diff --git a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/chain/DefaultBlockchain.java b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/chain/DefaultBlockchain.java
index 1b210490740..b2b4e6abfc8 100644
--- a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/chain/DefaultBlockchain.java
+++ b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/chain/DefaultBlockchain.java
@@ -116,6 +116,37 @@ private DefaultBlockchain(
     chainHeadTransactionCount = chainHeadBody.getTransactions().size();
     chainHeadOmmerCount = chainHeadBody.getOmmers().size();
 
+    this.reorgLoggingThreshold = reorgLoggingThreshold;
+    this.blockChoiceRule = heaviestChainBlockChoiceRule;
+    this.numberOfBlocksToCache = numberOfBlocksToCache;
+
+    if (numberOfBlocksToCache != 0) {
+      blockHeadersCache =
+          Optional.of(
+              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
+      blockBodiesCache =
+          Optional.of(
+              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
+      transactionReceiptsCache =
+          Optional.of(
+              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
+      totalDifficultyCache =
+          Optional.of(
+              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
+      CacheMetricsCollector cacheMetrics = new CacheMetricsCollector();
+      cacheMetrics.addCache("blockHeaders", blockHeadersCache.get());
+      cacheMetrics.addCache("blockBodies", blockBodiesCache.get());
+      cacheMetrics.addCache("transactionReceipts", transactionReceiptsCache.get());
+      cacheMetrics.addCache("totalDifficulty", totalDifficultyCache.get());
+      if (metricsSystem instanceof PrometheusMetricsSystem prometheusMetricsSystem)
+        prometheusMetricsSystem.addCollector(BesuMetricCategory.BLOCKCHAIN, () -> cacheMetrics);
+    } else {
+      blockHeadersCache = Optional.empty();
+      blockBodiesCache = Optional.empty();
+      transactionReceiptsCache = Optional.empty();
+      totalDifficultyCache = Optional.empty();
+    }
+
     metricsSystem.createLongGauge(
         BesuMetricCategory.ETHEREUM,
         "blockchain_height",
@@ -179,37 +210,6 @@ private DefaultBlockchain(
         "chain_head_ommer_count",
         "Number of ommers in the current chain head block",
         () -> chainHeadOmmerCount);
-
-    this.reorgLoggingThreshold = reorgLoggingThreshold;
-    this.blockChoiceRule = heaviestChainBlockChoiceRule;
-    this.numberOfBlocksToCache = numberOfBlocksToCache;
-
-    if (numberOfBlocksToCache != 0) {
-      blockHeadersCache =
-          Optional.of(
-              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
-      blockBodiesCache =
-          Optional.of(
-              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
-      transactionReceiptsCache =
-          Optional.of(
-              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
-      totalDifficultyCache =
-          Optional.of(
-              CacheBuilder.newBuilder().recordStats().maximumSize(numberOfBlocksToCache).build());
-      CacheMetricsCollector cacheMetrics = new CacheMetricsCollector();
-      cacheMetrics.addCache("blockHeaders", blockHeadersCache.get());
-      cacheMetrics.addCache("blockBodies", blockBodiesCache.get());
-      cacheMetrics.addCache("transactionReceipts", transactionReceiptsCache.get());
-      cacheMetrics.addCache("totalDifficulty", totalDifficultyCache.get());
-      if (metricsSystem instanceof PrometheusMetricsSystem prometheusMetricsSystem)
-        prometheusMetricsSystem.addCollector(BesuMetricCategory.BLOCKCHAIN, () -> cacheMetrics);
-    } else {
-      blockHeadersCache = Optional.empty();
-      blockBodiesCache = Optional.empty();
-      transactionReceiptsCache = Optional.empty();
-      totalDifficultyCache = Optional.empty();
-    }
   }
 
   public static MutableBlockchain createMutable(