diff --git a/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_fcu.rs b/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_fcu.rs
index 972ececab..37f8aae01 100644
--- a/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_fcu.rs
+++ b/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_fcu.rs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ impl Command {
             let (payload, _) =
                 ExecutionPayload::from_block_unchecked(block.hash(), &block.into_block());
 
-            debug!(?block_number, "Sending payload",);
+            debug!(target: "reth-bench", ?block_number, "Sending payload",);
 
             // construct fcu to call
             let forkchoice_state = ForkchoiceState {
diff --git a/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_only.rs b/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_only.rs
index 5904d648d..327829442 100644
--- a/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_only.rs
+++ b/bin/reth-bench/src/bench/new_payload_only.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ impl Command {
             let block_number = payload.block_number();
 
             debug!(
+                target: "reth-bench",
                 number=?payload.block_number(),
                 "Sending payload to engine",
             );
diff --git a/bin/reth-bench/src/valid_payload.rs b/bin/reth-bench/src/valid_payload.rs
index 7f13bb4d3..a2c8d7336 100644
--- a/bin/reth-bench/src/valid_payload.rs
+++ b/bin/reth-bench/src/valid_payload.rs
@@ -119,6 +119,11 @@ where
                 );
                 panic!("Invalid newPayloadV3: {status:?}");
             }
+            if status.is_syncing() {
+                return Err(alloy_json_rpc::RpcError::UnsupportedFeature(
+                    "invalid range: no canonical state found for parent of requested block",
+                ))
+            }
             status = self
                 .new_payload_v3(payload.clone(), versioned_hashes.clone(), parent_beacon_block_root)
                 .await?;
@@ -144,6 +149,11 @@ where
                 );
                 panic!("Invalid forkchoiceUpdatedV1: {status:?}");
             }
+            if status.is_syncing() {
+                return Err(alloy_json_rpc::RpcError::UnsupportedFeature(
+                    "invalid range: no canonical state found for parent of requested block",
+                ))
+            }
             status =
                 self.fork_choice_updated_v1(fork_choice_state, payload_attributes.clone()).await?;
         }
@@ -169,6 +179,11 @@ where
                 );
                 panic!("Invalid forkchoiceUpdatedV2: {status:?}");
             }
+            if status.is_syncing() {
+                return Err(alloy_json_rpc::RpcError::UnsupportedFeature(
+                    "invalid range: no canonical state found for parent of requested block",
+                ))
+            }
             status =
                 self.fork_choice_updated_v2(fork_choice_state, payload_attributes.clone()).await?;
         }