diff --git a/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/datastore.rs b/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/datastore.rs
index 113e76c2e..fed923c91 100644
--- a/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/datastore.rs
+++ b/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/datastore.rs
@@ -374,6 +374,10 @@ impl BurnDatastore {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn get_current_epoch(&self) -> StacksEpochId {
+        self.current_epoch
+    }
+
     pub fn get_current_block_height(&self) -> u32 {
         self.chain_height
     }
diff --git a/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/interpreter.rs b/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/interpreter.rs
index 47cd41cfa..7e64a83a1 100644
--- a/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/interpreter.rs
+++ b/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/interpreter.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::repl::datastore::BurnDatastore;
 use crate::repl::datastore::Datastore;
 use crate::repl::Settings;
 use clarity::consts::CHAIN_ID_TESTNET;
-use clarity::types::StacksEpochId;
+use clarity::types::{StacksEpoch, StacksEpochId};
 use clarity::vm::analysis::ContractAnalysis;
 use clarity::vm::ast::{build_ast_with_diagnostics, ContractAST};
 #[cfg(feature = "cli")]
@@ -1104,8 +1104,16 @@ impl ClarityInterpreter {
         self.set_tenure_height();
         new_height
     }
-    pub fn advance_stacks_chaintip(&mut self, count: u32) -> u32 {
-        self.datastore.advance_chain_tip(count)
+    pub fn advance_stacks_chaintip(&mut self, count: u32) -> Result<u32, String> {
+        let current_epoch = self.burn_datastore.get_current_epoch();
+        if current_epoch < StacksEpochId::Epoch30 {
+            Err(format!(
+                "stacks block height can't be advanced in {}",
+                current_epoch
+            ))
+        } else {
+            Ok(self.datastore.advance_chain_tip(count))
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn set_tenure_height(&mut self) {
diff --git a/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/session.rs b/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/session.rs
index 9145b3e64..043e5333d 100644
--- a/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/session.rs
+++ b/components/clarity-repl/src/repl/session.rs
@@ -835,10 +835,12 @@ impl Session {
             }
         };
 
-        let new_height = self.advance_stacks_chaintip(count);
-        format!("{} blocks simulated, new height: {}", count, new_height)
-            .green()
-            .to_string()
+        match self.advance_stacks_chaintip(count) {
+            Ok(new_height) => format!("{} blocks simulated, new height: {}", count, new_height)
+                .green()
+                .to_string(),
+            Err(msg) => format!("{}", msg.red()),
+        }
     }
     fn parse_and_advance_burn_chaintip(&mut self, command: &str) -> String {
         let args: Vec<_> = command.split(' ').collect();
@@ -860,7 +862,7 @@ impl Session {
             .to_string()
     }
 
-    pub fn advance_stacks_chaintip(&mut self, count: u32) -> u32 {
+    pub fn advance_stacks_chaintip(&mut self, count: u32) -> Result<u32, String> {
         self.interpreter.advance_stacks_chaintip(count)
     }
     pub fn advance_burn_chaintip(&mut self, count: u32) -> u32 {