diff --git a/runtime/src/account_rent_state.rs b/runtime/src/account_rent_state.rs
index 86808ed6dc..ec70a0541f 100644
--- a/runtime/src/account_rent_state.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/account_rent_state.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use {
     log::*,
     solana_sdk::{
         account::{AccountSharedData, ReadableAccount},
+        pubkey::Pubkey,
         rent::Rent,
         transaction::{Result, TransactionError},
         transaction_context::TransactionContext,
@@ -55,17 +56,35 @@ pub(crate) fn check_rent_state(
     index: usize,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     if let Some((pre_rent_state, post_rent_state)) = pre_rent_state.zip(post_rent_state) {
-        submit_rent_state_metrics(pre_rent_state, post_rent_state);
-        if !post_rent_state.transition_allowed_from(pre_rent_state) {
-            debug!(
-                "Account {:?} not rent exempt, state {:?}",
-                transaction_context.get_key_of_account_at_index(index),
-                transaction_context
-                    .get_account_at_index(index)
-                    .map(|account| account.borrow()),
-            );
-            return Err(TransactionError::InvalidRentPayingAccount);
-        }
+        let expect_msg = "account must exist at TransactionContext index if rent-states are Some";
+        check_rent_state_with_account(
+            pre_rent_state,
+            post_rent_state,
+            transaction_context
+                .get_key_of_account_at_index(index)
+                .expect(expect_msg),
+            &transaction_context
+                .get_account_at_index(index)
+                .expect(expect_msg)
+                .borrow(),
+        )?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn check_rent_state_with_account(
+    pre_rent_state: &RentState,
+    post_rent_state: &RentState,
+    address: &Pubkey,
+    account_state: &AccountSharedData,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    submit_rent_state_metrics(pre_rent_state, post_rent_state);
+    if !post_rent_state.transition_allowed_from(pre_rent_state) {
+        debug!(
+            "Account {} not rent exempt, state {:?}",
+            address, account_state,
+        );
+        return Err(TransactionError::InvalidRentPayingAccount);
     }
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/runtime/src/accounts.rs b/runtime/src/accounts.rs
index 6dc827d688..f933b838b4 100644
--- a/runtime/src/accounts.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/accounts.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use {
     crate::{
+        account_rent_state::{check_rent_state_with_account, RentState},
         accounts_db::{
             AccountShrinkThreshold, AccountsAddRootTiming, AccountsDb, AccountsDbConfig,
             BankHashInfo, ErrorCounters, LoadHint, LoadedAccount, ScanStorageResult,
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ impl Accounts {
                 if payer_index != 0 {
                     warn!("Payer index should be 0! {:?}", tx);
                 }
-                let payer_account = &mut accounts[payer_index].1;
+                let (ref payer_address, ref mut payer_account) = accounts[payer_index];
                 if payer_account.lamports() == 0 {
                     error_counters.account_not_found += 1;
                     return Err(TransactionError::AccountNotFound);
@@ -363,10 +364,27 @@ impl Accounts {
                     error_counters.insufficient_funds += 1;
                     return Err(TransactionError::InsufficientFundsForFee);
                 }
+                let payer_pre_rent_state =
+                    RentState::from_account(payer_account, &rent_collector.rent);
                 payer_account
                     .checked_sub_lamports(fee)
                     .map_err(|_| TransactionError::InsufficientFundsForFee)?;
 
+                let payer_post_rent_state =
+                    RentState::from_account(payer_account, &rent_collector.rent);
+                let rent_state_result = check_rent_state_with_account(
+                    &payer_pre_rent_state,
+                    &payer_post_rent_state,
+                    payer_address,
+                    payer_account,
+                );
+                // Feature gate only wraps the actual error return so that the metrics and debug
+                // logging generated by `check_rent_state_with_account()` can be examined before
+                // feature activation
+                if feature_set.is_active(&feature_set::require_rent_exempt_accounts::id()) {
+                    rent_state_result?;
+                }
+
                 let program_indices = message
                     .instructions()
                     .iter()
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank.rs b/runtime/src/bank.rs
index 1a3912c28c..3bfa88a573 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank.rs
@@ -16476,6 +16476,255 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
         assert!(result.is_ok());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_invalid_rent_state_changes_fee_payer() {
+        let GenesisConfigInfo {
+            mut genesis_config,
+            mint_keypair,
+            ..
+        } = create_genesis_config_with_leader(sol_to_lamports(100.), &Pubkey::new_unique(), 42);
+        genesis_config.rent = Rent::default();
+        genesis_config.fee_rate_governor = FeeRateGovernor::new(
+            solana_sdk::fee_calculator::DEFAULT_TARGET_LAMPORTS_PER_SIGNATURE,
+            solana_sdk::fee_calculator::DEFAULT_TARGET_SIGNATURES_PER_SLOT,
+        );
+        let rent_exempt_minimum = genesis_config.rent.minimum_balance(0);
+
+        // Create legacy rent-paying System account
+        let rent_paying_fee_payer = Keypair::new();
+        genesis_config.accounts.insert(
+            rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+            Account::new(rent_exempt_minimum - 1, 0, &system_program::id()),
+        );
+        // Create RentExempt recipient account
+        let recipient = Pubkey::new_unique();
+        genesis_config.accounts.insert(
+            recipient,
+            Account::new(rent_exempt_minimum, 0, &system_program::id()),
+        );
+
+        // Activate features, including require_rent_exempt_accounts
+        activate_all_features(&mut genesis_config);
+
+        let bank = Bank::new_for_tests(&genesis_config);
+        let recent_blockhash = bank.last_blockhash();
+
+        let check_account_is_rent_exempt = |pubkey: &Pubkey| -> bool {
+            let account = bank.get_account(pubkey).unwrap();
+            Rent::default().is_exempt(account.lamports(), account.data().len())
+        };
+
+        // Create just-rent-exempt fee-payer
+        let rent_exempt_fee_payer = Keypair::new();
+        bank.transfer(
+            rent_exempt_minimum,
+            &mint_keypair,
+            &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        // Dummy message to determine fee amount
+        let dummy_message = SanitizedMessage::try_from(Message::new_with_blockhash(
+            &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+                &recipient,
+                sol_to_lamports(1.),
+            )],
+            Some(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            &recent_blockhash,
+        ))
+        .unwrap();
+        let fee = bank.get_fee_for_message(&dummy_message).unwrap();
+
+        // RentPaying fee-payer can remain RentPaying
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_paying_fee_payer, &mint_keypair],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &mint_keypair.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    rent_exempt_minimum,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+        assert!(!check_account_is_rent_exempt(
+            &rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey()
+        ));
+
+        // RentPaying fee-payer can remain RentPaying on failed executed tx
+        let sender = Keypair::new();
+        let fee_payer_balance = bank.get_balance(&rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey());
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_paying_fee_payer, &sender],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &sender.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    rent_exempt_minimum,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert_ne!(
+            result.unwrap_err(),
+            TransactionError::InvalidRentPayingAccount
+        );
+        assert_ne!(
+            fee_payer_balance,
+            bank.get_balance(&rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey())
+        );
+        assert!(!check_account_is_rent_exempt(
+            &rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey()
+        ));
+
+        // RentPaying fee-payer can be emptied with fee and transaction
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_paying_fee_payer],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    bank.get_balance(&rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey()) - fee,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+        assert_eq!(0, bank.get_balance(&rent_paying_fee_payer.pubkey()));
+
+        // RentExempt fee-payer cannot become RentPaying from transaction fee
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_exempt_fee_payer, &mint_keypair],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &mint_keypair.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    rent_exempt_minimum,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert_eq!(
+            result.unwrap_err(),
+            TransactionError::InvalidRentPayingAccount
+        );
+        assert!(check_account_is_rent_exempt(
+            &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()
+        ));
+
+        // RentExempt fee-payer cannot become RentPaying via failed executed tx
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_exempt_fee_payer, &sender],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &sender.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    rent_exempt_minimum,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert_eq!(
+            result.unwrap_err(),
+            TransactionError::InvalidRentPayingAccount
+        );
+        assert!(check_account_is_rent_exempt(
+            &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()
+        ));
+
+        // For good measure, show that a RentExempt fee-payer that is also debited by a transaction
+        // cannot become RentPaying by that debit, but can still be charged for the fee
+        bank.transfer(fee, &mint_keypair, &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey())
+            .unwrap();
+        let fee_payer_balance = bank.get_balance(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey());
+        assert_eq!(fee_payer_balance, rent_exempt_minimum + fee);
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_exempt_fee_payer],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    fee,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert_eq!(
+            result.unwrap_err(),
+            TransactionError::InvalidRentPayingAccount
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            fee_payer_balance - fee,
+            bank.get_balance(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey())
+        );
+        assert!(check_account_is_rent_exempt(
+            &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()
+        ));
+
+        // Also show that a RentExempt fee-payer can be completely emptied via fee and transaction
+        bank.transfer(fee + 1, &mint_keypair, &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey())
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(bank.get_balance(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()) > rent_exempt_minimum + fee);
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_exempt_fee_payer],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    bank.get_balance(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()) - fee,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+        assert_eq!(0, bank.get_balance(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()));
+
+        // ... but not if the fee alone would make it RentPaying
+        bank.transfer(
+            rent_exempt_minimum + 1,
+            &mint_keypair,
+            &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(bank.get_balance(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()) < rent_exempt_minimum + fee);
+        let tx = Transaction::new(
+            &[&rent_exempt_fee_payer],
+            Message::new(
+                &[system_instruction::transfer(
+                    &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey(),
+                    &recipient,
+                    bank.get_balance(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()) - fee,
+                )],
+                Some(&rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()),
+            ),
+            recent_blockhash,
+        );
+        let result = bank.process_transaction(&tx);
+        assert_eq!(
+            result.unwrap_err(),
+            TransactionError::InvalidRentPayingAccount
+        );
+        assert!(check_account_is_rent_exempt(
+            &rent_exempt_fee_payer.pubkey()
+        ));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_rent_state_list_len() {
         let GenesisConfigInfo {