diff --git a/core/block_validator.go b/core/block_validator.go
index 3704158c11..db7ea35687 100644
--- a/core/block_validator.go
+++ b/core/block_validator.go
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ func (v *BlockValidator) ValidateBody(block *types.Block) error {
 		if hash := types.DeriveSha(block.Withdrawals(), trie.NewStackTrie(nil)); hash != *header.WithdrawalsHash {
 			return fmt.Errorf("withdrawals root hash mismatch (header value %x, calculated %x)", *header.WithdrawalsHash, hash)
 		}
+	} else if block.Withdrawals() != nil {
+		// Withdrawals are not allowed prior to shanghai fork
+		return fmt.Errorf("withdrawals present in block body")
 	}
 
 	if !v.bc.HasBlockAndState(block.ParentHash(), block.NumberU64()-1) {
diff --git a/eth/downloader/queue.go b/eth/downloader/queue.go
index b90f417ea4..dfb7c3e482 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/queue.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/queue.go
@@ -781,14 +781,17 @@ func (q *queue) DeliverBodies(id string, txLists [][]*types.Transaction, txListH
 			return errInvalidBody
 		}
 		if header.WithdrawalsHash == nil {
-			// discard any withdrawals if we don't have a withdrawal hash set
-			withdrawalLists[index] = nil
-		} else if *header.WithdrawalsHash == types.EmptyRootHash && withdrawalLists[index] == nil {
-			// if the withdrawal hash is the emptyRootHash,
-			// we expect withdrawals to be [] instead of nil
-			withdrawalLists[index] = make([]*types.Withdrawal, 0)
-		} else if withdrawalListHashes[index] != *header.WithdrawalsHash {
-			return errInvalidBody
+			// nil hash means there withdrawals should not be present in body
+			if withdrawalLists[index] != nil {
+				return errInvalidBody
+			}
+		} else { // non-nil hash: body must have withdrawals
+			if withdrawalLists[index] == nil {
+				return errInvalidBody
+			}
+			if withdrawalListHashes[index] != *header.WithdrawalsHash {
+				return errInvalidBody
+			}
 		}
 		return nil
 	}