diff --git a/runtime/src/bank.rs b/runtime/src/bank.rs
index 805a22fc3db19a..ddda35884cf330 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ use {
         packet::PACKET_DATA_SIZE,
         precompiles::get_precompiles,
         pubkey::Pubkey,
-        rent_collector::{CollectedInfo, RentCollector},
+        rent_collector::{CollectedInfo, RentCollector, RENT_EXEMPT_RENT_EPOCH},
         rent_debits::RentDebits,
         reserved_account_keys::ReservedAccountKeys,
         reward_info::RewardInfo,
@@ -1940,6 +1940,15 @@ impl Bank {
         // More generally, this code always re-calculates for possible sysvar data size change,
         // although there is no such sysvars currently.
         self.adjust_sysvar_balance_for_rent(&mut new_account);
+
+        // When new sysvar comes into existence, this code ensures that the
+        // sysvar's rent_epoch is set to RENT_EXEMPT_EPOCH (i.e. U64::MAX). This
+        // is because sysvars are never deleted, and are always rent exempt.
+        // Currently, it relies on rent collection code to update rent_epoch to
+        // RENT_EXEMPT_EPOCH. In the future, we will remove rent collection
+        // code. Therefore, we should set rent_epoch here, and don't depend on
+        // rent collection code to update rent_epoch..
+        new_account.set_rent_epoch(RENT_EXEMPT_RENT_EPOCH);
         self.store_account_and_update_capitalization(pubkey, &new_account);
     }
 
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank/tests.rs b/runtime/src/bank/tests.rs
index 70e730affa745d..226e3fa21f75c7 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank/tests.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank/tests.rs
@@ -3951,7 +3951,6 @@ fn test_bank_update_sysvar_account() {
         // (since rent collection will update the rent epoch, thus causing the
         // subsequent checks to fail spuriously).
         let dummy_clock_id = Pubkey::from_str_const("64jsX5hwtsjsKR7eNcNU4yhgwjuXoU9KR2MpnV47iXXz");
-        let dummy_rent_epoch = 44;
         let (mut genesis_config, _mint_keypair) = create_genesis_config(500);
 
         let expected_previous_slot = 3;
@@ -3974,22 +3973,20 @@ fn test_bank_update_sysvar_account() {
                 bank1.update_sysvar_account(&dummy_clock_id, |optional_account| {
                     assert!(optional_account.is_none());
 
-                    let mut account = create_account(
+                    create_account(
                         &Clock {
                             slot: expected_previous_slot,
                             ..Clock::default()
                         },
                         bank1.inherit_specially_retained_account_fields(optional_account),
-                    );
-                    account.set_rent_epoch(dummy_rent_epoch);
-                    account
+                    )
                 });
                 let current_account = bank1.get_account(&dummy_clock_id).unwrap();
                 assert_eq!(
                     expected_previous_slot,
                     from_account::<Clock, _>(&current_account).unwrap().slot
                 );
-                assert_eq!(dummy_rent_epoch, current_account.rent_epoch());
+                assert_eq!(RENT_EXEMPT_RENT_EPOCH, current_account.rent_epoch());
             },
             |old, new| {
                 assert_eq!(
@@ -4053,7 +4050,7 @@ fn test_bank_update_sysvar_account() {
                     expected_next_slot,
                     from_account::<Clock, _>(&current_account).unwrap().slot
                 );
-                assert_eq!(dummy_rent_epoch, current_account.rent_epoch());
+                assert_eq!(RENT_EXEMPT_RENT_EPOCH, current_account.rent_epoch());
             },
             |old, new| {
                 // if existing, capitalization shouldn't change
@@ -6472,30 +6469,29 @@ fn test_bank_hash_consistency() {
     assert_eq!(bank.get_slots_in_epoch(0), 32);
     loop {
         goto_end_of_slot(bank.clone());
-
         if bank.slot == 0 {
             assert_eq!(
                 bank.hash().to_string(),
-                "Hn2FoJuoFWXVFVnwcQ6peuT24mUPmhDtXHXVjKD7M4yP",
+                "5twxs7hhHtqsMWjW3CVQdxp5f9FVTYtFs4obs5aPAPeY",
             );
         }
 
         if bank.slot == 32 {
             assert_eq!(
                 bank.hash().to_string(),
-                "7FPfwBut4b7bXtKPsobQS1cuFgF47SZHDb4teQcJRomv"
+                "7bLTgyPMtNYd853kzSgiFjipQFcCGxNCqCEbtymmjRBS"
             );
         }
         if bank.slot == 64 {
             assert_eq!(
                 bank.hash().to_string(),
-                "28CWiEuA3izdt5xe4LyS4Q1DTALmYgrVctSTazFiPVcW"
+                "G7yjmpzektRBH6KcQs7UXpueb1U5Xw8eL9dm7qiqjHLz"
             );
         }
         if bank.slot == 128 {
             assert_eq!(
                 bank.hash().to_string(),
-                "AdCmEvRXWKpvXb9fG6AFQhzGgB5ciAXnDajvaNK7YUg8"
+                "F5Z5MfY4pgpHKu6HrSc2bMqf3MXyNdHKaWYsponpSzVT"
             );
             break;
         }
@@ -12376,6 +12372,22 @@ where
     let bank = new_from_parent_next_epoch(bank, &bank_forks, 2);
     bank.freeze(); // trigger rent collection
 
+    // Move to the next slot to create a new bank, bypassing the bank at the
+    // epoch boundary. An epoch boundary bank *might* not be completely dead
+    // even if all user accounts are overwritten in later slots. This is because
+    // an epoch rewards sysvar is written in the first slot of the epoch.
+    // Before, we used to have sysvar's rent epoch initialized to zero and set
+    // to u64:max later at rent collection time. This way, the epoch rewards
+    // sysvar was rewritten and became dead in the first slot of the epoch. And the
+    // first bank at the epoch boundary was cleanable. However, now we have
+    // sysvar's rent epoch initialized to u64:max at creation time, so the epoch
+    // rewards sysvar is *not* rewritten later in rent collection and is alive.
+    // Therefore, the first slot at the epoch boundary is not completely dead
+    // and uncleanable. To avoid interaction with the epoch rewards sysvar in
+    // clean, we need to advance to the next slot.
+    let slot = bank.slot() + 1;
+    let bank = new_bank_from_parent_with_bank_forks(bank_forks.as_ref(), bank, &collector, slot);
+
     // create zero-lamports account to be cleaned
     let account = AccountSharedData::new(0, len1, &program);
     let slot = bank.slot() + 1;
@@ -12423,9 +12435,9 @@ fn test_create_zero_lamport_with_clean() {
         bank.squash();
         bank.force_flush_accounts_cache();
         // do clean and assert that it actually did its job
-        assert_eq!(5, bank.get_snapshot_storages(None).len());
+        assert_eq!(6, bank.get_snapshot_storages(None).len());
         bank.clean_accounts();
-        assert_eq!(4, bank.get_snapshot_storages(None).len());
+        assert_eq!(5, bank.get_snapshot_storages(None).len());
     });
 }