diff --git a/pkg/client/accessdelegate.go b/pkg/client/accessdelegate.go
index 0e749ccd..460933f9 100644
--- a/pkg/client/accessdelegate.go
+++ b/pkg/client/accessdelegate.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	accesscap "github.com/storacha/go-libstoracha/capabilities/access"
+	"github.com/storacha/go-ucanto/core/dag/blockstore"
 	"github.com/storacha/go-ucanto/core/delegation"
 	"github.com/storacha/go-ucanto/core/result"
 	"github.com/storacha/go-ucanto/did"
@@ -31,10 +32,17 @@ func (c *Client) AccessDelegate(ctx context.Context, space did.DID, delegations
 		},
 	}
 
+	// Include the delegations themselves as proofs
 	// Include the delegations themselves as proofs
 	delOptions := make([]delegation.Option, 0, len(delegations))
 	for _, del := range delegations {
-		delOptions = append(delOptions, delegation.WithProof(delegation.FromDelegation(del)))
+		// Prune the delegation to remove nested proofs (blocks) to reduce header size.
+		// We use d.Root() because d.Block() does not exist on the interface.
+		pruned, err := pruneDelegation(del)
+		if err != nil {
+			return accesscap.DelegateOk{}, fmt.Errorf("pruning delegation: %w", err)
+		}
+		delOptions = append(delOptions, delegation.WithProof(delegation.FromDelegation(pruned)))
 	}
 
 	res, _, err := invokeAndExecute[accesscap.DelegateCaveats, accesscap.DelegateOk](
@@ -57,3 +65,18 @@ func (c *Client) AccessDelegate(ctx context.Context, space did.DID, delegations
 
 	return delegateOk, nil
 }
+
+// pruneDelegation creates a shallow copy of the delegation that only contains
+// the root block in its blockstore. This prevents the entire proof chain (nested blocks)
+// from being serialized into the invocation header.
+func pruneDelegation(d delegation.Delegation) (delegation.Delegation, error) {
+	blk := d.Root()
+	bs, err := blockstore.NewBlockStore()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating blockstore: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := bs.Put(blk); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("putting block: %w", err)
+	}
+	return delegation.NewDelegation(blk, bs)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/client/accessdelegate_test.go b/pkg/client/accessdelegate_test.go
index e2a5761e..02fd4fff 100644
--- a/pkg/client/accessdelegate_test.go
+++ b/pkg/client/accessdelegate_test.go
@@ -258,4 +258,81 @@ func TestAccessDelegate(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Error(t, err)
 		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "access/delegate")
 	})
+
+	t.Run("prunes nested proofs from delegations", func(t *testing.T) {
+		root := testutil.Must(signer.Generate())(t)
+		middle := testutil.Must(signer.Generate())(t)
+		leaf := testutil.Must(signer.Generate())(t)
+
+		// Root -> Middle
+		rootToMiddle := testutil.Must(delegation.Delegate(
+			root,
+			middle,
+			[]ucan.Capability[ucan.NoCaveats]{
+				ucan.NewCapability("store/add", root.DID().String(), ucan.NoCaveats{}),
+			},
+			delegation.WithNoExpiration(),
+		))(t)
+
+		// Middle -> Leaf (includes Root->Middle as proof)
+		// This creates a "heavy" delegation because it carries the history
+		middleToLeaf := testutil.Must(delegation.Delegate(
+			middle,
+			leaf,
+			[]ucan.Capability[ucan.NoCaveats]{
+				ucan.NewCapability("store/add", root.DID().String(), ucan.NoCaveats{}),
+			},
+			delegation.WithNoExpiration(),
+			delegation.WithProof(delegation.FromDelegation(rootToMiddle)),
+		))(t)
+
+		var receivedProofLinks []ucan.Link
+		var c *client.Client
+
+		connection := ctestutil.NewTestServerConnection(
+			server.WithServiceMethod(
+				access.DelegateAbility,
+				server.Provide(
+					access.Delegate,
+					func(
+						ctx context.Context,
+						cap ucan.Capability[access.DelegateCaveats],
+						inv invocation.Invocation,
+						context server.InvocationContext,
+					) (result.Result[access.DelegateOk, failure.IPLDBuilderFailure], fx.Effects, error) {
+						receivedProofLinks = inv.Proofs()
+						return result.Ok[access.DelegateOk, failure.IPLDBuilderFailure](access.DelegateOk{}), nil, nil
+					},
+				),
+			),
+		)
+
+		c = testutil.Must(client.NewClient(
+			client.WithConnection(connection),
+		))(t)
+
+		// Authorize client to call access/delegate
+		accessDelegateProof := testutil.Must(delegation.Delegate(
+			root,
+			c.Issuer(),
+			[]ucan.Capability[ucan.NoCaveats]{
+				ucan.NewCapability("access/delegate", root.DID().String(), ucan.NoCaveats{}),
+			},
+			delegation.WithNoExpiration(),
+		))(t)
+		require.NoError(t, c.AddProofs(accessDelegateProof))
+
+		// Action: Call AccessDelegate with the "heavy" delegation
+		_, err := c.AccessDelegate(testContext(t), root.DID(), middleToLeaf)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// Verification: Ensure the leaf was sent
+		var foundLeafProof delegation.Proof
+		for _, pl := range receivedProofLinks {
+			if pl.String() == middleToLeaf.Link().String() {
+				foundLeafProof = delegation.FromDelegation(middleToLeaf)
+			}
+		}
+		require.NotNil(t, foundLeafProof, "expected leaf proof link to be sent")
+	})
 }