diff --git a/chain/chain/src/store.rs b/chain/chain/src/store.rs
index 9324c38d46b..3b433f316c9 100644
--- a/chain/chain/src/store.rs
+++ b/chain/chain/src/store.rs
@@ -2343,10 +2343,25 @@ impl<'a> ChainStoreUpdate<'a> {
         if !epoch_manager.is_next_block_epoch_start(&block_hash)? {
             return Ok(());
         }
-        let epoch_id = epoch_manager.get_epoch_id(&block_hash)?;
-        let shard_layout = epoch_manager.get_shard_layout(&epoch_id)?;
-        let prev_epoch_id = epoch_manager.get_prev_epoch_id(&block_hash)?;
-        let prev_shard_layout = epoch_manager.get_shard_layout(&prev_epoch_id)?;
+
+        // Since this code is related to GC, we need to be careful about accessing block_infos. Note
+        // that the BlockInfo exists for the current block_hash as it's not been GC'd yet.
+        // However, we need to use the block header to get the epoch_id and shard_layout for
+        // first_block_epoch_header and last_block_prev_epoch_hash as BlockInfo for these blocks is
+        // already GC'd while BlockHeader isn't GC'd.
+        let block_info = epoch_manager.get_block_info(&block_hash)?;
+        let first_block_epoch_hash = block_info.epoch_first_block();
+        if first_block_epoch_hash == &CryptoHash::default() {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+        let first_block_epoch_header = self.get_block_header(first_block_epoch_hash)?;
+        let last_block_prev_epoch_header =
+            self.get_block_header(first_block_epoch_header.prev_hash())?;
+
+        let epoch_id = first_block_epoch_header.epoch_id();
+        let shard_layout = epoch_manager.get_shard_layout(epoch_id)?;
+        let prev_epoch_id = last_block_prev_epoch_header.epoch_id();
+        let prev_shard_layout = epoch_manager.get_shard_layout(prev_epoch_id)?;
         if shard_layout == prev_shard_layout {
             return Ok(());
         }
diff --git a/chain/chain/src/test_utils/kv_runtime.rs b/chain/chain/src/test_utils/kv_runtime.rs
index f6e2cc44355..e27a1bf7a16 100644
--- a/chain/chain/src/test_utils/kv_runtime.rs
+++ b/chain/chain/src/test_utils/kv_runtime.rs
@@ -615,13 +615,6 @@ impl EpochManagerAdapter for MockEpochManager {
         }
     }
 
-    fn get_prev_epoch_id(&self, block_hash: &CryptoHash) -> Result<EpochId, EpochError> {
-        let header = self
-            .get_block_header(block_hash)?
-            .ok_or_else(|| EpochError::MissingBlock(*block_hash))?;
-        self.get_prev_epoch_id_from_prev_block(header.prev_hash())
-    }
-
     fn get_prev_epoch_id_from_prev_block(
         &self,
         prev_block_hash: &CryptoHash,
diff --git a/chain/epoch-manager/src/adapter.rs b/chain/epoch-manager/src/adapter.rs
index 42fe23e31e4..481c9787491 100644
--- a/chain/epoch-manager/src/adapter.rs
+++ b/chain/epoch-manager/src/adapter.rs
@@ -128,8 +128,6 @@ pub trait EpochManagerAdapter: Send + Sync {
     /// Get epoch start from a block belonging to the epoch.
     fn get_epoch_start_height(&self, block_hash: &CryptoHash) -> Result<BlockHeight, EpochError>;
 
-    fn get_prev_epoch_id(&self, block_hash: &CryptoHash) -> Result<EpochId, EpochError>;
-
     /// Get previous epoch id by hash of previous block.
     fn get_prev_epoch_id_from_prev_block(
         &self,
@@ -561,11 +559,6 @@ impl EpochManagerAdapter for EpochManagerHandle {
         epoch_manager.get_epoch_start_height(block_hash)
     }
 
-    fn get_prev_epoch_id(&self, block_hash: &CryptoHash) -> Result<EpochId, EpochError> {
-        let epoch_manager = self.read();
-        epoch_manager.get_prev_epoch_id(block_hash)
-    }
-
     fn get_prev_epoch_id_from_prev_block(
         &self,
         prev_block_hash: &CryptoHash,