diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 41911f4d984918196ea8bb684ee5397d93e1e0a2..04b6cc13306280abe546f240af951d159aa15a61 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ Baker
   states in order to avoid unexpected crashes when the baker gets
   updated, or when a new protocol's baker starts. (MR :gl:`!7640`)
 
+- Restored previous behaviour from :gl:`!7490` for blocks at round
+  greater than 0. Application-dependent checks are re-enabled for
+  re-proposal and fresh blocks at round greater than 0.
+
 Accuser
 -------
 
diff --git a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml
index e05821d643bce2bc756ee10fcb8fccd7de84e15f..b24a54100308732896aa299a3ba105985c87bcb7 100644
--- a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml
+++ b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ type block_to_bake = {
   round : Round.t;
   delegate : Baking_state.consensus_key_and_delegate;
   kind : block_kind;
+  force_apply : bool;
 }
 
 type action =
@@ -214,7 +215,13 @@ let sign_block_header state proposer unsigned_block_header =
       return {Block_header.shell; protocol_data = {contents; signature}}
 
 let inject_block ~state_recorder state block_to_bake ~updated_state =
-  let {predecessor; round; delegate = (consensus_key, _) as delegate; kind} =
+  let {
+    predecessor;
+    round;
+    delegate = (consensus_key, _) as delegate;
+    kind;
+    force_apply;
+  } =
     block_to_bake
   in
   Events.(
@@ -311,7 +318,7 @@ let inject_block ~state_recorder state block_to_bake ~updated_state =
     ~payload_round
     ~liquidity_baking_toggle_vote
     ~user_activated_upgrades
-    ~force_apply:state.global_state.config.force_apply
+    ~force_apply
     state.global_state.config.fees
     simulation_mode
     simulation_kind
diff --git a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli
index 91b9bf7729157864c0258c476ae56aeeb30c54ef..5b9715905497978525327f0f8e57e14593936e88 100644
--- a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli
+++ b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ type block_to_bake = {
   round : Round.t;
   delegate : consensus_key_and_delegate;
   kind : block_kind;
+  force_apply : bool;
+      (** if true, while baking the block, try and apply the block and its
+          operations instead of only validating them. this can be permanently
+          set using the [--force-apply] flag (see [force_apply_switch_arg] in
+          [baking_commands.ml]). *)
 }
 
 type action =
diff --git a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
index 5adbda789e44c39f1c44b0ef3e94acce5ce6ec05..ebb2cd35fc0c934559c28b6254c2625aa71bcedf 100644
--- a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
+++ b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ let propose_at_next_level ~minimal_timestamp state =
         round = minimal_round;
         delegate;
         kind;
+        force_apply = state.global_state.config.force_apply;
       }
     in
     let state_recorder ~new_state =
@@ -476,6 +477,7 @@ let baking_minimal_timestamp state =
       round = minimal_round;
       delegate;
       kind;
+      force_apply = state.global_state.config.force_apply;
     }
   in
   let state_recorder ~new_state =
diff --git a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml
index d39c05dbc8cdd858a589a671db6b74db8b78ebb7..5cc55044263d47599f57bbc3de3d3f1a4106c9ab 100644
--- a/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml
+++ b/src/proto_016_PtMumbai/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml
@@ -413,7 +413,12 @@ let propose_fresh_block_action ~endorsements ?last_proposal
   in
   let kind = Fresh operation_pool in
   Events.(emit proposing_fresh_block (delegate, round)) >>= fun () ->
-  let block_to_bake = {predecessor; round; delegate; kind} in
+  let force_apply =
+    state.global_state.config.force_apply || Round.(round <> zero)
+    (* This is used as a safety net by applying blocks on round > 0, in case
+       validation-only did not produce a correct round-0 block. *)
+  in
+  let block_to_bake = {predecessor; round; delegate; kind; force_apply} in
   let updated_state = update_current_phase state Idle in
   Lwt.return @@ Inject_block {block_to_bake; updated_state}
 
@@ -498,8 +503,13 @@ let propose_block_action state delegate round (proposal : proposal) =
       let kind =
         Reproposal {consensus_operations; payload_hash; payload_round; payload}
       in
+      let force_apply =
+        true
+        (* This is used as a safety net by applying blocks on round > 0, in case
+           validation-only did not produce a correct round-0 block. *)
+      in
       let block_to_bake =
-        {predecessor = proposal.predecessor; round; delegate; kind}
+        {predecessor = proposal.predecessor; round; delegate; kind; force_apply}
       in
       let updated_state = update_current_phase state Idle in
       Lwt.return @@ Inject_block {block_to_bake; updated_state}
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml
index 42153493a602d3982b94f3796abb07a916c89b9f..3b78c068e85dc865dd0510eaa255490b8722a549 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.ml
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ type block_to_bake = {
   round : Round.t;
   delegate : Baking_state.consensus_key_and_delegate;
   kind : block_kind;
+  force_apply : bool;
 }
 
 type action =
@@ -214,7 +215,13 @@ let sign_block_header state proposer unsigned_block_header =
       return {Block_header.shell; protocol_data = {contents; signature}}
 
 let inject_block ~state_recorder state block_to_bake ~updated_state =
-  let {predecessor; round; delegate = (consensus_key, _) as delegate; kind} =
+  let {
+    predecessor;
+    round;
+    delegate = (consensus_key, _) as delegate;
+    kind;
+    force_apply;
+  } =
     block_to_bake
   in
   Events.(
@@ -311,7 +318,7 @@ let inject_block ~state_recorder state block_to_bake ~updated_state =
     ~payload_round
     ~liquidity_baking_toggle_vote
     ~user_activated_upgrades
-    ~force_apply:state.global_state.config.force_apply
+    ~force_apply
     state.global_state.config.fees
     simulation_mode
     simulation_kind
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli
index 07665261acea2a7be09334c4f9d64e5c0d99313f..360f1f761e27eae0213a55ee22ba568b5940c8d8 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_actions.mli
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ type block_to_bake = {
   round : Round.t;
   delegate : consensus_key_and_delegate;
   kind : block_kind;
+  force_apply : bool;
+      (** if true, while baking the block, try and apply the block and its
+          operations instead of only validating them. this can be permanently
+          set using the [--force-apply] flag (see [force_apply_switch_arg] in
+          [baking_commands.ml]). *)
 }
 
 type action =
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
index 113cab5a0a571df5f65fceb30cabe1959021ab64..8ce23bda6549ea1e4619b341f962e87ec151e3ca 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ let propose_at_next_level ~minimal_timestamp state =
         round = minimal_round;
         delegate;
         kind;
+        force_apply = state.global_state.config.force_apply;
       }
     in
     let state_recorder ~new_state =
@@ -488,6 +489,7 @@ let baking_minimal_timestamp state =
       round = minimal_round;
       delegate;
       kind;
+      force_apply = state.global_state.config.force_apply;
     }
   in
   let state_recorder ~new_state =
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml
index d39c05dbc8cdd858a589a671db6b74db8b78ebb7..5cc55044263d47599f57bbc3de3d3f1a4106c9ab 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/state_transitions.ml
@@ -413,7 +413,12 @@ let propose_fresh_block_action ~endorsements ?last_proposal
   in
   let kind = Fresh operation_pool in
   Events.(emit proposing_fresh_block (delegate, round)) >>= fun () ->
-  let block_to_bake = {predecessor; round; delegate; kind} in
+  let force_apply =
+    state.global_state.config.force_apply || Round.(round <> zero)
+    (* This is used as a safety net by applying blocks on round > 0, in case
+       validation-only did not produce a correct round-0 block. *)
+  in
+  let block_to_bake = {predecessor; round; delegate; kind; force_apply} in
   let updated_state = update_current_phase state Idle in
   Lwt.return @@ Inject_block {block_to_bake; updated_state}
 
@@ -498,8 +503,13 @@ let propose_block_action state delegate round (proposal : proposal) =
       let kind =
         Reproposal {consensus_operations; payload_hash; payload_round; payload}
       in
+      let force_apply =
+        true
+        (* This is used as a safety net by applying blocks on round > 0, in case
+           validation-only did not produce a correct round-0 block. *)
+      in
       let block_to_bake =
-        {predecessor = proposal.predecessor; round; delegate; kind}
+        {predecessor = proposal.predecessor; round; delegate; kind; force_apply}
       in
       let updated_state = update_current_phase state Idle in
       Lwt.return @@ Inject_block {block_to_bake; updated_state}