diff --git a/state/factory/factory.go b/state/factory/factory.go
index 37cd5a7b62..274cc41b7f 100644
--- a/state/factory/factory.go
+++ b/state/factory/factory.go
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ type (
 		NewBlockBuilder(context.Context, actpool.ActPool, func(action.Envelope) (*action.SealedEnvelope, error)) (*block.Builder, error)
 		PutBlock(context.Context, *block.Block) error
 		WorkingSet(context.Context) (protocol.StateManager, error)
-		WorkingSetAtHeight(context.Context, uint64) (protocol.StateManager, error)
+		WorkingSetAtHeight(context.Context, uint64, ...*action.SealedEnvelope) (protocol.StateManager, error)
 	}
 
 	// factory implements StateFactory interface, tracks changes to account/contract and batch-commits to DB
@@ -408,16 +408,29 @@ func (sf *factory) WorkingSet(ctx context.Context) (protocol.StateManager, error
 	return sf.newWorkingSet(ctx, sf.currentChainHeight+1)
 }
 
-func (sf *factory) WorkingSetAtHeight(ctx context.Context, height uint64) (protocol.StateManager, error) {
+func (sf *factory) WorkingSetAtHeight(ctx context.Context, height uint64, preacts ...*action.SealedEnvelope) (protocol.StateManager, error) {
 	if !sf.saveHistory {
 		return nil, ErrNoArchiveData
 	}
 	sf.mutex.Lock()
-	defer sf.mutex.Unlock()
 	if height > sf.currentChainHeight {
+		sf.mutex.Unlock()
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("query height %d is higher than tip height %d", height, sf.currentChainHeight)
 	}
-	return sf.newWorkingSetAtHeight(ctx, height)
+	ws, err := sf.newWorkingSetAtHeight(ctx, height)
+	sf.mutex.Unlock()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to obtain working set from state factory")
+	}
+	if len(preacts) == 0 {
+		return ws, nil
+	}
+	// prepare workingset at height, and run acts
+	ws.height++
+	if err := ws.Process(ctx, preacts); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return ws, nil
 }
 
 // PutBlock persists all changes in RunActions() into the DB
diff --git a/state/factory/statedb.go b/state/factory/statedb.go
index 638debf7ab..03634eb060 100644
--- a/state/factory/statedb.go
+++ b/state/factory/statedb.go
@@ -270,9 +270,20 @@ func (sdb *stateDB) WorkingSet(ctx context.Context) (protocol.StateManager, erro
 	return sdb.newWorkingSet(ctx, height+1)
 }
 
-func (sdb *stateDB) WorkingSetAtHeight(ctx context.Context, height uint64) (protocol.StateManager, error) {
-	// TODO: implement archive mode
-	return sdb.newWorkingSet(ctx, height)
+func (sdb *stateDB) WorkingSetAtHeight(ctx context.Context, height uint64, preacts ...*action.SealedEnvelope) (protocol.StateManager, error) {
+	ws, err := sdb.newWorkingSet(ctx, height)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to obtain working set from state db")
+	}
+	if len(preacts) == 0 {
+		return ws, nil
+	}
+	// prepare workingset at height, and run acts
+	ws.height++
+	if err := ws.Process(ctx, preacts); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return ws, nil
 }
 
 // PutBlock persists all changes in RunActions() into the DB
diff --git a/test/mock/mock_factory/mock_factory.go b/test/mock/mock_factory/mock_factory.go
index 475f831700..c383989d17 100644
--- a/test/mock/mock_factory/mock_factory.go
+++ b/test/mock/mock_factory/mock_factory.go
@@ -210,16 +210,21 @@ func (mr *MockFactoryMockRecorder) WorkingSet(arg0 interface{}) *gomock.Call {
 }
 
 // WorkingSetAtHeight mocks base method.
-func (m *MockFactory) WorkingSetAtHeight(arg0 context.Context, arg1 uint64) (protocol.StateManager, error) {
+func (m *MockFactory) WorkingSetAtHeight(arg0 context.Context, arg1 uint64, arg2 ...*action.SealedEnvelope) (protocol.StateManager, error) {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
-	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "WorkingSetAtHeight", arg0, arg1)
+	varargs := []interface{}{arg0, arg1}
+	for _, a := range arg2 {
+		varargs = append(varargs, a)
+	}
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "WorkingSetAtHeight", varargs...)
 	ret0, _ := ret[0].(protocol.StateManager)
 	ret1, _ := ret[1].(error)
 	return ret0, ret1
 }
 
 // WorkingSetAtHeight indicates an expected call of WorkingSetAtHeight.
-func (mr *MockFactoryMockRecorder) WorkingSetAtHeight(arg0, arg1 interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+func (mr *MockFactoryMockRecorder) WorkingSetAtHeight(arg0, arg1 interface{}, arg2 ...interface{}) *gomock.Call {
 	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
-	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "WorkingSetAtHeight", reflect.TypeOf((*MockFactory)(nil).WorkingSetAtHeight), arg0, arg1)
+	varargs := append([]interface{}{arg0, arg1}, arg2...)
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "WorkingSetAtHeight", reflect.TypeOf((*MockFactory)(nil).WorkingSetAtHeight), varargs...)
 }