diff --git a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/BonsaiValue.java b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/BonsaiValue.java
index 5d14c882750..c4f8ab0efd0 100644
--- a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/BonsaiValue.java
+++ b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/BonsaiValue.java
@@ -24,18 +24,22 @@
 public class BonsaiValue<T> implements TrieLog.LogTuple<T> {
   private T prior;
   private T updated;
-  private boolean cleared;
+  private boolean lastStepCleared;
+
+  private boolean clearedAtLeastOnce;
 
   public BonsaiValue(final T prior, final T updated) {
     this.prior = prior;
     this.updated = updated;
-    this.cleared = false;
+    this.lastStepCleared = false;
+    this.clearedAtLeastOnce = false;
   }
 
-  public BonsaiValue(final T prior, final T updated, final boolean cleared) {
+  public BonsaiValue(final T prior, final T updated, final boolean lastStepCleared) {
     this.prior = prior;
     this.updated = updated;
-    this.cleared = cleared;
+    this.lastStepCleared = lastStepCleared;
+    this.clearedAtLeastOnce = lastStepCleared;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -54,18 +58,27 @@ public BonsaiValue<T> setPrior(final T prior) {
   }
 
   public BonsaiValue<T> setUpdated(final T updated) {
-    this.cleared = updated == null;
+    this.lastStepCleared = updated == null;
+    if (lastStepCleared) {
+      this.clearedAtLeastOnce = true;
+    }
     this.updated = updated;
     return this;
   }
 
   public void setCleared() {
-    this.cleared = true;
+    this.lastStepCleared = true;
+    this.clearedAtLeastOnce = true;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isLastStepCleared() {
+    return lastStepCleared;
   }
 
   @Override
-  public boolean isCleared() {
-    return cleared;
+  public boolean isClearedAtLeastOnce() {
+    return clearedAtLeastOnce;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -76,7 +89,7 @@ public String toString() {
         + ", updated="
         + updated
         + ", cleared="
-        + cleared
+        + lastStepCleared
         + '}';
   }
 
@@ -90,7 +103,7 @@ public boolean equals(final Object o) {
     }
     BonsaiValue<?> that = (BonsaiValue<?>) o;
     return new EqualsBuilder()
-        .append(cleared, that.cleared)
+        .append(lastStepCleared, that.lastStepCleared)
         .append(prior, that.prior)
         .append(updated, that.updated)
         .isEquals();
@@ -98,6 +111,10 @@ public boolean equals(final Object o) {
 
   @Override
   public int hashCode() {
-    return new HashCodeBuilder(17, 37).append(prior).append(updated).append(cleared).toHashCode();
+    return new HashCodeBuilder(17, 37)
+        .append(prior)
+        .append(updated)
+        .append(lastStepCleared)
+        .toHashCode();
   }
 }
diff --git a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/trielog/TrieLogFactoryImpl.java b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/trielog/TrieLogFactoryImpl.java
index 36a6510c91e..2915a671820 100644
--- a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/trielog/TrieLogFactoryImpl.java
+++ b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/trielog/TrieLogFactoryImpl.java
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ public static <T> void writeInnerRlp(
     } else {
       writer.accept(output, value.getUpdated());
     }
-    if (!value.isCleared()) {
+    if (!value.isLastStepCleared()) {
       output.writeNull();
     } else {
       output.writeInt(1);
diff --git a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/worldview/BonsaiWorldStateUpdateAccumulator.java b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/worldview/BonsaiWorldStateUpdateAccumulator.java
index 1c8cf159168..9f0dd07d3b1 100644
--- a/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/worldview/BonsaiWorldStateUpdateAccumulator.java
+++ b/ethereum/core/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/trie/bonsai/worldview/BonsaiWorldStateUpdateAccumulator.java
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ public UInt256 getPriorStorageValue(final Address address, final UInt256 storage
     if (localAccountStorage != null) {
       final BonsaiValue<UInt256> value = localAccountStorage.get(storageSlotKey);
       if (value != null) {
-        if (value.isCleared()) {
+        if (value.isLastStepCleared()) {
           return UInt256.ZERO;
         }
         final UInt256 updated = value.getUpdated();
diff --git a/plugin-api/build.gradle b/plugin-api/build.gradle
index 4ce23dfe351..d271094604d 100644
--- a/plugin-api/build.gradle
+++ b/plugin-api/build.gradle
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Calculated : ${currentHash}
 tasks.register('checkAPIChanges', FileStateChecker) {
   description = "Checks that the API for the Plugin-API project does not change without deliberate thought"
   files = sourceSets.main.allJava.files
-  knownHash = 'nB1LhUpMWYFQpBdNJ/3Q79c8kLgUgPmEFzlRMlLUl1Y='
+  knownHash = 'N583pqJipDs4kJkgL0cPq9PBsYdsLzvUlu2I8Kk+w7g='
 }
 check.dependsOn('checkAPIChanges')
 
diff --git a/plugin-api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/plugin/services/trielogs/TrieLog.java b/plugin-api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/plugin/services/trielogs/TrieLog.java
index 1a763ade96e..9bfe505fb1c 100644
--- a/plugin-api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/plugin/services/trielogs/TrieLog.java
+++ b/plugin-api/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/plugin/services/trielogs/TrieLog.java
@@ -167,10 +167,17 @@ default boolean isUnchanged() {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Checks if the updated value represents a cleared state.
+     * Checks if the last step performed a 'clear'.
      *
-     * @return true if the updated value is cleared, false otherwise
+     * @return true if the last step performed a 'clear', false otherwise.
      */
-    boolean isCleared();
+    boolean isLastStepCleared();
+
+    /**
+     * Checks if a 'clear' has been performed at least once.
+     *
+     * @return true if a 'clear' has been performed at least once, false otherwise.
+     */
+    boolean isClearedAtLeastOnce();
   }
 }