diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 7368caf8422e..61884423727c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -7400,8 +7400,10 @@ dependencies = [
  "dashmap 6.1.0",
  "eyre",
  "futures",
+ "itertools 0.13.0",
  "metrics",
  "parking_lot 0.12.3",
+ "rand 0.8.5",
  "reth-blockchain-tree",
  "reth-chain-state",
  "reth-chainspec",
diff --git a/crates/exex/exex/Cargo.toml b/crates/exex/exex/Cargo.toml
index f10775e24587..0e76ef3d40df 100644
--- a/crates/exex/exex/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/exex/exex/Cargo.toml
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ tokio.workspace = true
 ## misc
 dashmap.workspace = true
 eyre.workspace = true
+itertools.workspace = true
 metrics.workspace = true
 parking_lot.workspace = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ reth-testing-utils.workspace = true
 alloy-genesis.workspace = true
 alloy-consensus.workspace = true
 
+rand.workspace = true
 secp256k1.workspace = true
 tempfile.workspace = true
 
diff --git a/crates/exex/exex/src/manager.rs b/crates/exex/exex/src/manager.rs
index 5b3b38ba0d51..39d1e7150f4a 100644
--- a/crates/exex/exex/src/manager.rs
+++ b/crates/exex/exex/src/manager.rs
@@ -2,16 +2,19 @@ use crate::{
     wal::Wal, ExExEvent, ExExNotification, ExExNotifications, FinishedExExHeight, WalHandle,
 };
 use futures::StreamExt;
+use itertools::Itertools;
 use metrics::Gauge;
 use reth_chain_state::ForkChoiceStream;
 use reth_chainspec::Head;
 use reth_metrics::{metrics::Counter, Metrics};
 use reth_primitives::{BlockNumHash, SealedHeader};
+use reth_provider::HeaderProvider;
 use reth_tracing::tracing::debug;
 use std::{
     collections::VecDeque,
     fmt::Debug,
     future::{poll_fn, Future},
+    ops::Not,
     pin::Pin,
     sync::{
         atomic::{AtomicUsize, Ordering},
@@ -177,7 +180,10 @@ pub struct ExExManagerMetrics {
 /// - Error handling
 /// - Monitoring
 #[derive(Debug)]
-pub struct ExExManager {
+pub struct ExExManager<P> {
+    /// Provider for querying headers.
+    provider: P,
+
     /// Handles to communicate with the `ExEx`'s.
     exex_handles: Vec<ExExHandle>,
 
@@ -217,7 +223,7 @@ pub struct ExExManager {
     metrics: ExExManagerMetrics,
 }
 
-impl ExExManager {
+impl<P> ExExManager<P> {
     /// Create a new [`ExExManager`].
     ///
     /// You must provide an [`ExExHandle`] for each `ExEx` and the maximum capacity of the
@@ -226,6 +232,7 @@ impl ExExManager {
     /// When the capacity is exceeded (which can happen if an `ExEx` is slow) no one can send
     /// notifications over [`ExExManagerHandle`]s until there is capacity again.
     pub fn new(
+        provider: P,
         handles: Vec<ExExHandle>,
         max_capacity: usize,
         wal: Wal,
@@ -248,6 +255,8 @@ impl ExExManager {
         metrics.num_exexs.set(num_exexs as f64);
 
         Self {
+            provider,
+
             exex_handles: handles,
 
             handle_rx,
@@ -303,83 +312,152 @@ impl ExExManager {
     }
 }
 
-impl Future for ExExManager {
+impl<P> ExExManager<P>
+where
+    P: HeaderProvider,
+{
+    /// Finalizes the WAL according to the passed finalized header.
+    ///
+    /// This function checks if all ExExes are on the canonical chain and finalizes the WAL if
+    /// necessary.
+    fn finalize_wal(&self, finalized_header: SealedHeader) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+        debug!(header = ?finalized_header.num_hash(), "Received finalized header");
+
+        // Check if all ExExes are on the canonical chain
+        let exex_finished_heights = self
+            .exex_handles
+            .iter()
+            // Get ExEx ID and hash of the finished height for each ExEx
+            .map(|exex_handle| {
+                (&exex_handle.id, exex_handle.finished_height.map(|block| block.hash))
+            })
+            // Deduplicate all hashes
+            .unique_by(|(_, hash)| *hash)
+            // Check if hashes are canonical
+            .map(|(exex_id, hash)| {
+                hash.map_or(Ok((exex_id, hash, false)), |hash| {
+                    self.provider
+                        .is_known(&hash)
+                        // Save the ExEx ID, hash of the finished height, and whether the hash
+                        // is canonical
+                        .map(|is_canonical| (exex_id, Some(hash), is_canonical))
+                })
+            })
+            // We collect here to be able to log the unfinalized ExExes below
+            .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?;
+        if exex_finished_heights.iter().all(|(_, _, is_canonical)| *is_canonical) {
+            // If there is a finalized header and all ExExs are on the canonical chain, finalize
+            // the WAL with the new finalized header
+            self.wal.finalize(finalized_header.num_hash())?;
+        } else {
+            let unfinalized_exexes = exex_finished_heights
+                .into_iter()
+                .filter_map(|(exex_id, hash, is_canonical)| {
+                    is_canonical.not().then_some((exex_id, hash))
+                })
+                .format_with(", ", |(exex_id, hash), f| f(&format_args!("{exex_id:?} = {hash:?}")));
+            debug!(
+                %unfinalized_exexes,
+                "Not all ExExes are on the canonical chain, can't finalize the WAL"
+            );
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+impl<P> Future for ExExManager<P>
+where
+    P: HeaderProvider + Unpin + 'static,
+{
     type Output = eyre::Result<()>;
 
-    fn poll(mut self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
-        // Drain the finalized header stream and grab the last finalized header
+    /// Main loop of the [`ExExManager`]. The order of operations is as follows:
+    /// 1. Handle incoming ExEx events. We do it before finalizing the WAL, because it depends on
+    ///    the latest state of [`ExExEvent::FinishedHeight`] events.
+    /// 2. Finalize the WAL with the finalized header, if necessary.
+    /// 3. Drain [`ExExManagerHandle`] notifications, push them to the internal buffer and update
+    ///    the internal buffer capacity.
+    /// 5. Send notifications from the internal buffer to those ExExes that are ready to receive new
+    ///    notifications.
+    /// 5. Remove notifications from the internal buffer that have been sent to **all** ExExes and
+    ///    update the internal buffer capacity.
+    /// 6. Update the channel with the lowest [`FinishedExExHeight`] among all ExExes.
+    fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
+        let this = self.get_mut();
+
+        // Handle incoming ExEx events
+        for exex in &mut this.exex_handles {
+            while let Poll::Ready(Some(event)) = exex.receiver.poll_recv(cx) {
+                debug!(exex_id = %exex.id, ?event, "Received event from ExEx");
+                exex.metrics.events_sent_total.increment(1);
+                match event {
+                    ExExEvent::FinishedHeight(height) => exex.finished_height = Some(height),
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Drain the finalized header stream and finalize the WAL with the last header
         let mut last_finalized_header = None;
-        while let Poll::Ready(finalized_header) = self.finalized_header_stream.poll_next_unpin(cx) {
+        while let Poll::Ready(finalized_header) = this.finalized_header_stream.poll_next_unpin(cx) {
             last_finalized_header = finalized_header;
         }
-        // If there is a finalized header, finalize the WAL with it
         if let Some(header) = last_finalized_header {
-            self.wal.finalize((header.number, header.hash()).into())?;
+            this.finalize_wal(header)?;
         }
 
-        // drain handle notifications
-        while self.buffer.len() < self.max_capacity {
-            if let Poll::Ready(Some(notification)) = self.handle_rx.poll_recv(cx) {
+        // Drain handle notifications
+        while this.buffer.len() < this.max_capacity {
+            if let Poll::Ready(Some(notification)) = this.handle_rx.poll_recv(cx) {
                 debug!(
                     committed_tip = ?notification.committed_chain().map(|chain| chain.tip().number),
                     reverted_tip = ?notification.reverted_chain().map(|chain| chain.tip().number),
                     "Received new notification"
                 );
-                self.push_notification(notification);
+                this.push_notification(notification);
                 continue
             }
             break
         }
 
-        // update capacity
-        self.update_capacity();
+        // Update capacity
+        this.update_capacity();
 
-        // advance all poll senders
+        // Advance all poll senders
         let mut min_id = usize::MAX;
-        for idx in (0..self.exex_handles.len()).rev() {
-            let mut exex = self.exex_handles.swap_remove(idx);
+        for idx in (0..this.exex_handles.len()).rev() {
+            let mut exex = this.exex_handles.swap_remove(idx);
 
-            // it is a logic error for this to ever underflow since the manager manages the
+            // It is a logic error for this to ever underflow since the manager manages the
             // notification IDs
             let notification_index = exex
                 .next_notification_id
-                .checked_sub(self.min_id)
+                .checked_sub(this.min_id)
                 .expect("exex expected notification ID outside the manager's range");
-            if let Some(notification) = self.buffer.get(notification_index) {
+            if let Some(notification) = this.buffer.get(notification_index) {
                 if let Poll::Ready(Err(err)) = exex.send(cx, notification) {
-                    // the channel was closed, which is irrecoverable for the manager
+                    // The channel was closed, which is irrecoverable for the manager
                     return Poll::Ready(Err(err.into()))
                 }
             }
             min_id = min_id.min(exex.next_notification_id);
-            self.exex_handles.push(exex);
+            this.exex_handles.push(exex);
         }
 
-        // remove processed buffered notifications
+        // Remove processed buffered notifications
         debug!(%min_id, "Updating lowest notification id in buffer");
-        self.buffer.retain(|&(id, _)| id >= min_id);
-        self.min_id = min_id;
+        this.buffer.retain(|&(id, _)| id >= min_id);
+        this.min_id = min_id;
 
-        // update capacity
-        self.update_capacity();
-
-        // handle incoming exex events
-        for exex in &mut self.exex_handles {
-            while let Poll::Ready(Some(event)) = exex.receiver.poll_recv(cx) {
-                debug!(exex_id = %exex.id, ?event, "Received event from exex");
-                exex.metrics.events_sent_total.increment(1);
-                match event {
-                    ExExEvent::FinishedHeight(height) => exex.finished_height = Some(height),
-                }
-            }
-        }
+        // Update capacity
+        this.update_capacity();
 
-        // update watch channel block number
-        let finished_height = self.exex_handles.iter_mut().try_fold(u64::MAX, |curr, exex| {
+        // Update watch channel block number
+        let finished_height = this.exex_handles.iter_mut().try_fold(u64::MAX, |curr, exex| {
             exex.finished_height.map_or(Err(()), |height| Ok(height.number.min(curr)))
         });
         if let Ok(finished_height) = finished_height {
-            let _ = self.finished_height.send(FinishedExExHeight::Height(finished_height));
+            let _ = this.finished_height.send(FinishedExExHeight::Height(finished_height));
         }
 
         Poll::Pending
@@ -511,8 +589,9 @@ mod tests {
     use alloy_primitives::B256;
     use eyre::OptionExt;
     use futures::StreamExt;
+    use rand::Rng;
     use reth_primitives::SealedBlockWithSenders;
-    use reth_provider::Chain;
+    use reth_provider::{test_utils::create_test_provider_factory, BlockWriter, Chain};
     use reth_testing_utils::generators::{self, random_block};
 
     fn empty_finalized_header_stream() -> ForkChoiceStream<SealedHeader> {
@@ -545,11 +624,11 @@ mod tests {
         let (exex_handle_1, _, _) =
             ExExHandle::new("test_exex_1".to_string(), Head::default(), (), (), wal.handle());
 
-        assert!(!ExExManager::new(vec![], 0, wal.clone(), empty_finalized_header_stream())
+        assert!(!ExExManager::new((), vec![], 0, wal.clone(), empty_finalized_header_stream())
             .handle
             .has_exexs());
 
-        assert!(ExExManager::new(vec![exex_handle_1], 0, wal, empty_finalized_header_stream())
+        assert!(ExExManager::new((), vec![exex_handle_1], 0, wal, empty_finalized_header_stream())
             .handle
             .has_exexs());
     }
@@ -562,13 +641,19 @@ mod tests {
         let (exex_handle_1, _, _) =
             ExExHandle::new("test_exex_1".to_string(), Head::default(), (), (), wal.handle());
 
-        assert!(!ExExManager::new(vec![], 0, wal.clone(), empty_finalized_header_stream())
+        assert!(!ExExManager::new((), vec![], 0, wal.clone(), empty_finalized_header_stream())
             .handle
             .has_capacity());
 
-        assert!(ExExManager::new(vec![exex_handle_1], 10, wal, empty_finalized_header_stream())
-            .handle
-            .has_capacity());
+        assert!(ExExManager::new(
+            (),
+            vec![exex_handle_1],
+            10,
+            wal,
+            empty_finalized_header_stream()
+        )
+        .handle
+        .has_capacity());
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -581,7 +666,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Create a mock ExExManager and add the exex_handle to it
         let mut exex_manager =
-            ExExManager::new(vec![exex_handle], 10, wal, empty_finalized_header_stream());
+            ExExManager::new((), vec![exex_handle], 10, wal, empty_finalized_header_stream());
 
         // Define the notification for testing
         let mut block1 = SealedBlockWithSenders::default();
@@ -631,8 +716,13 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Create a mock ExExManager and add the exex_handle to it
         let max_capacity = 5;
-        let mut exex_manager =
-            ExExManager::new(vec![exex_handle], max_capacity, wal, empty_finalized_header_stream());
+        let mut exex_manager = ExExManager::new(
+            (),
+            vec![exex_handle],
+            max_capacity,
+            wal,
+            empty_finalized_header_stream(),
+        );
 
         // Push some notifications to fill part of the buffer
         let mut block1 = SealedBlockWithSenders::default();
@@ -665,6 +755,8 @@ mod tests {
         let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let wal = Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap();
 
+        let provider_factory = create_test_provider_factory();
+
         let (exex_handle, event_tx, mut _notification_rx) =
             ExExHandle::new("test_exex".to_string(), Head::default(), (), (), wal.handle());
 
@@ -677,6 +769,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Create a mock ExExManager and add the exex_handle to it
         let exex_manager = ExExManager::new(
+            provider_factory,
             vec![exex_handle],
             10,
             Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap(),
@@ -711,6 +804,8 @@ mod tests {
         let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let wal = Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap();
 
+        let provider_factory = create_test_provider_factory();
+
         // Create two `ExExHandle` instances
         let (exex_handle1, event_tx1, _) =
             ExExHandle::new("test_exex1".to_string(), Head::default(), (), (), wal.handle());
@@ -725,6 +820,7 @@ mod tests {
         event_tx2.send(ExExEvent::FinishedHeight(block2)).unwrap();
 
         let exex_manager = ExExManager::new(
+            provider_factory,
             vec![exex_handle1, exex_handle2],
             10,
             Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap(),
@@ -755,6 +851,8 @@ mod tests {
         let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let wal = Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap();
 
+        let provider_factory = create_test_provider_factory();
+
         // Create two `ExExHandle` instances
         let (exex_handle1, event_tx1, _) =
             ExExHandle::new("test_exex1".to_string(), Head::default(), (), (), wal.handle());
@@ -772,6 +870,7 @@ mod tests {
         event_tx2.send(ExExEvent::FinishedHeight(block2)).unwrap();
 
         let exex_manager = ExExManager::new(
+            provider_factory,
             vec![exex_handle1, exex_handle2],
             10,
             Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap(),
@@ -806,12 +905,15 @@ mod tests {
         let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let wal = Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap();
 
+        let provider_factory = create_test_provider_factory();
+
         let (exex_handle_1, _, _) =
             ExExHandle::new("test_exex_1".to_string(), Head::default(), (), (), wal.handle());
 
         // Create an ExExManager with a small max capacity
         let max_capacity = 2;
         let mut exex_manager = ExExManager::new(
+            provider_factory,
             vec![exex_handle_1],
             max_capacity,
             Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap(),
@@ -1008,37 +1110,75 @@ mod tests {
     async fn test_exex_wal_finalize() -> eyre::Result<()> {
         reth_tracing::init_test_tracing();
 
+        let mut rng = generators::rng();
+
         let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let mut wal = Wal::new(temp_dir.path()).unwrap();
 
-        let block = random_block(&mut generators::rng(), 0, Default::default())
+        let provider_factory = create_test_provider_factory();
+
+        let block = random_block(&mut rng, 0, Default::default())
             .seal_with_senders()
             .ok_or_eyre("failed to recover senders")?;
+        let provider_rw = provider_factory.provider_rw()?;
+        provider_rw.insert_block(block.clone())?;
+        provider_rw.commit()?;
+
         let notification = ExExNotification::ChainCommitted {
             new: Arc::new(Chain::new(vec![block.clone()], Default::default(), None)),
         };
         wal.commit(&notification)?;
 
-        let (tx, rx) = watch::channel(None);
+        let (finalized_headers_tx, rx) = watch::channel(None);
         let finalized_header_stream = ForkChoiceStream::new(rx);
 
-        let (exex_handle, _, _) =
+        let (exex_handle, events_tx, _) =
             ExExHandle::new("test_exex".to_string(), Head::default(), (), (), wal.handle());
 
-        let mut exex_manager =
-            std::pin::pin!(ExExManager::new(vec![exex_handle], 1, wal, finalized_header_stream));
+        let mut exex_manager = std::pin::pin!(ExExManager::new(
+            provider_factory,
+            vec![exex_handle],
+            1,
+            wal,
+            finalized_header_stream
+        ));
 
         let mut cx = Context::from_waker(futures::task::noop_waker_ref());
 
         assert!(exex_manager.as_mut().poll(&mut cx).is_pending());
+        assert_eq!(
+            exex_manager.wal.iter_notifications()?.collect::<eyre::Result<Vec<_>>>()?,
+            [notification.clone()]
+        );
+
+        finalized_headers_tx.send(Some(block.header.clone()))?;
+        assert!(exex_manager.as_mut().poll(&mut cx).is_pending());
+        // WAL isn't finalized because the ExEx didn't emit the `FinishedHeight` event
+        assert_eq!(
+            exex_manager.wal.iter_notifications()?.collect::<eyre::Result<Vec<_>>>()?,
+            [notification.clone()]
+        );
+
+        // Send a `FinishedHeight` event with a non-canonical block
+        events_tx
+            .send(ExExEvent::FinishedHeight((rng.gen::<u64>(), rng.gen::<B256>()).into()))
+            .unwrap();
+
+        finalized_headers_tx.send(Some(block.header.clone()))?;
+        assert!(exex_manager.as_mut().poll(&mut cx).is_pending());
+        // WAL isn't finalized because the ExEx emitted a `FinishedHeight` event with a
+        // non-canonical block
         assert_eq!(
             exex_manager.wal.iter_notifications()?.collect::<eyre::Result<Vec<_>>>()?,
             [notification]
         );
 
-        tx.send(Some(block.header.clone()))?;
+        // Send a `FinishedHeight` event with a canonical block
+        events_tx.send(ExExEvent::FinishedHeight(block.num_hash())).unwrap();
 
+        finalized_headers_tx.send(Some(block.header.clone()))?;
         assert!(exex_manager.as_mut().poll(&mut cx).is_pending());
+        // WAL is finalized
         assert!(exex_manager.wal.iter_notifications()?.next().is_none());
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/exex/exex/src/notifications.rs b/crates/exex/exex/src/notifications.rs
index 369a0586c0c5..9e9ee78e6cd7 100644
--- a/crates/exex/exex/src/notifications.rs
+++ b/crates/exex/exex/src/notifications.rs
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ where
     /// If the head block is not found in the database, it means we're not on the canonical chain
     /// and we need to revert the notification with the ExEx head block.
     fn check_canonical(&mut self) -> eyre::Result<Option<ExExNotification>> {
-        if self.provider.header(&self.exex_head.block.hash)?.is_some() {
+        if self.provider.is_known(&self.exex_head.block.hash)? {
             debug!(target: "exex::notifications", "ExEx head is on the canonical chain");
             return Ok(None)
         }
diff --git a/crates/exex/exex/src/wal/mod.rs b/crates/exex/exex/src/wal/mod.rs
index d7aea3aafdfa..72e60fe1a3db 100644
--- a/crates/exex/exex/src/wal/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/exex/exex/src/wal/mod.rs
@@ -117,12 +117,6 @@ impl WalInner {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Finalizes the WAL to the given block, inclusive.
-    ///
-    /// 1. Finds a notification with first unfinalized block (first notification containing a
-    ///    committed block higher than `to_block`).
-    /// 2. Removes the notifications from the beginning of WAL until the found notification. If this
-    ///    notification includes both finalized and non-finalized blocks, it will not be removed.
     #[instrument(target = "exex::wal", skip(self))]
     fn finalize(&self, to_block: BlockNumHash) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         // First, walk cache to find the file ID of the notification with the finalized block and
diff --git a/crates/node/builder/src/launch/exex.rs b/crates/node/builder/src/launch/exex.rs
index 6cd705338384..aeb82f3504a5 100644
--- a/crates/node/builder/src/launch/exex.rs
+++ b/crates/node/builder/src/launch/exex.rs
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ impl<Node: FullNodeComponents + Clone> ExExLauncher<Node> {
         debug!(target: "reth::cli", "spawning exex manager");
         // todo(onbjerg): rm magic number
         let exex_manager = ExExManager::new(
+            components.provider().clone(),
             exex_handles,
             1024,
             exex_wal,