diff --git a/core/types/body_ext.go b/core/types/body_ext.go
index 23ef0c00da..cca5777df6 100644
--- a/core/types/body_ext.go
+++ b/core/types/body_ext.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (b *BodyExtra) RLPFieldPointersForDecoding(body *Body) *rlp.Fields {
 			&body.Transactions,
 			&body.Uncles,
 			&b.Version,
-			rlp.Nillable(&b.ExtData), // equivalent to `rlp:"nil"`
+			&b.ExtData,
 		},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/core/types/body_ext_test.go b/core/types/body_ext_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ddfb707379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/types/body_ext_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+// (c) 2025, Ava Labs, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// See the file LICENSE for licensing terms.
+
+package types
+
+import (
+	"math/big"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/ava-labs/libevm/common"
+	ethtypes "github.com/ava-labs/libevm/core/types"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/libevm/rlp"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestBodyExtraGetWith(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	b := &Body{}
+
+	extra := GetBodyExtra(b)
+	require.NotNil(t, extra)
+	assert.Equal(t, &BodyExtra{}, extra)
+
+	extra = &BodyExtra{
+		Version: 1,
+	}
+	WithBodyExtra(b, extra)
+
+	extra = GetBodyExtra(b)
+	wantExtra := &BodyExtra{
+		Version: 1,
+	}
+	assert.Equal(t, wantExtra, extra)
+}
+
+func TestBodyExtraRLP(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	testTx := NewTransaction(0, common.Address{1}, big.NewInt(2), 3, big.NewInt(4), []byte{5})
+
+	uncle := &Header{ParentHash: common.Hash{6}}
+	uncleExtra := &HeaderExtra{ExtDataHash: common.Hash{7}}
+	_ = WithHeaderExtra(uncle, uncleExtra)
+
+	body := &Body{
+		Transactions: []*Transaction{testTx},
+		Uncles:       []*ethtypes.Header{uncle},
+		Withdrawals:  []*ethtypes.Withdrawal{{Index: 7}}, // ignored
+	}
+	extra := &BodyExtra{
+		Version: 1,
+		ExtData: ptrTo([]byte{2}),
+	}
+	_ = WithBodyExtra(body, extra)
+
+	b, err := rlp.EncodeToBytes(body)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	gotBody := new(Body)
+	err = rlp.DecodeBytes(b, gotBody)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Check transactions in the following because unexported fields
+	// size and time are set by the RLP decoder.
+	require.Len(t, gotBody.Transactions, 1)
+	gotTx := gotBody.Transactions[0]
+	gotTxJSON, err := gotTx.MarshalJSON()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	wantTxJSON, err := testTx.MarshalJSON()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, string(wantTxJSON), string(gotTxJSON))
+	gotBody.Transactions = nil
+
+	wantUncle := &Header{
+		ParentHash: common.Hash{6},
+		Difficulty: new(big.Int),
+		Number:     new(big.Int),
+		Extra:      []byte{},
+	}
+	wantUncleExtra := &HeaderExtra{ExtDataHash: common.Hash{7}}
+	_ = WithHeaderExtra(wantUncle, wantUncleExtra)
+
+	wantBody := &Body{
+		Transactions: nil, // checked above
+		Uncles:       []*ethtypes.Header{wantUncle},
+	}
+	wantExtra := &BodyExtra{
+		Version: 1,
+		ExtData: ptrTo([]byte{2}),
+	}
+	_ = WithBodyExtra(wantBody, wantExtra)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, wantBody, gotBody)
+	assert.Equal(t, wantExtra, GetBodyExtra(gotBody))
+}