diff --git a/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go b/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go
index fcfdeaffb..6e3a6cf8b 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/db/iface/interface.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ type ReadOnlyDatabase interface {
 	PowchainData(ctx context.Context) (*ethpb.ETH1ChainData, error)
 	// Fee reicipients operations.
 	FeeRecipientByValidatorID(ctx context.Context, id types.ValidatorIndex) (common.Address, error)
+	RegistrationByValidatorID(ctx context.Context, id types.ValidatorIndex) (*ethpb.ValidatorRegistrationV1, error)
 	// origin checkpoint sync support
 	OriginCheckpointBlockRoot(ctx context.Context) ([32]byte, error)
 	BackfillBlockRoot(ctx context.Context) ([32]byte, error)
diff --git a/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix.go b/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix.go
index ba9d90667..b823e57e6 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/beacon-chain/core/blocks"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/beacon-chain/core/transition/interop"
+	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/beacon-chain/db/kv"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/config/params"
 	coreBlock "github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/consensus-types/blocks"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/consensus-types/interfaces"
@@ -30,15 +31,22 @@ func (vs *Server) getBellatrixBeaconBlock(ctx context.Context, req *ethpb.BlockR
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	builderReady, b, err := vs.getAndBuildHeaderBlock(ctx, altairBlk)
-	if err != nil {
-		// In the event of an error, the node should fall back to default execution engine for building block.
-		log.WithError(err).Error("Failed to build a block from external builder, falling " +
-			"back to local execution client")
-	} else if builderReady {
-		return b, nil
+	registered, err := vs.validatorRegistered(ctx, altairBlk.ProposerIndex)
+	if registered && err == nil {
+		builderReady, b, err := vs.getAndBuildHeaderBlock(ctx, altairBlk)
+		if err != nil {
+			// In the event of an error, the node should fall back to default execution engine for building block.
+			log.WithError(err).Error("Failed to build a block from external builder, falling " +
+				"back to local execution client")
+		} else if builderReady {
+			return b, nil
+		}
+	} else if err != nil {
+		log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+			"slot":           req.Slot,
+			"validatorIndex": altairBlk.ProposerIndex,
+		}).Errorf("Could not determine validator has registered. Default to local execution client: %v", err)
 	}
-
 	payload, err := vs.getExecutionPayload(ctx, req.Slot, altairBlk.ProposerIndex)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -289,3 +297,18 @@ func (vs *Server) getAndBuildHeaderBlock(ctx context.Context, b *ethpb.BeaconBlo
 	}
 	return true, gb, nil
 }
+
+// validatorRegistered returns true if validator with index `id` was previously registered in the database.
+func (vs *Server) validatorRegistered(ctx context.Context, id types.ValidatorIndex) (bool, error) {
+	if vs.BeaconDB == nil {
+		return false, errors.New("nil beacon db")
+	}
+	_, err := vs.BeaconDB.RegistrationByValidatorID(ctx, id)
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, kv.ErrNotFoundFeeRecipient):
+		return false, nil
+	case err != nil:
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}
diff --git a/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix_test.go b/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix_test.go
index 5b497db8d..712d44ae5 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/rpc/prysm/v1alpha1/validator/proposer_bellatrix_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	fieldparams "github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/config/fieldparams"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/config/params"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/consensus-types/interfaces"
+	types "github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/consensus-types/primitives"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/consensus-types/wrapper"
 	"github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/encoding/bytesutil"
 	v1 "github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/proto/engine/v1"
@@ -603,6 +604,8 @@ func TestServer_GetBellatrixBeaconBlock_BuilderCase(t *testing.T) {
 	randaoReveal, err := util.RandaoReveal(beaconState, 0, privKeys)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
+	require.NoError(t, proposerServer.BeaconDB.SaveRegistrationsByValidatorIDs(ctx, []types.ValidatorIndex{40},
+		[]*ethpb.ValidatorRegistrationV1{{FeeRecipient: bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{}, fieldparams.FeeRecipientLength), Pubkey: bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{}, fieldparams.BLSPubkeyLength)}}))
 	block, err := proposerServer.getBellatrixBeaconBlock(ctx, &ethpb.BlockRequest{
 		Slot:         bellatrixSlot + 1,
 		RandaoReveal: randaoReveal,
@@ -613,3 +616,29 @@ func TestServer_GetBellatrixBeaconBlock_BuilderCase(t *testing.T) {
 	require.LogsContain(t, hook, "Computed state root")
 	require.DeepEqual(t, h, bellatrixBlk.BlindedBellatrix.Body.ExecutionPayloadHeader) // Payload header should equal.
 }
+
+func TestServer_validatorRegistered(t *testing.T) {
+	proposerServer := &Server{}
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	reg, err := proposerServer.validatorRegistered(ctx, 0)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, "nil beacon db", err)
+	require.Equal(t, false, reg)
+
+	proposerServer.BeaconDB = dbTest.SetupDB(t)
+	reg, err = proposerServer.validatorRegistered(ctx, 0)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, false, reg)
+
+	f := bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{}, fieldparams.FeeRecipientLength)
+	p := bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{}, fieldparams.BLSPubkeyLength)
+	require.NoError(t, proposerServer.BeaconDB.SaveRegistrationsByValidatorIDs(ctx, []types.ValidatorIndex{0, 1},
+		[]*ethpb.ValidatorRegistrationV1{{FeeRecipient: f, Pubkey: p}, {FeeRecipient: f, Pubkey: p}}))
+
+	reg, err = proposerServer.validatorRegistered(ctx, 0)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, true, reg)
+	reg, err = proposerServer.validatorRegistered(ctx, 1)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, true, reg)
+}