diff --git a/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go b/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go
index 34547752448..bde0c1a0ba6 100644
--- a/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go
+++ b/eth/stagedsync/stage_headers.go
@@ -306,9 +306,8 @@ func startHandlingForkChoice(
 
 	if header == nil {
 		log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("[%s] Fork choice: need to download header with hash %x", s.LogPrefix(), headerHash))
-		if test {
-			cfg.hd.BeaconRequestList.Remove(requestId)
-		} else {
+		cfg.hd.BeaconRequestList.Remove(requestId)
+		if !test {
 			schedulePoSDownload(requestId, headerHash, 0 /* header height is unknown, setting to 0 */, headerHash, s, cfg)
 		}
 		return &engineapi.PayloadStatus{Status: remote.EngineStatus_SYNCING}, nil
@@ -436,8 +435,8 @@ func handleNewPayload(
 	}
 	if parent == nil {
 		log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("[%s] New payload: need to download parent", s.LogPrefix()), "height", headerNumber, "hash", headerHash, "parentHash", header.ParentHash)
+		cfg.hd.BeaconRequestList.Remove(requestId)
 		if test {
-			cfg.hd.BeaconRequestList.Remove(requestId)
 			return &engineapi.PayloadStatus{Status: remote.EngineStatus_SYNCING}, nil
 		}
 		if !schedulePoSDownload(requestId, header.ParentHash, headerNumber-1, headerHash /* downloaderTip */, s, cfg) {
diff --git a/turbo/stages/sentry_mock_test.go b/turbo/stages/sentry_mock_test.go
index 9f01dd904e5..2ac5763525c 100644
--- a/turbo/stages/sentry_mock_test.go
+++ b/turbo/stages/sentry_mock_test.go
@@ -601,11 +601,17 @@ func TestPoSDownloader(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	stages.SendPayloadStatus(m.HeaderDownload(), headBlockHash, err)
 
+	// Since we are removing the current request to avoid the deadlock, we need to send the new payload (or fcu) request again.
+	m.SendPayloadRequest(chain.TopBlock)
 	// Second cycle: process the previous beacon request
 	headBlockHash, err = stages.StageLoopStep(m.Ctx, m.DB, m.Sync, 0, m.Notifications, initialCycle, m.UpdateHead, nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	stages.SendPayloadStatus(m.HeaderDownload(), headBlockHash, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, chain.TopBlock.Hash(), headBlockHash)
+	// Second cycle: checking the response
+	payloadStatus = m.ReceivePayloadStatus()
+	assert.Equal(t, remote.EngineStatus_VALID, payloadStatus.Status)
+	assert.Equal(t, chain.TopBlock.Hash(), headBlockHash)
 
 	// Point forkChoice to the head
 	forkChoiceMessage := engineapi.ForkChoiceMessage{