diff --git a/src/ethereum_spec_tools/evm_tools/fixture_loader.py b/src/ethereum_spec_tools/evm_tools/fixture_loader.py
index 8e78871dfc..7b4ce75c9c 100644
--- a/src/ethereum_spec_tools/evm_tools/fixture_loader.py
+++ b/src/ethereum_spec_tools/evm_tools/fixture_loader.py
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ def __init__(self, encoded_params: bytes, error_message: str) -> None:
         self.error_message = error_message
 
 
+class EmptyAccountOnPostMergeFork(Exception):
+    """
+    Exception for tests that are invalid due to empty accounts on post
+    merge forks
+    """
+
+
 class BaseLoad(ABC):
     """Base class for loading json fixtures"""
 
@@ -236,10 +243,15 @@ def _module(self, name: str) -> Any:
         """Imports a module from the fork"""
         return importlib.import_module(f"ethereum.{self._fork_module}.{name}")
 
+    def _is_post_merge_fork(self) -> bool:
+        return not hasattr(self._module("fork"), "validate_proof_of_work")
+
     def json_to_state(self, raw: Any) -> Any:
         """Converts json state data to a state object"""
         state = self.State()
         set_storage = self._module("state").set_storage
+        is_post_merge_fork = self._is_post_merge_fork()
+        EMPTY_ACCOUNT = self._module("fork_types").EMPTY_ACCOUNT
 
         for address_hex, account_state in raw.items():
             address = self.hex_to_address(address_hex)
@@ -248,6 +260,8 @@ def json_to_state(self, raw: Any) -> Any:
                 balance=U256(hex_to_uint(account_state.get("balance", "0x0"))),
                 code=hex_to_bytes(account_state.get("code", "")),
             )
+            if is_post_merge_fork and account == EMPTY_ACCOUNT:
+                raise EmptyAccountOnPostMergeFork
             self.set_account(state, address, account)
 
             for k, v in account_state.get("storage", {}).items():
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index c44c9bc940..051b0748a3 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -112,5 +112,5 @@ def pytest_sessionstart(session: Session) -> None:
             git_clone_fixtures(
                 props["url"], props["commit_hash"], fixture_path
             )
-        else:
+        elif "url" in props:
             download_fixtures(props["url"], fixture_path)
diff --git a/tests/helpers/__init__.py b/tests/helpers/__init__.py
index f11894405c..c4ae723b50 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/helpers/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     },
     "ethereum_tests": {
         "url": "https://github.com/ethereum/tests.git",
-        "commit_hash": "0ec53d0",
+        "commit_hash": "9e8719a",
         "fixture_path": "tests/fixtures/ethereum_tests",
     },
 }