diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 21edc82a54..72c967e97d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 Changes:
 
 - Re-add isPedantic check on storage decoding
+- Adjust capability detection (only on full-known historic `AccountInfo`)
 - Additional Xcm types
 
 
diff --git a/packages/api/src/base/capabilities.ts b/packages/api/src/base/capabilities.ts
index d9174f0867..9d169ff2a8 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/base/capabilities.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/base/capabilities.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { combineLatest, Observable, of } from '@polkadot/x-rxjs';
 import { map, take } from '@polkadot/x-rxjs/operators';
 
 // the order and types needs to map with the all array setup below
-type ExtractedQ = [u32 | null, bool | null, bool | null, bool | null, Releases | null];
+type ExtractedQ = [bool | null, bool | null, bool | null, Releases | null];
 
 type ExtractedR = [Raw | null];
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ interface Constants {
 
 const NumberMap = ['Zero', 'One', 'Two', 'Three', 'Four', 'Five', 'Six', 'Seven', 'Eight', 'Nine', 'Ten'];
 
-function mapCapabilities ({ accountIdLength }: Constants, [leasePeriodsPerSlot, slotRangeCount]: ExtractedC, [systemBlockNumber, systemRefcount32, systemRefcountDual, systemRefcountTriple, stakingVersion]: ExtractedQ, [keys]: ExtractedR): Partial<DetectedTypes> {
+function mapCapabilities ({ accountIdLength }: Constants, [leasePeriodsPerSlot, slotRangeCount]: ExtractedC, [systemRefcount32, systemRefcountDual, systemRefcountTriple, stakingVersion]: ExtractedQ, [keys]: ExtractedR): Partial<DetectedTypes> {
   const types: Partial<DetectedTypes> = {};
 
   // AccountInfo
@@ -50,12 +50,8 @@ function mapCapabilities ({ accountIdLength }: Constants, [leasePeriodsPerSlot,
     types.AccountInfo = 'AccountInfoWithTripleRefCount';
   } else if (systemRefcountDual && systemRefcountDual.isTrue) {
     types.AccountInfo = 'AccountInfoWithDualRefCount';
-  } else if (systemBlockNumber && !systemBlockNumber.isEmpty) {
+  } else if (systemRefcount32 && systemRefcount32.isTrue) {
     types.AccountInfo = 'AccountInfoWithRefCount';
-
-    if (!systemRefcount32 || systemRefcount32.isFalse) {
-      types.RefCount = 'u8';
-    }
   }
 
   // ValidatorPrefs
@@ -139,7 +135,6 @@ export function detectedCapabilities (api: ApiInterfaceRx, blockHash?: Uint8Arra
     api.consts.auctions?.slotRangeCount
   ]);
   const queries = filterEntries([
-    api.query.system?.number,
     api.query.system?.upgradedToU32RefCount,
     api.query.system?.upgradedToDualRefCount,
     api.query.system?.upgradedToTripleRefCount,
diff --git a/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts b/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts
index 24fca4d091..bc5d9da445 100644
--- a/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts
@@ -438,27 +438,23 @@ export class RpcCore {
       ? ''
       : ` entry ${entryIndex}:`;
 
-    if (meta.modifier.isOptional) {
-      let inner = null;
-
-      if (!isEmpty) {
-        try {
-          inner = createTypeUnsafe(registry, type, [input], { blockHash, isPedantic: true });
-        } catch (error) {
-          l.error(`Unable to decode storage ${key.section || 'unknown'}.${key.method || 'unknown'}:${entryNum}`, (error as Error).message);
-        }
-      }
-
-      const option = new Option(registry, createClass(registry, type), inner);
-
-      if (blockHash) {
-        option.createdAtHash = registry.createType('Hash', blockHash);
-      }
-
-      return option;
-    }
-
     try {
+      if (meta.modifier.isOptional) {
+        let inner = null;
+
+        if (!isEmpty) {
+          inner = createTypeUnsafe(registry, type, [input], { blockHash, isPedantic: true });
+        }
+
+        const option = new Option(registry, createClass(registry, type), inner);
+
+        if (blockHash) {
+          option.createdAtHash = registry.createType('Hash', blockHash);
+        }
+
+        return option;
+      }
+
       return createTypeUnsafe(registry, type, [
         isEmpty
           ? meta.fallback
@@ -467,9 +463,7 @@ export class RpcCore {
           : input
       ], { blockHash, isPedantic: true });
     } catch (error) {
-      l.error(`Unable to decode storage ${key.section || 'unknown'}.${key.method || 'unknown'}:${entryNum}`, (error as Error).message);
-
-      return createTypeUnsafe(registry, 'Raw', [input], { blockHash });
+      throw new Error(`Unable to decode storage ${key.section || 'unknown'}.${key.method || 'unknown'}:${entryNum}: ${(error as Error).message}`);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/rpc-provider/src/mock/index.ts b/packages/rpc-provider/src/mock/index.ts
index 79744acb63..d5aeb8933f 100644
--- a/packages/rpc-provider/src/mock/index.ts
+++ b/packages/rpc-provider/src/mock/index.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export class MockProvider implements ProviderInterface {
     system_chain: (): string => 'mockChain',
     system_name: (): string => 'mockClient',
     system_properties: (): Record<string, number | string> => ({ ss58Format: 42 }),
+    system_upgradedToTripleRefCount: () => this.registry.createType('bool', true),
     system_version: (): string => '9.8.7'
   };