diff --git a/program-runtime/src/instruction_processor.rs b/program-runtime/src/instruction_processor.rs
index 95e3804a1..072c0374b 100644
--- a/program-runtime/src/instruction_processor.rs
+++ b/program-runtime/src/instruction_processor.rs
@@ -377,7 +377,8 @@ impl InstructionProcessor {
         invoke_context: &mut dyn InvokeContext,
     ) -> Result<(), InstructionError> {
         let keyed_accounts = invoke_context.get_keyed_accounts()?;
-        let root_account = keyed_account_at_index(keyed_accounts, 0)?;
+        let root_account = keyed_account_at_index(keyed_accounts, 0)
+            .map_err(|_| InstructionError::UnsupportedProgramId)?;
         let root_id = root_account.unsigned_key();
         let owner_id = &root_account.owner()?;
         if solana_sdk::native_loader::check_id(owner_id) {
diff --git a/program-runtime/src/invoke_context.rs b/program-runtime/src/invoke_context.rs
index 5868e3cc1..79201397d 100644
--- a/program-runtime/src/invoke_context.rs
+++ b/program-runtime/src/invoke_context.rs
@@ -327,38 +327,21 @@ impl<'a> InvokeContext for ThisInvokeContext<'a> {
             return Err(InstructionError::CallDepth);
         }
 
-        let program_id = if let Some(index_of_program_id) = program_indices.last() {
-            let program_id = &self.accounts[*index_of_program_id].0;
-            let contains = self
-                .invoke_stack
-                .iter()
-                .any(|frame| frame.program_id() == Some(program_id));
-            let is_last = if let Some(last_frame) = self.invoke_stack.last() {
-                last_frame.program_id() == Some(program_id)
-            } else {
-                false
-            };
-            if contains && !is_last {
-                // Reentrancy not allowed unless caller is calling itself
-                return Err(InstructionError::ReentrancyNotAllowed);
-            }
-            *program_id
-        } else {
-            return Err(InstructionError::UnsupportedProgramId);
-        };
-
+        let program_id = program_indices
+            .last()
+            .map(|index_of_program_id| &self.accounts[*index_of_program_id].0);
         if self.invoke_stack.is_empty() {
             let mut compute_budget = self.compute_budget;
             if !self.is_feature_active(&tx_wide_compute_cap::id())
                 && self.is_feature_active(&neon_evm_compute_budget::id())
-                && program_id == crate::neon_evm_program::id()
+                && program_id == Some(&crate::neon_evm_program::id())
             {
                 // Bump the compute budget for neon_evm
                 compute_budget.max_units = compute_budget.max_units.max(500_000);
             }
             if !self.is_feature_active(&requestable_heap_size::id())
                 && self.is_feature_active(&neon_evm_compute_budget::id())
-                && program_id == crate::neon_evm_program::id()
+                && program_id == Some(&crate::neon_evm_program::id())
             {
                 // Bump the compute budget for neon_evm
                 compute_budget.heap_size = Some(256_usize.saturating_mul(1024));
@@ -381,6 +364,20 @@ impl<'a> InvokeContext for ThisInvokeContext<'a> {
                 Err(InstructionError::MissingAccount)
             };
             instruction.visit_each_account(&mut work)?;
+        } else {
+            let contains = self
+                .invoke_stack
+                .iter()
+                .any(|frame| frame.program_id() == program_id);
+            let is_last = if let Some(last_frame) = self.invoke_stack.last() {
+                last_frame.program_id() == program_id
+            } else {
+                false
+            };
+            if contains && !is_last {
+                // Reentrancy not allowed unless caller is calling itself
+                return Err(InstructionError::ReentrancyNotAllowed);
+            }
         }
 
         // Create the KeyedAccounts that will be passed to the program
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank.rs b/runtime/src/bank.rs
index 73c539534..260cec464 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank.rs
@@ -15391,4 +15391,18 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
         .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(Bank::calculate_fee(&message, 1), 11);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_an_empty_transaction_without_program() {
+        let (genesis_config, mint_keypair) = create_genesis_config(1);
+        let bank = Bank::new_for_tests(&genesis_config);
+
+        let destination = solana_sdk::pubkey::new_rand();
+        let mut ix = system_instruction::transfer(&mint_keypair.pubkey(), &destination, 0);
+        ix.program_id = native_loader::id(); // Empty executable account chain
+
+        let message = Message::new(&[ix], Some(&mint_keypair.pubkey()));
+        let tx = Transaction::new(&[&mint_keypair], message, genesis_config.hash());
+        bank.process_transaction(&tx).unwrap();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/runtime/src/builtins.rs b/runtime/src/builtins.rs
index ed3d17834..a32b7122f 100644
--- a/runtime/src/builtins.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/builtins.rs
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ fn process_instruction_with_program_logging(
     instruction_data: &[u8],
     invoke_context: &mut dyn InvokeContext,
 ) -> Result<(), InstructionError> {
-    debug_assert_eq!(first_instruction_account, 1);
-
     let logger = invoke_context.get_logger();
     let program_id = invoke_context.get_caller()?;
     stable_log::program_invoke(&logger, program_id, invoke_context.invoke_depth());