diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/error.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/error.go
index 7cb99ae0e..7e64ccc34 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/error.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/error.go
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ var (
 	errNilFinalizedInStore = errors.New("nil finalized checkpoint returned from store")
 	// errInvalidNilSummary is returned when a nil summary is returned from the DB.
 	errInvalidNilSummary = errors.New("nil summary returned from the DB")
-	// errNilParentInDB is returned when a nil parent block is returned from the DB.
-	errNilParentInDB = errors.New("nil parent block in DB")
 	// errWrongBlockCount is returned when the wrong number of blocks or
 	// block roots is used
 	errWrongBlockCount = errors.New("wrong number of blocks or block roots")
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/execution_engine.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/execution_engine.go
index 788ce8183..e9aab3815 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/execution_engine.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/execution_engine.go
@@ -235,14 +235,10 @@ func (s *Service) optimisticCandidateBlock(ctx context.Context, blk interfaces.B
 	if blk.Slot()+params.BeaconConfig().SafeSlotsToImportOptimistically <= s.CurrentSlot() {
 		return nil
 	}
-
-	parent, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(ctx, bytesutil.ToBytes32(blk.ParentRoot()))
+	parent, err := s.getBlock(ctx, bytesutil.ToBytes32(blk.ParentRoot()))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if parent == nil || parent.IsNil() {
-		return errNilParentInDB
-	}
 	parentIsExecutionBlock, err := blocks.IsExecutionBlock(parent.Block().Body())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/head.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/head.go
index a47191e23..f817e180b 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/head.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/head.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (s *Service) UpdateAndSaveHeadWithBalances(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not update head")
 	}
-	headBlock, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(ctx, headRoot)
+	headBlock, err := s.getBlock(ctx, headRoot)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func (s *Service) updateHead(ctx context.Context, balances []uint64) ([32]byte,
 	// re-initiate fork choice store using the latest justified info.
 	// This recovers a fatal condition and should not happen in run time.
 	if !s.cfg.ForkChoiceStore.HasNode(headStartRoot) {
-		jb, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(ctx, headStartRoot)
+		jb, err := s.getBlock(ctx, headStartRoot)
 		if err != nil {
 			return [32]byte{}, err
 		}
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ func (s *Service) notifyNewHeadEvent(
 // attestation pool. It also filters out the attestations that is one epoch older as a
 // defense so invalid attestations don't flow into the attestation pool.
 func (s *Service) saveOrphanedAtts(ctx context.Context, orphanedRoot [32]byte) error {
-	orphanedBlk, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(ctx, orphanedRoot)
+	orphanedBlk, err := s.getBlock(ctx, orphanedRoot)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go
index 5e6840de7..e03dca2cd 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_helpers.go
@@ -97,13 +97,10 @@ func (s *Service) VerifyFinalizedBlkDescendant(ctx context.Context, root [32]byt
 		return errNilFinalizedInStore
 	}
 	fRoot := s.ensureRootNotZeros(bytesutil.ToBytes32(finalized.Root))
-	finalizedBlkSigned, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(ctx, fRoot)
+	finalizedBlkSigned, err := s.getBlock(ctx, fRoot)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if finalizedBlkSigned == nil || finalizedBlkSigned.IsNil() || finalizedBlkSigned.Block().IsNil() {
-		return errors.New("nil finalized block")
-	}
 	finalizedBlk := finalizedBlkSigned.Block()
 	bFinalizedRoot, err := s.ancestor(ctx, root[:], finalizedBlk.Slot())
 	if err != nil {
@@ -358,7 +355,7 @@ func (s *Service) fillInForkChoiceMissingBlocks(ctx context.Context, blk interfa
 	higherThanFinalized := slot > fSlot
 	// As long as parent node is not in fork choice store, and parent node is in DB.
 	for !s.cfg.ForkChoiceStore.HasNode(parentRoot) && s.cfg.BeaconDB.HasBlock(ctx, parentRoot) && higherThanFinalized {
-		b, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(ctx, parentRoot)
+		b, err := s.getBlock(ctx, parentRoot)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
index 195e36941..e139687ee 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/process_block_test.go
@@ -1327,7 +1327,7 @@ func TestVerifyBlkDescendant(t *testing.T) {
 			args: args{
 				finalizedRoot: [32]byte{'a'},
 			},
-			wantedErr: "nil finalized block",
+			wantedErr: "block not found in cache or db",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "could not get finalized block root in DB",
diff --git a/beacon-chain/blockchain/service.go b/beacon-chain/blockchain/service.go
index 72970463a..cb094cf9f 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/blockchain/service.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/blockchain/service.go
@@ -201,13 +201,10 @@ func (s *Service) StartFromSavedState(saved state.BeaconState) error {
 		forkChoicer = protoarray.New(justified.Epoch, finalized.Epoch, fRoot)
 	}
 	s.cfg.ForkChoiceStore = forkChoicer
-	fb, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(s.ctx, s.ensureRootNotZeros(fRoot))
+	fb, err := s.getBlock(s.ctx, s.ensureRootNotZeros(fRoot))
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not get finalized checkpoint block")
 	}
-	if fb == nil || fb.IsNil() {
-		return errNilFinalizedInStore
-	}
 	payloadHash, err := getBlockPayloadHash(fb.Block())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not get execution payload hash")
@@ -339,14 +336,13 @@ func (s *Service) initializeHeadFromDB(ctx context.Context) error {
 				finalizedState.Slot(), flags.HeadSync.Name)
 		}
 	}
-
-	finalizedBlock, err := s.cfg.BeaconDB.Block(ctx, finalizedRoot)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not get finalized block from db")
+	if finalizedState == nil || finalizedState.IsNil() {
+		return errors.New("finalized state can't be nil")
 	}
 
-	if finalizedState == nil || finalizedState.IsNil() || finalizedBlock == nil || finalizedBlock.IsNil() {
-		return errors.New("finalized state and block can't be nil")
+	finalizedBlock, err := s.getBlock(ctx, finalizedRoot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not get finalized block")
 	}
 	s.setHead(finalizedRoot, finalizedBlock, finalizedState)