diff --git a/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.cpp b/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.cpp
index 79156a2245..f2fa399f6a 100644
--- a/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.cpp
+++ b/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.cpp
@@ -1206,4 +1206,16 @@ bool DataModel::read_rlp_transactions(BlockNum height, const evmc::bytes32& hash
     return read_rlp_transactions_from_snapshot(height, transactions);
 }
 
+std::optional<intx::uint256> DataModel::read_total_difficulty(BlockNum height, const evmc::bytes32& hash) const {
+    return db::read_total_difficulty(txn_, height, hash);
+}
+
+std::optional<intx::uint256> DataModel::read_total_difficulty(BlockNum height, HashAsArray hash) const {
+    return db::read_total_difficulty(txn_, height, hash);
+}
+
+std::optional<intx::uint256> DataModel::read_total_difficulty(ByteView key) const {
+    return db::read_total_difficulty(txn_, key);
+}
+
 }  // namespace silkworm::db
diff --git a/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.hpp b/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.hpp
index a88482f659..26ed1fc2e4 100644
--- a/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.hpp
+++ b/silkworm/node/db/access_layer.hpp
@@ -303,6 +303,11 @@ class DataModel {
     //! Read the RLP encoded block transactions at specified height
     [[nodiscard]] bool read_rlp_transactions(BlockNum height, const evmc::bytes32& hash, std::vector<Bytes>& rlp_txs) const;
 
+    //! Read total difficulty at specified height
+    [[nodiscard]] std::optional<intx::uint256> read_total_difficulty(BlockNum height, const evmc::bytes32& hash) const;
+    [[nodiscard]] std::optional<intx::uint256> read_total_difficulty(BlockNum, HashAsArray hash) const;
+    [[nodiscard]] std::optional<intx::uint256> read_total_difficulty(ByteView key) const;
+
   private:
     static bool read_block_from_snapshot(BlockNum height, bool read_senders, Block& block);
     static std::optional<BlockHeader> read_header_from_snapshot(BlockNum height);
diff --git a/silkworm/node/db/access_layer_test.cpp b/silkworm/node/db/access_layer_test.cpp
index 3016aa0224..a64d03fd17 100644
--- a/silkworm/node/db/access_layer_test.cpp
+++ b/silkworm/node/db/access_layer_test.cpp
@@ -445,6 +445,8 @@ TEST_CASE("Difficulty") {
 
     write_total_difficulty(txn, block_num, hash, difficulty);
     CHECK(read_total_difficulty(txn, block_num, hash) == difficulty);
+    DataModel model{txn};
+    CHECK(model.read_total_difficulty(block_num, hash) == difficulty);
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("Headers and bodies") {
diff --git a/silkworm/node/storage/chain_storage.hpp b/silkworm/node/storage/chain_storage.hpp
index 55a4cda3b7..a021cb4e0a 100644
--- a/silkworm/node/storage/chain_storage.hpp
+++ b/silkworm/node/storage/chain_storage.hpp
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <optional>
+
 #include <silkworm/infra/concurrency/task.hpp>
 
 #include <silkworm/core/common/base.hpp>
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ class ChainStorage {
     virtual Task<bool> read_rlp_transactions(BlockNum number, const evmc::bytes32& hash, std::vector<Bytes>& rlp_txs) const = 0;
 
     //! Read total difficulty for block specified by hash and number
-    [[nodiscard]] virtual Task<intx::uint256> read_total_difficulty(const Hash& block_hash, BlockNum block_number) const = 0;
+    [[nodiscard]] virtual Task<std::optional<intx::uint256>> read_total_difficulty(const Hash& block_hash, BlockNum block_number) const = 0;
 
     // Task<uint64_t> read_block_number_by_transaction_hash(const evmc::bytes32& transaction_hash);
 
diff --git a/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.cpp b/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.cpp
index 612af45527..1e8722dbcd 100644
--- a/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.cpp
+++ b/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.cpp
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ Task<bool> LocalChainStorage::read_rlp_transactions(BlockNum number, const evmc:
     co_return data_model_.read_rlp_transactions(number, hash, rlp_txs);
 }
 
-Task<intx::uint256> LocalChainStorage::read_total_difficulty(const Hash& /*block_hash*/, BlockNum /*block_number*/) const {
-    throw std::logic_error{"LocalChainStorage::read_total_difficulty"};
+Task<std::optional<intx::uint256>> LocalChainStorage::read_total_difficulty(const Hash& hash, BlockNum number) const {
+    co_return data_model_.read_total_difficulty(number, hash);
 }
 
 }  // namespace silkworm::node
diff --git a/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.hpp b/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.hpp
index c766f7e290..ff550c44f5 100644
--- a/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.hpp
+++ b/silkworm/node/storage/local_chain_storage.hpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class LocalChainStorage : public ChainStorage {
 
     Task<bool> read_rlp_transactions(BlockNum number, const evmc::bytes32& hash, std::vector<Bytes>& rlp_txs) const override;
 
-    [[nodiscard]] Task<intx::uint256> read_total_difficulty(const Hash& block_hash, BlockNum block_number) const override;
+    [[nodiscard]] Task<std::optional<intx::uint256>> read_total_difficulty(const Hash& block_hash, BlockNum block_number) const override;
 
   private:
     db::DataModel data_model_;
diff --git a/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.cpp b/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.cpp
index 5d97d7ff2e..2c0681c925 100644
--- a/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.cpp
+++ b/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.cpp
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ Task<bool> RemoteChainStorage::read_rlp_transactions(BlockNum number, const evmc
     co_return true;
 }
 
-Task<intx::uint256> RemoteChainStorage::read_total_difficulty(const Hash& /*block_hash*/, BlockNum /*block_number*/) const {
+Task<std::optional<intx::uint256>> RemoteChainStorage::read_total_difficulty(const Hash& /*block_hash*/, BlockNum /*block_number*/) const {
     throw std::logic_error{"RemoteChainStorage::read_total_difficulty"};
 }
 
diff --git a/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.hpp b/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.hpp
index 26e65d2a7e..4de07603c4 100644
--- a/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.hpp
+++ b/silkworm/silkrpc/storage/remote_chain_storage.hpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class RemoteChainStorage : public node::ChainStorage {
 
     Task<bool> read_rlp_transactions(BlockNum number, const evmc::bytes32& hash, std::vector<Bytes>& rlp_txs) const override;
 
-    [[nodiscard]] Task<intx::uint256> read_total_difficulty(const Hash& block_hash, BlockNum block_number) const override;
+    [[nodiscard]] Task<std::optional<intx::uint256>> read_total_difficulty(const Hash& block_hash, BlockNum block_number) const override;
 
   private:
     const DatabaseReader& reader_;