diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations.go b/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations.go
index 031faf370c1b..603e40d893e0 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations.go
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ func ProcessConsolidations(ctx context.Context, st state.BeaconState, cs []*ethp
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if helpers.ConsolidationChurnLimit(math.Gwei(totalBalance)) <= math.Gwei(params.BeaconConfig().MinActivationBalance) {
+		return errors.New("too little available consolidation churn limit")
+	}
+
 	currentEpoch := slots.ToEpoch(st.Slot())
 
 	for _, c := range cs {
@@ -179,10 +183,6 @@ func ProcessConsolidations(ctx context.Context, st state.BeaconState, cs []*ethp
 			return errors.New("pending consolidations queue is full")
 		}
 
-		if helpers.ConsolidationChurnLimit(math.Gwei(totalBalance)) <= math.Gwei(params.BeaconConfig().MinActivationBalance) {
-			return errors.New("too little available consolidation churn limit")
-		}
-
 		if c.Message.SourceIndex == c.Message.TargetIndex {
 			return errors.New("source and target index are the same")
 		}
diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations_test.go b/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations_test.go
index c4da23d91367..1e3b22c0bd79 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/electra/consolidations_test.go
@@ -260,17 +260,14 @@ func TestProcessConsolidations(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			name: "nil consolidation in slice",
-			state: func() state.BeaconState {
-				st, _ := util.DeterministicGenesisStateElectra(t, 1)
-				return st
-			}(),
+			state: stateWithActiveBalanceETH(t, 19_000_000),
 			scs:     []*eth.SignedConsolidation{nil, nil},
 			wantErr: "nil consolidation",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "state is 100% full of pending consolidations",
 			state: func() state.BeaconState {
-				st, _ := util.DeterministicGenesisStateElectra(t, 1)
+				st := stateWithActiveBalanceETH(t, 19_000_000)
 				pc := make([]*eth.PendingConsolidation, params.BeaconConfig().PendingConsolidationsLimit)
 				require.NoError(t, st.SetPendingConsolidations(pc))
 				return st