diff --git a/pallets/energy/src/lib.rs b/pallets/energy/src/lib.rs
index f8e5d6e8..c62b0f38 100644
--- a/pallets/energy/src/lib.rs
+++ b/pallets/energy/src/lib.rs
@@ -386,10 +386,10 @@ pub mod pallet {
                     let real_account = T::Lookup::lookup(real.clone())?;
                     is_who_a_proxy = pallet_proxy::Pallet::<T>::find_proxy(&real_account, who, None).is_ok();
                     
-                    if is_who_a_proxy {
-                        real_account
-                    } else {
-                        who.clone()
+                    match is_who_a_proxy {
+                        true if Self::energy_balance(&who) >= energy_fee => who.clone(),
+                        true => real_account,
+                        false => who.clone(),
                     }
                 }
                 _ => who.clone(),
diff --git a/pallets/energy/src/tests.rs b/pallets/energy/src/tests.rs
index c8a621df..0c7770f9 100644
--- a/pallets/energy/src/tests.rs
+++ b/pallets/energy/src/tests.rs
@@ -363,6 +363,45 @@ fn charge_transaction_should_pay_with_energy_if_enough() {
 
 #[test]
 fn charge_transaction_should_pay_with_energy_if_proxy_caller() {
+    ExtBuilder::default().value_coefficient(2f64).build().execute_with(|| {
+        let real_account = account(1);
+        let proxy_account = account(2);
+
+        assert_ok!(pallet_proxy::Pallet::<Test>::add_proxy_delegate(
+            &real_account,
+            proxy_account,
+            MockProxyType::Any,
+            Zero::zero(),
+        ));
+
+        set_native_balance(proxy_account, 1000);
+        set_energy_balance(proxy_account, 1000);
+
+        assert_ok!(charge_transaction_with_proxy(&proxy_account, real_account, 150, 100, 20, || {
+            // subtract the expected fees / coefficient from real account
+            assert_energy_balance!(proxy_account, 1000 - div_coeff!(150, 2));
+            // tip subtracted from the native balance of proxy account
+            assert_balance!(proxy_account, 1000 - 20);
+
+            assert!(
+                get_captured_withdraw_fee_args().is_none(),
+                "Shouldn't go through the fallback OnChargeTransaction"
+            );
+        },),);
+
+        assert_energy_balance!(proxy_account, 1000 - div_coeff!(100, 2));
+
+        // subtract the actual (fees + tip) / coefficient
+        assert_balance!(proxy_account, 1000 - 20); // tip subtracted from the native balance
+        assert!(
+            get_corrected_and_deposit_fee_args().is_none(),
+            "Shouldn't go through the fallback OnChargeTransaction"
+        );
+    });
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn charge_transaction_should_pay_with_real_account_energy_if_proxy_balance_low() {
     ExtBuilder::default().value_coefficient(2f64).build().execute_with(|| {
         let real_account = account(1);
         let proxy_account = account(2);
diff --git a/runtime/src/lib.rs b/runtime/src/lib.rs
index df077b74..2ab91fc2 100644
--- a/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ pub const VERSION: RuntimeVersion = RuntimeVersion {
 	spec_name: create_runtime_str!("subsocial-parachain"),
 	impl_name: create_runtime_str!("subsocial-parachain"),
 	authoring_version: 1,
-	spec_version: 43,
+	spec_version: 44,
 	impl_version: 0,
 	apis: RUNTIME_API_VERSIONS,
 	transaction_version: 9,