOINT sync-mode");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void checkpointPostMergeWithPostMergeBlockSucceeds() throws IOException {
+    final String configText =
+        Resources.toString(
+            Resources.getResource("valid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json"),
+            StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+    final Path genesisFile = createFakeGenesisFile(new JsonObject(configText));
+
+    parseCommand(
+        "--genesis-file",
+        genesisFile.toString(),
+        "--sync-mode",
+        "X_CHECKPOINT",
+        "--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled");
+
+    assertThat(commandOutput.toString(UTF_8)).isEmpty();
+    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString(UTF_8)).isEmpty();
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void checkpointMergeAtGenesisWithGenesisBlockDifficultyZeroFails() throws IOException {
+    final String configText =
+        Resources.toString(
+            Resources.getResource("invalid_post_merge_merge_at_genesis.json"),
+            StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+    final Path genesisFile = createFakeGenesisFile(new JsonObject(configText));
+
+    parseCommand(
+        "--genesis-file",
+        genesisFile.toString(),
+        "--sync-mode",
+        "X_CHECKPOINT",
+        "--Xcheckpoint-post-merge-enabled");
+
+    assertThat(commandOutput.toString(UTF_8)).isEmpty();
+    assertThat(commandErrorOutput.toString(UTF_8))
+        .contains(
+            "Post Merge checkpoint sync can't be used with TTD = 0 and checkpoint totalDifficulty = 0");
+  }
 }
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/CommandTestAbstract.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/CommandTestAbstract.java
index d8076d38ec5..49a0dc6bd23 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/CommandTestAbstract.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/CommandTestAbstract.java
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ public void initMocks() throws Exception {
     // doReturn used because of generic BesuController
     doReturn(mockControllerBuilder)
         .when(mockControllerBuilderFactory)
-        .fromEthNetworkConfig(any(), any());
+        .fromEthNetworkConfig(any(), any(), any());
     when(mockControllerBuilder.synchronizerConfiguration(any())).thenReturn(mockControllerBuilder);
     when(mockControllerBuilder.ethProtocolConfiguration(any())).thenReturn(mockControllerBuilder);
     when(mockControllerBuilder.transactionPoolConfiguration(any()))
diff --git a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerTest.java b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerTest.java
index 8c51bd83a65..97c74238b20 100644
--- a/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerTest.java
+++ b/besu/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/controller/BesuControllerTest.java
@@ -27,11 +27,16 @@
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.GenesisConfigFile;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.GenesisConfigOptions;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.config.QbftConfigOptions;
+import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.eth.sync.SyncMode;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.OptionalLong;
 
+import com.google.common.io.Resources;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.mockito.Mock;
@@ -48,7 +53,8 @@ public class BesuControllerTest {
   @Test
   public void missingQbftStartBlock() {
     mockGenesisConfigForMigration("ibft2", OptionalLong.empty());
-    assertThatThrownBy(() -> new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile))
+    assertThatThrownBy(
+            () -> new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, SyncMode.FULL))
         .isInstanceOf(IllegalStateException.class)
         .hasMessage("Missing QBFT startBlock config in genesis file");
   }
@@ -56,7 +62,8 @@ public void missingQbftStartBlock() {
   @Test
   public void invalidQbftStartBlock() {
     mockGenesisConfigForMigration("ibft2", OptionalLong.of(-1L));
-    assertThatThrownBy(() -> new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile))
+    assertThatThrownBy(
+            () -> new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, SyncMode.FULL))
         .isInstanceOf(IllegalStateException.class)
         .hasMessage("Invalid QBFT startBlock config in genesis file");
   }
@@ -67,7 +74,8 @@ public void invalidConsensusCombination() {
     when(genesisConfigOptions.isConsensusMigration()).thenReturn(true);
     // explicitly not setting isIbftLegacy() or isIbft2() for genesisConfigOptions
 
-    assertThatThrownBy(() -> new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile))
+    assertThatThrownBy(
+            () -> new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, SyncMode.FULL))
         .isInstanceOf(IllegalStateException.class)
         .hasMessage(
             "Invalid genesis migration config. Migration is supported from IBFT (legacy) or IBFT2 to QBFT)");
@@ -79,7 +87,7 @@ public void createConsensusScheduleBesuControllerBuilderWhenMigratingFromIbft2To
     mockGenesisConfigForMigration("ibft2", OptionalLong.of(qbftStartBlock));
 
     final BesuControllerBuilder besuControllerBuilder =
-        new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile);
+        new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, SyncMode.FULL);
 
     assertThat(besuControllerBuilder).isInstanceOf(ConsensusScheduleBesuControllerBuilder.class);
 
@@ -99,7 +107,7 @@ public void createConsensusScheduleBesuControllerBuilderWhenMigratingFromIbftLeg
     mockGenesisConfigForMigration("ibftLegacy", OptionalLong.of(qbftStartBlock));
 
     final BesuControllerBuilder besuControllerBuilder =
-        new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile);
+        new BesuController.Builder().fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, SyncMode.FULL);
 
     assertThat(besuControllerBuilder).isInstanceOf(ConsensusScheduleBesuControllerBuilder.class);
 
@@ -137,4 +145,54 @@ private void mockGenesisConfigForMigration(
     when(genesisConfigOptions.getQbftConfigOptions()).thenReturn(qbftConfigOptions);
     when(qbftConfigOptions.getStartBlock()).thenReturn(startBlock);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void postMergeCheckpointSyncUsesMergeControllerBuilder() throws IOException {
+    final GenesisConfigFile postMergeGenesisFile =
+        GenesisConfigFile.fromConfig(
+            Resources.toString(
+                Resources.getResource("valid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json"),
+                StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
+
+    final BesuControllerBuilder besuControllerBuilder =
+        new BesuController.Builder()
+            .fromGenesisConfig(postMergeGenesisFile, Collections.emptyMap(), SyncMode.X_CHECKPOINT);
+
+    assertThat(besuControllerBuilder).isInstanceOf(MergeBesuControllerBuilder.class);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void postMergeCheckpointSyncWithTotalDifficultyEqualsTTDUsesTransitionControllerBuilder()
+      throws IOException {
+    final GenesisConfigFile mergeAtGenesisFile =
+        GenesisConfigFile.fromConfig(
+            Resources.toString(
+                Resources.getResource(
+                    "invalid_post_merge_checkpoint_total_difficulty_same_as_TTD.json"),
+                StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
+
+    final BesuControllerBuilder besuControllerBuilder =
+        new BesuController.Builder()
+            .fromGenesisConfig(mergeAtGenesisFile, Collections.emptyMap(), SyncMode.X_CHECKPOINT);
+
+    assertThat(besuControllerBuilder).isInstanceOf(TransitionBesuControllerBuilder.class);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void preMergeCheckpointSyncUsesTransitionControllerBuilder() {
+    final BesuControllerBuilder besuControllerBuilder =
+        new BesuController.Builder()
+            .fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, Collections.emptyMap(), SyncMode.X_CHECKPOINT);
+
+    assertThat(besuControllerBuilder).isInstanceOf(TransitionBesuControllerBuilder.class);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void nonCheckpointSyncUsesTransitionControllerBuild() {
+    final BesuControllerBuilder besuControllerBuilder =
+        new BesuController.Builder()
+            .fromGenesisConfig(genesisConfigFile, Collections.emptyMap(), SyncMode.X_SNAP);
+
+    assertThat(besuControllerBuilder).isInstanceOf(TransitionBesuControllerBuilder.class);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_checkpoint_total_difficulty_same_as_TTD.json b/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_checkpoint_total_difficulty_same_as_TTD.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..116063bcba0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_checkpoint_total_difficulty_same_as_TTD.json
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+{
+  "config": {
+    "chainId": 1,
+    "homesteadBlock": 1150000,
+    "daoForkBlock": 1920000,
+    "eip150Block": 2463000,
+    "eip158Block": 2675000,
+    "byzantiumBlock": 4370000,
+    "petersburgBlock": 7280000,
+    "istanbulBlock": 9069000,
+    "muirGlacierBlock": 9200000,
+    "berlinBlock": 12244000,
+    "londonBlock": 12965000,
+    "arrowGlacierBlock": 13773000,
+    "grayGlacierBlock": 15050000,
+    "terminalTotalDifficulty": 58750000000000000000000,
+    "ethash": {
+    },
+    "discovery": {
+      "dns": "enrtree://AKA3AM6LPBYEUDMVNU3BSVQJ5AD45Y7YPOHJLEF6W26QOE4VTUDPE@all.mainnet.ethdisco.net",
+      "bootnodes": [
+        "enode://d860a01f9722d78051619d1e2351aba3f43f943f6f00718d1b9baa4101932a1f5011f16bb2b1bb35db20d6fe28fa0bf09636d26a87d31de9ec6203eeedb1f666@18.138.108.67:30303",
+        "enode://22a8232c3abc76a16ae9d6c3b164f98775fe226f0917b0ca871128a74a8e9630b458460865bab457221f1d448dd9791d24c4e5d88786180ac185df813a68d4de@3.209.45.79:30303",
+        "enode://8499da03c47d637b20eee24eec3c356c9a2e6148d6fe25ca195c7949ab8ec2c03e3556126b0d7ed644675e78c4318b08691b7b57de10e5f0d40d05b09238fa0a@52.187.207.27:30303",
+        "enode://103858bdb88756c71f15e9b5e09b56dc1be52f0a5021d46301dbbfb7e130029cc9d0d6f73f693bc29b665770fff7da4d34f3c6379fe12721b5d7a0bcb5ca1fc1@191.234.162.198:30303",
+        "enode://715171f50508aba88aecd1250af392a45a330af91d7b90701c436b618c86aaa1589c9184561907bebbb56439b8f8787bc01f49a7c77276c58c1b09822d75e8e8@52.231.165.108:30303",
+        "enode://5d6d7cd20d6da4bb83a1d28cadb5d409b64edf314c0335df658c1a54e32c7c4a7ab7823d57c39b6a757556e68ff1df17c748b698544a55cb488b52479a92b60f@104.42.217.25:30303",
+        "enode://2b252ab6a1d0f971d9722cb839a42cb81db019ba44c08754628ab4a823487071b5695317c8ccd085219c3a03af063495b2f1da8d18218da2d6a82981b45e6ffc@65.108.70.101:30303",
+        "enode://4aeb4ab6c14b23e2c4cfdce879c04b0748a20d8e9b59e25ded2a08143e265c6c25936e74cbc8e641e3312ca288673d91f2f93f8e277de3cfa444ecdaaf982052@157.90.35.166:30303",
+        "enode://a979fb575495b8d6db44f750317d0f4622bf4c2aa3365d6af7c284339968eef29b69ad0dce72a4d8db5ebb4968de0e3bec910127f134779fbcb0cb6d3331163c@52.16.188.185:30303",
+        "enode://3f1d12044546b76342d59d4a05532c14b85aa669704bfe1f864fe079415aa2c02d743e03218e57a33fb94523adb54032871a6c51b2cc5514cb7c7e35b3ed0a99@13.93.211.84:30303",
+        "enode://78de8a0916848093c73790ead81d1928bec737d565119932b98c6b100d944b7a95e94f847f689fc723399d2e31129d182f7ef3863f2b4c820abbf3ab2722344d@191.235.84.50:30303",
+        "enode://158f8aab45f6d19c6cbf4a089c2670541a8da11978a2f90dbf6a502a4a3bab80d288afdbeb7ec0ef6d92de563767f3b1ea9e8e334ca711e9f8e2df5a0385e8e6@13.75.154.138:30303",
+        "enode://1118980bf48b0a3640bdba04e0fe78b1add18e1cd99bf22d53daac1fd9972ad650df52176e7c7d89d1114cfef2bc23a2959aa54998a46afcf7d91809f0855082@52.74.57.123:30303",
+        "enode://979b7fa28feeb35a4741660a16076f1943202cb72b6af70d327f053e248bab9ba81760f39d0701ef1d8f89cc1fbd2cacba0710a12cd5314d5e0c9021aa3637f9@5.1.83.226:30303"
+      ]
+    },
+    "checkpoint": {
+      "hash": "0x186642d6084eb7799cb01c7eb69c1a7f3b2c32cd141e62d309f30081a1ea3c91",
+      "number": 16015954,
+      "totalDifficulty": "0xC70D808A128D7380000"
+    }
+  },
+  "nonce": "0x42",
+  "timestamp": "0x0",
+  "extraData": "0x11bbe8db4e347b4e8c937c1c8370e4b5ed33adb3db69cbdb7a38e1e50b1b82fa",
+  "gasLimit": "0x1388",
+  "difficulty": "0x400000000",
+  "mixHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "coinbase": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "alloc": {
+    "000d836201318ec6899a67540690382780743280": {
+      "balance": "0xad78ebc5ac6200000"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_merge_at_genesis.json b/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_merge_at_genesis.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..10e70cf4438
--- /dev/null
+++ b/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_merge_at_genesis.json
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+{
+  "config": {
+    "chainId": 1,
+    "homesteadBlock": 0,
+    "daoForkBlock": 0,
+    "eip150Block": 0,
+    "eip158Block": 0,
+    "byzantiumBlock": 0,
+    "petersburgBlock": 0,
+    "istanbulBlock": 0,
+    "muirGlacierBlock": 0,
+    "berlinBlock": 0,
+    "londonBlock": 0,
+    "arrowGlacierBlock": 0,
+    "grayGlacierBlock": 0,
+    "terminalTotalDifficulty": 0,
+    "ethash": {
+    },
+    "discovery": {
+      "dns": "enrtree://AKA3AM6LPBYEUDMVNU3BSVQJ5AD45Y7YPOHJLEF6W26QOE4VTUDPE@all.mainnet.ethdisco.net",
+      "bootnodes": [
+        "enode://d860a01f9722d78051619d1e2351aba3f43f943f6f00718d1b9baa4101932a1f5011f16bb2b1bb35db20d6fe28fa0bf09636d26a87d31de9ec6203eeedb1f666@18.138.108.67:30303",
+        "enode://22a8232c3abc76a16ae9d6c3b164f98775fe226f0917b0ca871128a74a8e9630b458460865bab457221f1d448dd9791d24c4e5d88786180ac185df813a68d4de@3.209.45.79:30303",
+        "enode://8499da03c47d637b20eee24eec3c356c9a2e6148d6fe25ca195c7949ab8ec2c03e3556126b0d7ed644675e78c4318b08691b7b57de10e5f0d40d05b09238fa0a@52.187.207.27:30303",
+        "enode://103858bdb88756c71f15e9b5e09b56dc1be52f0a5021d46301dbbfb7e130029cc9d0d6f73f693bc29b665770fff7da4d34f3c6379fe12721b5d7a0bcb5ca1fc1@191.234.162.198:30303",
+        "enode://715171f50508aba88aecd1250af392a45a330af91d7b90701c436b618c86aaa1589c9184561907bebbb56439b8f8787bc01f49a7c77276c58c1b09822d75e8e8@52.231.165.108:30303",
+        "enode://5d6d7cd20d6da4bb83a1d28cadb5d409b64edf314c0335df658c1a54e32c7c4a7ab7823d57c39b6a757556e68ff1df17c748b698544a55cb488b52479a92b60f@104.42.217.25:30303",
+        "enode://2b252ab6a1d0f971d9722cb839a42cb81db019ba44c08754628ab4a823487071b5695317c8ccd085219c3a03af063495b2f1da8d18218da2d6a82981b45e6ffc@65.108.70.101:30303",
+        "enode://4aeb4ab6c14b23e2c4cfdce879c04b0748a20d8e9b59e25ded2a08143e265c6c25936e74cbc8e641e3312ca288673d91f2f93f8e277de3cfa444ecdaaf982052@157.90.35.166:30303",
+        "enode://a979fb575495b8d6db44f750317d0f4622bf4c2aa3365d6af7c284339968eef29b69ad0dce72a4d8db5ebb4968de0e3bec910127f134779fbcb0cb6d3331163c@52.16.188.185:30303",
+        "enode://3f1d12044546b76342d59d4a05532c14b85aa669704bfe1f864fe079415aa2c02d743e03218e57a33fb94523adb54032871a6c51b2cc5514cb7c7e35b3ed0a99@13.93.211.84:30303",
+        "enode://78de8a0916848093c73790ead81d1928bec737d565119932b98c6b100d944b7a95e94f847f689fc723399d2e31129d182f7ef3863f2b4c820abbf3ab2722344d@191.235.84.50:30303",
+        "enode://158f8aab45f6d19c6cbf4a089c2670541a8da11978a2f90dbf6a502a4a3bab80d288afdbeb7ec0ef6d92de563767f3b1ea9e8e334ca711e9f8e2df5a0385e8e6@13.75.154.138:30303",
+        "enode://1118980bf48b0a3640bdba04e0fe78b1add18e1cd99bf22d53daac1fd9972ad650df52176e7c7d89d1114cfef2bc23a2959aa54998a46afcf7d91809f0855082@52.74.57.123:30303",
+        "enode://979b7fa28feeb35a4741660a16076f1943202cb72b6af70d327f053e248bab9ba81760f39d0701ef1d8f89cc1fbd2cacba0710a12cd5314d5e0c9021aa3637f9@5.1.83.226:30303"
+      ]
+    },
+    "checkpoint": {
+      "hash": "0x186642d6084eb7799cb01c7eb69c1a7f3b2c32cd141e62d309f30081a1ea3c91",
+      "number": 1,
+      "totalDifficulty": "0x0"
+    }
+  },
+  "nonce": "0x42",
+  "timestamp": "0x0",
+  "extraData": "0x11bbe8db4e347b4e8c937c1c8370e4b5ed33adb3db69cbdb7a38e1e50b1b82fa",
+  "gasLimit": "0x1388",
+  "difficulty": "0x0",
+  "mixHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "coinbase": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "alloc": {
+    "000d836201318ec6899a67540690382780743280": {
+      "balance": "0xad78ebc5ac6200000"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json b/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cc5f4c054fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/besu/src/test/resources/invalid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+{
+  "config": {
+    "chainId": 1,
+    "homesteadBlock": 1150000,
+    "daoForkBlock": 1920000,
+    "eip150Block": 2463000,
+    "eip158Block": 2675000,
+    "byzantiumBlock": 4370000,
+    "petersburgBlock": 7280000,
+    "istanbulBlock": 9069000,
+    "muirGlacierBlock": 9200000,
+    "berlinBlock": 12244000,
+    "londonBlock": 12965000,
+    "arrowGlacierBlock": 13773000,
+    "grayGlacierBlock": 15050000,
+    "ethash": {
+    },
+    "discovery": {
+      "dns": "enrtree://AKA3AM6LPBYEUDMVNU3BSVQJ5AD45Y7YPOHJLEF6W26QOE4VTUDPE@all.mainnet.ethdisco.net",
+      "bootnodes": [
+        "enode://d860a01f9722d78051619d1e2351aba3f43f943f6f00718d1b9baa4101932a1f5011f16bb2b1bb35db20d6fe28fa0bf09636d26a87d31de9ec6203eeedb1f666@18.138.108.67:30303",
+        "enode://22a8232c3abc76a16ae9d6c3b164f98775fe226f0917b0ca871128a74a8e9630b458460865bab457221f1d448dd9791d24c4e5d88786180ac185df813a68d4de@3.209.45.79:30303",
+        "enode://8499da03c47d637b20eee24eec3c356c9a2e6148d6fe25ca195c7949ab8ec2c03e3556126b0d7ed644675e78c4318b08691b7b57de10e5f0d40d05b09238fa0a@52.187.207.27:30303",
+        "enode://103858bdb88756c71f15e9b5e09b56dc1be52f0a5021d46301dbbfb7e130029cc9d0d6f73f693bc29b665770fff7da4d34f3c6379fe12721b5d7a0bcb5ca1fc1@191.234.162.198:30303",
+        "enode://715171f50508aba88aecd1250af392a45a330af91d7b90701c436b618c86aaa1589c9184561907bebbb56439b8f8787bc01f49a7c77276c58c1b09822d75e8e8@52.231.165.108:30303",
+        "enode://5d6d7cd20d6da4bb83a1d28cadb5d409b64edf314c0335df658c1a54e32c7c4a7ab7823d57c39b6a757556e68ff1df17c748b698544a55cb488b52479a92b60f@104.42.217.25:30303",
+        "enode://2b252ab6a1d0f971d9722cb839a42cb81db019ba44c08754628ab4a823487071b5695317c8ccd085219c3a03af063495b2f1da8d18218da2d6a82981b45e6ffc@65.108.70.101:30303",
+        "enode://4aeb4ab6c14b23e2c4cfdce879c04b0748a20d8e9b59e25ded2a08143e265c6c25936e74cbc8e641e3312ca288673d91f2f93f8e277de3cfa444ecdaaf982052@157.90.35.166:30303",
+        "enode://a979fb575495b8d6db44f750317d0f4622bf4c2aa3365d6af7c284339968eef29b69ad0dce72a4d8db5ebb4968de0e3bec910127f134779fbcb0cb6d3331163c@52.16.188.185:30303",
+        "enode://3f1d12044546b76342d59d4a05532c14b85aa669704bfe1f864fe079415aa2c02d743e03218e57a33fb94523adb54032871a6c51b2cc5514cb7c7e35b3ed0a99@13.93.211.84:30303",
+        "enode://78de8a0916848093c73790ead81d1928bec737d565119932b98c6b100d944b7a95e94f847f689fc723399d2e31129d182f7ef3863f2b4c820abbf3ab2722344d@191.235.84.50:30303",
+        "enode://158f8aab45f6d19c6cbf4a089c2670541a8da11978a2f90dbf6a502a4a3bab80d288afdbeb7ec0ef6d92de563767f3b1ea9e8e334ca711e9f8e2df5a0385e8e6@13.75.154.138:30303",
+        "enode://1118980bf48b0a3640bdba04e0fe78b1add18e1cd99bf22d53daac1fd9972ad650df52176e7c7d89d1114cfef2bc23a2959aa54998a46afcf7d91809f0855082@52.74.57.123:30303",
+        "enode://979b7fa28feeb35a4741660a16076f1943202cb72b6af70d327f053e248bab9ba81760f39d0701ef1d8f89cc1fbd2cacba0710a12cd5314d5e0c9021aa3637f9@5.1.83.226:30303"
+      ]
+    },
+    "checkpoint": {
+      "hash": "0x186642d6084eb7799cb01c7eb69c1a7f3b2c32cd141e62d309f30081a1ea3c91",
+      "number": 16015954,
+      "totalDifficulty": "0xC70D815D562D3CFA955"
+    }
+  },
+  "nonce": "0x42",
+  "timestamp": "0x0",
+  "extraData": "0x11bbe8db4e347b4e8c937c1c8370e4b5ed33adb3db69cbdb7a38e1e50b1b82fa",
+  "gasLimit": "0x1388",
+  "difficulty": "0x400000000",
+  "mixHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "coinbase": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "alloc": {
+    "000d836201318ec6899a67540690382780743280": {
+      "balance": "0xad78ebc5ac6200000"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/besu/src/test/resources/valid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json b/besu/src/test/resources/valid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..074e8577481
--- /dev/null
+++ b/besu/src/test/resources/valid_post_merge_near_head_checkpoint.json
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+{
+  "config": {
+    "chainId": 1,
+    "homesteadBlock": 1150000,
+    "daoForkBlock": 1920000,
+    "eip150Block": 2463000,
+    "eip158Block": 2675000,
+    "byzantiumBlock": 4370000,
+    "petersburgBlock": 7280000,
+    "istanbulBlock": 9069000,
+    "muirGlacierBlock": 9200000,
+    "berlinBlock": 12244000,
+    "londonBlock": 12965000,
+    "arrowGlacierBlock": 13773000,
+    "grayGlacierBlock": 15050000,
+    "terminalTotalDifficulty": 58750000000000000000000,
+    "ethash": {
+    },
+    "discovery": {
+      "dns": "enrtree://AKA3AM6LPBYEUDMVNU3BSVQJ5AD45Y7YPOHJLEF6W26QOE4VTUDPE@all.mainnet.ethdisco.net",
+      "bootnodes": [
+        "enode://d860a01f9722d78051619d1e2351aba3f43f943f6f00718d1b9baa4101932a1f5011f16bb2b1bb35db20d6fe28fa0bf09636d26a87d31de9ec6203eeedb1f666@18.138.108.67:30303",
+        "enode://22a8232c3abc76a16ae9d6c3b164f98775fe226f0917b0ca871128a74a8e9630b458460865bab457221f1d448dd9791d24c4e5d88786180ac185df813a68d4de@3.209.45.79:30303",
+        "enode://8499da03c47d637b20eee24eec3c356c9a2e6148d6fe25ca195c7949ab8ec2c03e3556126b0d7ed644675e78c4318b08691b7b57de10e5f0d40d05b09238fa0a@52.187.207.27:30303",
+        "enode://103858bdb88756c71f15e9b5e09b56dc1be52f0a5021d46301dbbfb7e130029cc9d0d6f73f693bc29b665770fff7da4d34f3c6379fe12721b5d7a0bcb5ca1fc1@191.234.162.198:30303",
+        "enode://715171f50508aba88aecd1250af392a45a330af91d7b90701c436b618c86aaa1589c9184561907bebbb56439b8f8787bc01f49a7c77276c58c1b09822d75e8e8@52.231.165.108:30303",
+        "enode://5d6d7cd20d6da4bb83a1d28cadb5d409b64edf314c0335df658c1a54e32c7c4a7ab7823d57c39b6a757556e68ff1df17c748b698544a55cb488b52479a92b60f@104.42.217.25:30303",
+        "enode://2b252ab6a1d0f971d9722cb839a42cb81db019ba44c08754628ab4a823487071b5695317c8ccd085219c3a03af063495b2f1da8d18218da2d6a82981b45e6ffc@65.108.70.101:30303",
+        "enode://4aeb4ab6c14b23e2c4cfdce879c04b0748a20d8e9b59e25ded2a08143e265c6c25936e74cbc8e641e3312ca288673d91f2f93f8e277de3cfa444ecdaaf982052@157.90.35.166:30303",
+        "enode://a979fb575495b8d6db44f750317d0f4622bf4c2aa3365d6af7c284339968eef29b69ad0dce72a4d8db5ebb4968de0e3bec910127f134779fbcb0cb6d3331163c@52.16.188.185:30303",
+        "enode://3f1d12044546b76342d59d4a05532c14b85aa669704bfe1f864fe079415aa2c02d743e03218e57a33fb94523adb54032871a6c51b2cc5514cb7c7e35b3ed0a99@13.93.211.84:30303",
+        "enode://78de8a0916848093c73790ead81d1928bec737d565119932b98c6b100d944b7a95e94f847f689fc723399d2e31129d182f7ef3863f2b4c820abbf3ab2722344d@191.235.84.50:30303",
+        "enode://158f8aab45f6d19c6cbf4a089c2670541a8da11978a2f90dbf6a502a4a3bab80d288afdbeb7ec0ef6d92de563767f3b1ea9e8e334ca711e9f8e2df5a0385e8e6@13.75.154.138:30303",
+        "enode://1118980bf48b0a3640bdba04e0fe78b1add18e1cd99bf22d53daac1fd9972ad650df52176e7c7d89d1114cfef2bc23a2959aa54998a46afcf7d91809f0855082@52.74.57.123:30303",
+        "enode://979b7fa28feeb35a4741660a16076f1943202cb72b6af70d327f053e248bab9ba81760f39d0701ef1d8f89cc1fbd2cacba0710a12cd5314d5e0c9021aa3637f9@5.1.83.226:30303"
+      ]
+    },
+    "checkpoint": {
+      "hash": "0x186642d6084eb7799cb01c7eb69c1a7f3b2c32cd141e62d309f30081a1ea3c91",
+      "number": 16015954,
+      "totalDifficulty": "0xC70D815D562D3CFA955"
+    }
+  },
+  "nonce": "0x42",
+  "timestamp": "0x0",
+  "extraData": "0x11bbe8db4e347b4e8c937c1c8370e4b5ed33adb3db69cbdb7a38e1e50b1b82fa",
+  "gasLimit": "0x1388",
+  "difficulty": "0x400000000",
+  "mixHash": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "coinbase": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
+  "alloc": {
+    "000d836201318ec6899a67540690382780743280": {
+      "balance": "0xad78ebc5ac6200000"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/MergeContext.java b/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/MergeContext.java
index c1c217788fb..1b75233b750 100644
--- a/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/MergeContext.java
+++ b/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/MergeContext.java
@@ -71,4 +71,6 @@ default void setIsChainPruningEnabled(final boolean isChainPruningEnabled) {}
   default boolean isChainPruningEnabled() {
     return false;
   }
+
+  boolean isCheckpointPostMergeSync();
 }
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..069f26fa66c 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
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ public class PostMergeContext implements MergeContext {
   private final AtomicReference<BlockHeader> lastSafeBlock = new AtomicReference<>();
   private final AtomicReference<Optional<BlockHeader>> terminalPoWBlock =
       new AtomicReference<>(Optional.empty());
+  private boolean isCheckpointPostMergeSync;
 
   // TODO: cleanup - isChainPruningEnabled will not be required after
   // https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/pull/4703 is merged.
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ public class PostMergeContext implements MergeContext {
   PostMergeContext(final Difficulty difficulty) {
     this.terminalTotalDifficulty = new AtomicReference<>(difficulty);
     this.syncState = new AtomicReference<>();
+    this.isCheckpointPostMergeSync = false;
   }
 
   public static PostMergeContext get() {
@@ -139,7 +141,9 @@ 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
@@ -279,4 +283,14 @@ public void setIsChainPruningEnabled(final boolean isChainPruningEnabled) {
   public boolean isChainPruningEnabled() {
     return isChainPruningEnabled;
   }
+
+  public PostMergeContext setCheckpointPostMergeSync(final boolean isCheckpointPostMergeSync) {
+    this.isCheckpointPostMergeSync = isCheckpointPostMergeSync;
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isCheckpointPostMergeSync() {
+    return this.isCheckpointPostMergeSync;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/TransitionContext.java b/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/TransitionContext.java
index 7de58dfb8dc..b10d38bbe81 100644
--- a/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/TransitionContext.java
+++ b/consensus/merge/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/merge/TransitionContext.java
@@ -139,4 +139,9 @@ public void putPayloadById(final PayloadIdentifier payloadId, final Block block)
   public Optional<Block> retrieveBlockById(final PayloadIdentifier payloadId) {
     return postMergeContext.retrieveBlockById(payloadId);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isCheckpointPostMergeSync() {
+    return false;
+  }
 }
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<>();
 
diff --git a/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineForkchoiceUpdated.java b/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineForkchoiceUpdated.java
index 787c3509071..f1f269f0a74 100644
--- a/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineForkchoiceUpdated.java
+++ b/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineForkchoiceUpdated.java
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ public JsonRpcResponse syncResponse(final JsonRpcRequestContext requestContext)
     }
 
     // TODO: post-merge cleanup, this should be unnecessary after merge
-    if (!mergeCoordinator.latestValidAncestorDescendsFromTerminal(newHead)
+    if (!mergeContext.get().isCheckpointPostMergeSync()
+        && !mergeCoordinator.latestValidAncestorDescendsFromTerminal(newHead)
         && !mergeContext.get().isChainPruningEnabled()) {
       logForkchoiceUpdatedCall(INVALID, forkChoice);
       return new JsonRpcSuccessResponse(
diff --git a/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineNewPayload.java b/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineNewPayload.java
index ff3c8eab554..cf65ee18bef 100644
--- a/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineNewPayload.java
+++ b/ethereum/api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/api/jsonrpc/internal/methods/engine/EngineNewPayload.java
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ public JsonRpcResponse syncResponse(final JsonRpcRequestContext requestContext)
     }
 
     // TODO: post-merge cleanup
-    if (!mergeCoordinator.latestValidAncestorDescendsFromTerminal(newBlockHeader)
+    if (!mergeContext.get().isCheckpointPostMergeSync()
+        && !mergeCoordinator.latestValidAncestorDescendsFromTerminal(newBlockHeader)
         && !mergeContext.get().isChainPruningEnabled()) {
       mergeCoordinator.addBadBlock(block, Optional.empty());
       return respondWithInvalid(
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SyncMode.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SyncMode.java
index fd3aa264b8c..7aaa1ba07e3 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SyncMode.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SyncMode.java
@@ -40,4 +40,8 @@ public String normalize() {
   public static boolean isFullSync(final SyncMode syncMode) {
     return !EnumSet.of(SyncMode.FAST, SyncMode.X_SNAP, SyncMode.X_CHECKPOINT).contains(syncMode);
   }
+
+  public static boolean isCheckpointSync(final SyncMode syncMode) {
+    return syncMode.equals(X_CHECKPOINT);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SynchronizerConfiguration.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SynchronizerConfiguration.java
index 4077ec5f6f9..ee542b1b0f7 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SynchronizerConfiguration.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/sync/SynchronizerConfiguration.java
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ public class SynchronizerConfiguration {
   public static final long DEFAULT_PROPAGATION_MANAGER_GET_BLOCK_TIMEOUT_MILLIS =
       TimeUnit.SECONDS.toMillis(60);
 
+  public static final boolean DEFAULT_CHECKPOINT_POST_MERGE_ENABLED = false;
+
   // Fast sync config
   private final int fastSyncPivotDistance;
   private final float fastSyncFullValidationRate;
@@ -68,6 +70,9 @@ public class SynchronizerConfiguration {
   // General config
   private final SyncMode syncMode;
 
+  // Near head Checkpoint sync
+  private final boolean checkpointPostMergeEnabled;
+
   // Downloader config
   private final long downloaderChangeTargetThresholdByHeight;
   private final UInt256 downloaderChangeTargetThresholdByTd;
@@ -102,7 +107,8 @@ private SynchronizerConfiguration(
       final int transactionsParallelism,
       final int computationParallelism,
       final int maxTrailingPeers,
-      final long propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis) {
+      final long propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis,
+      final boolean checkpointPostMergeEnabled) {
     this.fastSyncPivotDistance = fastSyncPivotDistance;
     this.fastSyncFullValidationRate = fastSyncFullValidationRate;
     this.fastSyncMinimumPeerCount = fastSyncMinimumPeerCount;
@@ -124,6 +130,7 @@ private SynchronizerConfiguration(
     this.computationParallelism = computationParallelism;
     this.maxTrailingPeers = maxTrailingPeers;
     this.propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis = propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis;
+    this.checkpointPostMergeEnabled = checkpointPostMergeEnabled;
   }
 
   public static Builder builder() {
@@ -139,6 +146,10 @@ public SyncMode getSyncMode() {
     return syncMode;
   }
 
+  public boolean isCheckpointPostMergeEnabled() {
+    return checkpointPostMergeEnabled;
+  }
+
   /**
    * All the configuration related to snapsync
    *
@@ -271,6 +282,7 @@ public static class Builder {
 
     private long propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis =
         DEFAULT_PROPAGATION_MANAGER_GET_BLOCK_TIMEOUT_MILLIS;
+    private boolean checkpointPostMergeEnabled = DEFAULT_CHECKPOINT_POST_MERGE_ENABLED;
 
     public Builder fastSyncPivotDistance(final int distance) {
       fastSyncPivotDistance = distance;
@@ -389,6 +401,11 @@ public Builder propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis(
       return this;
     }
 
+    public Builder checkpointPostMergeEnabled(final boolean checkpointPostMergeEnabled) {
+      this.checkpointPostMergeEnabled = checkpointPostMergeEnabled;
+      return this;
+    }
+
     public SynchronizerConfiguration build() {
       return new SynchronizerConfiguration(
           fastSyncPivotDistance,
@@ -411,7 +428,8 @@ public SynchronizerConfiguration build() {
           transactionsParallelism,
           computationParallelism,
           maxTrailingPeers,
-          propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis);
+          propagationManagerGetBlockTimeoutMillis,
+          checkpointPostMergeEnabled);
     }
   }
 }