diff --git a/.github/workflows/merge-checks.yml b/.github/workflows/merge-checks.yml
index b729df2b26..6561c429e2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/merge-checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/merge-checks.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name: Merge Checks
 
 on:
-  pull_request:
+  pull_request_target:
     branches: [ master ]
     types: [synchronize, opened, reopened, labeled, unlabeled]
 
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index a342b92812..20108c8ff5 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -1285,10 +1285,6 @@ func DoEstimateGas(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args TransactionArgs, blockNr
 
 	// Arbitrum: raise the gas cap to ignore L1 costs so that it's compute-only
 	{
-		state, header, err := b.StateAndHeaderByNumberOrHash(ctx, blockNrOrHash)
-		if state == nil || err != nil {
-			return 0, err
-		}
 		gasCap, err = args.L2OnlyGasCap(gasCap, header, state, core.MessageGasEstimationMode)
 		if err != nil {
 			return 0, err