diff --git a/client/rpc/src/eth/pending.rs b/client/rpc/src/eth/pending.rs
index 822562ded0..24a7886e5e 100644
--- a/client/rpc/src/eth/pending.rs
+++ b/client/rpc/src/eth/pending.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ use sp_runtime::{
 use sp_timestamp::TimestampInherentData;
 
 use crate::eth::{Eth, EthConfig};
+use fp_rpc::EthereumRuntimeRPCApi;
 
 const LOG_TARGET: &str = "eth-pending";
 
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ where
 	B: BlockT,
 	C: ProvideRuntimeApi<B>,
 	C::Api: BlockBuilderApi<B>,
+	C::Api: EthereumRuntimeRPCApi<B>,
 	C: HeaderBackend<B> + StorageProvider<B, BE> + 'static,
 	BE: Backend<B>,
 	A: ChainApi<Block = B>,
@@ -100,7 +102,12 @@ where
 		);
 
 		// Initialize the pending block header
-		api.initialize_block(best_hash, &pending_header)?;
+		if api
+			.initialize_pending_block(best_hash, &pending_header)
+			.is_err()
+		{
+			api.initialize_block(best_hash, &pending_header)?
+		}
 
 		// Apply inherents to the pending block.
 		let inherents = api.execute_in_transaction(move |api| {
diff --git a/primitives/rpc/src/lib.rs b/primitives/rpc/src/lib.rs
index 45e4bb1aa2..3eab2d7628 100644
--- a/primitives/rpc/src/lib.rs
+++ b/primitives/rpc/src/lib.rs
@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ sp_api::decl_runtime_apis! {
 		fn pending_block(
 			xts: Vec<<Block as BlockT>::Extrinsic>,
 		) -> (Option<ethereum::BlockV2>, Option<Vec<TransactionStatus>>);
+		/// initialize the pending block
+		fn initialize_pending_block(header: &<Block as BlockT>::Header);
 	}
 
 	#[api_version(2)]
diff --git a/template/runtime/src/lib.rs b/template/runtime/src/lib.rs
index b8c25248f2..bf9203e456 100644
--- a/template/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/template/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -876,6 +876,10 @@ impl_runtime_apis! {
 				pallet_ethereum::CurrentTransactionStatuses::<Runtime>::get()
 			)
 		}
+
+		fn initialize_pending_block(header: &<Block as BlockT>::Header) {
+			Executive::initialize_block(header)
+		}
 	}
 
 	impl fp_rpc::ConvertTransactionRuntimeApi<Block> for Runtime {