diff --git a/.changeset/chilly-wasps-divide.md b/.changeset/chilly-wasps-divide.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c2ff51d44eef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/chilly-wasps-divide.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@eth-optimism/l2geth': patch
+---
+
+Handle policy/consensus race condition for balance check
diff --git a/l2geth/core/state_transition.go b/l2geth/core/state_transition.go
index a768c218c664..1cba56f0ac70 100644
--- a/l2geth/core/state_transition.go
+++ b/l2geth/core/state_transition.go
@@ -185,7 +185,15 @@ func (st *StateTransition) buyGas() error {
 		}
 	}
 	if st.state.GetBalance(st.msg.From()).Cmp(mgval) < 0 {
-		return errInsufficientBalanceForGas
+		if rcfg.UsingOVM {
+			// Hack to prevent race conditions with the `gas-oracle`
+			// where policy level balance checks pass and then fail
+			// during consensus. The user gets some free gas
+			// in this case.
+			mgval = st.state.GetBalance(st.msg.From())
+		} else {
+			return errInsufficientBalanceForGas
+		}
 	}
 	if err := st.gp.SubGas(st.msg.Gas()); err != nil {
 		return err