diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/altair/upgrade.go b/beacon-chain/core/altair/upgrade.go
index 04912f6e9..6e1f5c974 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/altair/upgrade.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/altair/upgrade.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func UpgradeToAltair(ctx context.Context, state state.BeaconState) (state.Beacon
 		InactivityScores:            make([]uint64, numValidators),
 	}
 
-	newState, err := statealtair.InitializeFromProto(s)
+	newState, err := statealtair.InitializeFromProtoUnsafe(s)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/execution/upgrade.go b/beacon-chain/core/execution/upgrade.go
index 3a70f4b22..c040a2ff2 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/execution/upgrade.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/execution/upgrade.go
@@ -82,5 +82,5 @@ func UpgradeToMerge(ctx context.Context, state state.BeaconState) (state.BeaconS
 		},
 	}
 
-	return v3.InitializeFromProto(s)
+	return v3.InitializeFromProtoUnsafe(s)
 }