diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 4f3faab..b49dda5 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -3367,6 +3367,7 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "helios-recursion-circuit"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
+ "alloy-primitives 0.8.25",
  "alloy-sol-types 0.8.25",
  "beacon-electra",
  "borsh",
@@ -3374,7 +3375,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "sp1-helios-primitives",
  "sp1-verifier",
  "sp1-zkvm",
- "ssz_rs",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -6809,22 +6809,23 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-build"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "62ef25d7c5d6f3a8fb695c57a248abfc7627eaab3a663b89edc3ceafee593cd0"
+checksum = "5563b406d74b417ce07c0d7e0d8184b423f3bc3eacd1e98b105691a167f47c8f"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "cargo_metadata",
  "chrono",
  "clap",
  "dirs",
+ "sp1-prover",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-core-executor"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "b9049775ff1ab0114a6bce05d4ba9ca2f82494f781780e070f6465c8751644c8"
+checksum = "291c086ca35f43725b33337a7a33c64418d89033d8d6e5586f82b9de2cf90dcb"
 dependencies = [
  "bincode",
  "bytemuck",
@@ -6861,9 +6862,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-core-machine"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f76e4a9944e7be4531470f88a9436c95c944275886f8d82824986088af20e414"
+checksum = "236d063c38900e8346342af0b352a23d25b9806b624ee30fcae4c0cc7ddbed27"
 dependencies = [
  "bincode",
  "cbindgen",
@@ -6917,9 +6918,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-cuda"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "b6f03537814ef0b91ca4c45d777e8d584cf4d401bb03fe384b7baae1d14e7707"
+checksum = "d2c81ab46ba84d41e471351329a69ac43be7da1aa701ed29c70048c83c0fe28c"
 dependencies = [
  "bincode",
  "ctrlc",
@@ -6934,9 +6935,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-curves"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "af6b4ff36255b8472d4c99688118638724c8fc19dcfe41b7b75e2cd817077461"
+checksum = "e4d6faecc70f0ca84d0e1259ab2f5eb6d2d351d263c3cd00edf654f8530c0473"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "dashu",
@@ -6956,9 +6957,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-derive"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "766e1af068bafdcc15786dbc0b555c9ff2a5fa7d249944474fe1fa63560d3870"
+checksum = "c25a3bd262f3b0b0ab59d9bc86638ebd895ade9c16526203023c08f926d62732"
 dependencies = [
  "quote",
  "syn 1.0.109",
@@ -7024,9 +7025,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-primitives"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "6939d6b2f63e54e5fbd208a0293027608f22511741b62fe32b6f67f6c144e0c0"
+checksum = "699935774a5131c1a8b371108d0666c0c80c43611045fb77fae43f2f242676d5"
 dependencies = [
  "bincode",
  "blake3",
@@ -7044,9 +7045,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-prover"
-version = "5.0.1"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "361f7b36d98cf8874c0fbd7e9401cfd1293652c45d9bdde5904393826c8e54a5"
+checksum = "8f9381b478115137a435d02756dae7f3da01abaa0b1b9db8c0973389bd5bfaa9"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "bincode",
@@ -7089,9 +7090,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-recursion-circuit"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "1a11af2fae529dd5e4e39024d0fa218dc5ec2e8bec63fe85d9fe1277467b47d6"
+checksum = "e56f69b0e112a7fbba23cbef61fb37f6092ba6897425859b30c4cd2786450179"
 dependencies = [
  "hashbrown 0.14.5",
  "itertools 0.13.0",
@@ -7124,9 +7125,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-recursion-compiler"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "34bb81efd405febb3ad3efb0a23c2aad461e1795f09b803a84bb0fe8cd170835"
+checksum = "6101a4c46d55206a5f0d312fd6f663248cbdb49c90f1662138f20472bef31b71"
 dependencies = [
  "backtrace",
  "itertools 0.13.0",
@@ -7146,9 +7147,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-recursion-core"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "9df08e7ab1319f51ea1710b0443ea26acf331f40bff3e1368e99c3ca37073604"
+checksum = "13fa9644be4e3b9cf0b1f0976b2c3814dbd5b6d6f47dc8662d6a22828f2c3dd7"
 dependencies = [
  "backtrace",
  "cbindgen",
@@ -7189,9 +7190,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-recursion-derive"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "cc5096fa5c675329bbd52de0d54d6eca0fbda8aa8b5beccf99fffa85c8700c36"
+checksum = "c5e6d5c7e2620d61956e6f75026a88ef2f714dab4abf84e870f13145e6bbec79"
 dependencies = [
  "quote",
  "syn 1.0.109",
@@ -7199,9 +7200,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-recursion-gnark-ffi"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e22fa911c322afa6ec75d7a5100f3bb4fbe28e823f1bb28e13774ea7c2b904ae"
+checksum = "d40fc06701180ce02d6079370d00ca74b8d86c84d85909a3684eddc8bfd8c1bf"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "bincode",
@@ -7225,9 +7226,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-sdk"
-version = "5.0.4"
+version = "5.0.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4e05659d72bc760a14e2a9fb801075d5577453318316b2bd1998e0d2781cbc1b"
+checksum = "05114cab7a33f251cf8d470ed85497297dd127a4727569a1a11f759f02136357"
 dependencies = [
  "alloy-primitives 1.2.0",
  "anyhow",
@@ -7270,9 +7271,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sp1-stark"
-version = "5.0.0"
+version = "5.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ee69877415d24d3a9b1ecedd80143aa5162da370ec653f174ecf25f14c42cb8a"
+checksum = "5a795a0a309949772a6f26480f5d844e9f2fad9ef82e4caef9e7b0cec98daffe"
 dependencies = [
  "arrayref",
  "hashbrown 0.14.5",
@@ -7351,31 +7352,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "der",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "ssz_rs"
-version = "0.9.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "057291e5631f280978fa9c8009390663ca4613359fc1318e36a8c24c392f6d1f"
-dependencies = [
- "bitvec",
- "hex",
- "num-bigint 0.4.6",
- "serde",
- "sha2 0.9.9",
- "ssz_rs_derive",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "ssz_rs_derive"
-version = "0.9.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f07d54c4d01a1713eb363b55ba51595da15f6f1211435b71466460da022aa140"
-dependencies = [
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "syn 1.0.109",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "ssz_types"
 version = "0.8.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 6dee187..ea404d6 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ serde_json = { version = "1.0.105", features = [
 borsh = { version = "1.5.5", features = ["derive"], default-features = false }
 itertools = { version = "0.14", default-features = false }
 sp1-zkvm = "5.0.0"
-sp1-sdk = { version = "5.0.0", features = ["native-gnark"] }
+sp1-sdk = { version = "5.0.6", features = ["native-gnark"] }
 sp1-verifier = "5.0.0"
 
 # alloy
diff --git a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/Cargo.toml b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/Cargo.toml
index ea9486c..60a6970 100644
--- a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ sp1-verifier.workspace = true
 borsh.workspace = true
 helios-recursion-types.workspace = true
 alloy-sol-types.workspace = true
+alloy-primitives.workspace = true
 sp1-helios-primitives.workspace = true
 beacon-electra.workspace = true
-ssz_rs = "0.9.0"
diff --git a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/blueprint.rs b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/blueprint.rs
index c3bfaf9..5ea2258 100644
--- a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/blueprint.rs
+++ b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/blueprint.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #![no_main]
 sp1_zkvm::entrypoint!(main);
+use alloy_primitives::U256;
 use alloy_sol_types::SolValue;
 use beacon_electra::merkleize_header;
 use helios_recursion_types::{RecursionCircuitInputs, RecursionCircuitOutputs};
@@ -114,9 +115,11 @@ fn get_helios_outputs(
     if recursive_proof_outputs.is_some() {
         let recursive_proof_outputs =
             recursive_proof_outputs.expect("Failed to unwrap recursive proof outputs");
-        if helios_output.prevSyncCommitteeHash != recursive_proof_outputs.active_committee
-            && helios_output.prevSyncCommitteeHash != recursive_proof_outputs.previous_committee
-        {
+
+        // the new head must be greater than the previous head
+        assert!(helios_output.prevHead < helios_output.newHead);
+
+        if helios_output.prevSyncCommitteeHash != recursive_proof_outputs.active_committee {
             panic!("Sync committee mismatch!");
         }
     }
@@ -134,7 +137,14 @@ fn get_helios_outputs(
             .try_into()
             .expect("Failed to unwrap recursive proof outputs"),
         root: state_root.to_vec().try_into().unwrap(),
-        height: ssz_rs::deserialize::<u64>(height).expect("Failed to deserialize block number"),
+        height: unpad_block_number(height),
         vk: recursive_proof_inputs.recursive_vk.clone(),
     }
 }
+
+// the block height leaf in the merkle tree was padded to 32 bytes, so we need to unpad it
+fn unpad_block_number(padded: &[u8; 32]) -> u64 {
+    let mut bytes = [0u8; 8];
+    bytes.copy_from_slice(&padded[..8]);
+    u64::from_le_bytes(bytes)
+}
diff --git a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/main.rs b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/main.rs
index 207425d..babf694 100644
--- a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/circuit/src/main.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #![no_main]
 sp1_zkvm::entrypoint!(main);
+use alloy_primitives::U256;
 use alloy_sol_types::SolValue;
 use beacon_electra::merkleize_header;
 use helios_recursion_types::{RecursionCircuitInputs, RecursionCircuitOutputs};
@@ -114,9 +115,11 @@ fn get_helios_outputs(
     if recursive_proof_outputs.is_some() {
         let recursive_proof_outputs =
             recursive_proof_outputs.expect("Failed to unwrap recursive proof outputs");
-        if helios_output.prevSyncCommitteeHash != recursive_proof_outputs.active_committee
-            && helios_output.prevSyncCommitteeHash != recursive_proof_outputs.previous_committee
-        {
+
+        // the new head must be greater than the previous head
+        assert!(helios_output.prevHead < helios_output.newHead);
+
+        if helios_output.prevSyncCommitteeHash != recursive_proof_outputs.active_committee {
             panic!("Sync committee mismatch!");
         }
     }
@@ -134,7 +137,14 @@ fn get_helios_outputs(
             .try_into()
             .expect("Failed to unwrap recursive proof outputs"),
         root: state_root.to_vec().try_into().unwrap(),
-        height: ssz_rs::deserialize::<u64>(height).expect("Failed to deserialize block number"),
+        height: unpad_block_number(height),
         vk: recursive_proof_inputs.recursive_vk.clone(),
     }
 }
+
+// the block height leaf in the merkle tree was padded to 32 bytes, so we need to unpad it
+fn unpad_block_number(padded: &[u8; 32]) -> u64 {
+    let mut bytes = [0u8; 8];
+    bytes.copy_from_slice(&padded[..8]);
+    u64::from_le_bytes(bytes)
+}
diff --git a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs
index 9304397..b989eb3 100644
--- a/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/integrations/sp1-helios/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use helios_recursion_types::{
 };
 use sp1_verifier::Groth16Verifier;
 
-const RECURSIVE_VK: &str = "0x007e6a423d4e8cdb5d4307fc04f0caec22af32a2b59e7ad34bd011542c0ab30a";
+const RECURSIVE_VK: &str = "0x0034e4a559df3be8975c94d57857e1e6fbfc4d26177b8f60ccd2dd86e75fd8c7";
 
 fn main() {
     // Get the Groth16 verification key for proof verification
diff --git a/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/blueprint.rs b/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/blueprint.rs
index 27c69af..f825d0d 100644
--- a/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/blueprint.rs
+++ b/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/blueprint.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ pub fn main() {
     if inputs.trusted_height == TRUSTED_HEIGHT {
         assert_eq!(tendermintx_output.trusted_header_hash, TRUSTED_ROOT);
     } else {
+        let recusive_proof_outputs: RecursionCircuitOutputs = borsh::from_slice(
+            &inputs
+                .recursive_public_values
+                .as_ref()
+                .expect("Failed to unwrap recursive public values"),
+        )
+        .expect("Failed to deserialize Recursive Outputs");
+        assert!(tendermintx_output.target_height > recusive_proof_outputs.height);
         Groth16Verifier::verify(
             &inputs
                 .recursive_proof
diff --git a/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/main.rs b/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/main.rs
index ba70f6e..730c4f7 100644
--- a/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/circuit/src/main.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ pub fn main() {
     if inputs.trusted_height == TRUSTED_HEIGHT {
         assert_eq!(tendermintx_output.trusted_header_hash, TRUSTED_ROOT);
     } else {
+        let recusive_proof_outputs: RecursionCircuitOutputs = borsh::from_slice(
+            &inputs
+                .recursive_public_values
+                .as_ref()
+                .expect("Failed to unwrap recursive public values"),
+        )
+        .expect("Failed to deserialize Recursive Outputs");
+        assert!(tendermintx_output.target_height > recusive_proof_outputs.height);
         Groth16Verifier::verify(
             &inputs
                 .recursive_proof
diff --git a/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs b/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs
index c7847ad..d745c02 100644
--- a/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/integrations/sp1-tendermint/wrapper-circuit/src/main.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use tendermint_recursion_types::{
     RecursionCircuitOutputs, WrapperCircuitInputs, WrapperCircuitOutputs,
 };
 
-const RECURSIVE_VK: &str = "0x007233d84afece20b8bb52baf8d0eeaa471956b609de542144fcf8ae0364affa";
+const RECURSIVE_VK: &str = "0x009094b993417fd795f3785e430cc9153705f79c798ac8f337acfabad95d4edc";
 
 fn main() {
     // Get the Groth16 verification key for proof verification
diff --git a/crates/service/src/preprocessor/mod.rs b/crates/service/src/preprocessor/mod.rs
index 9c055c1..7b95ffd 100644
--- a/crates/service/src/preprocessor/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/service/src/preprocessor/mod.rs
@@ -43,18 +43,20 @@ impl Preprocessor {
         let checkpoint = get_checkpoint(self.trusted_slot).await?;
         let client = get_client(checkpoint).await?;
         let trusted_slot_period = &self.trusted_slot / 8192;
-        let latest_finalized_slot = get_latest_finalized_slot().await?;
+        let latest_slot = gest_latest_slot().await?;
         // we only get a finality update every 32 slots, so we need to wait for the
         // latest finalized slot to be at least 32 slots ahead of the trusted slot
-        info!(
-            "latest_finalized_slot: {}, trusted_slot: {}",
-            latest_finalized_slot, self.trusted_slot
-        );
-        if latest_finalized_slot <= self.trusted_slot || latest_finalized_slot % 32 != 0 {
+        if latest_slot <= self.trusted_slot || latest_slot / 32 < self.trusted_slot / 32 {
             return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
                 "Waiting for new slot to be finalized, retry in 60 seconds!"
             ));
         }
+
+        let latest_finalized_slot = latest_slot - (latest_slot % 32);
+        info!(
+            "latest_finalized_slot: {}, trusted_slot: {}",
+            latest_finalized_slot, self.trusted_slot
+        );
         let latest_finalized_slot_period = latest_finalized_slot / 8192;
         let mut period_distance = latest_finalized_slot_period - trusted_slot_period;
         if period_distance == 0 {
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ impl Preprocessor {
 ///
 /// This function makes an RPC call to the consensus client to get
 /// the most recently finalized slot number.
-pub async fn get_latest_finalized_slot() -> Result<u64> {
+pub async fn gest_latest_slot() -> Result<u64> {
     let consensus_url = env::var("SOURCE_CONSENSUS_RPC_URL")?;
     let resp: Value = reqwest::get(format!("{}/eth/v1/beacon/headers/finalized", consensus_url))
         .await?
diff --git a/crates/service/src/prover.rs b/crates/service/src/prover.rs
index 7a0b339..f4a544f 100644
--- a/crates/service/src/prover.rs
+++ b/crates/service/src/prover.rs
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ pub async fn run_prover_loop(
     tracing::info!("🚀 Starting proof generation service loop...");
 
     loop {
+        let round_start_time = Instant::now();
+
         // Clean up any existing GPU containers
         tracing::info!("🧹 Cleaning up GPU containers...");
         cleanup_gpu_containers()?;
@@ -281,6 +283,9 @@ pub async fn run_prover_loop(
             service_state.trusted_slot,
             service_state.trusted_height
         );
+
+        let round_duration = round_start_time.elapsed();
+        tracing::info!("⏱️  Round completed in: {:?}", round_duration);
         tracing::info!("⏱️  Service uptime: {:?}", start_time.elapsed());
     }
 }
diff --git a/elfs/variable/helios-recursive-elf.bin b/elfs/variable/helios-recursive-elf.bin
index a882f98..01320a1 100644
Binary files a/elfs/variable/helios-recursive-elf.bin and b/elfs/variable/helios-recursive-elf.bin differ
diff --git a/elfs/variable/helios-wrapper-elf.bin b/elfs/variable/helios-wrapper-elf.bin
index 214beae..2b580bb 100644
Binary files a/elfs/variable/helios-wrapper-elf.bin and b/elfs/variable/helios-wrapper-elf.bin differ
diff --git a/elfs/variable/tendermint-recursive-elf.bin b/elfs/variable/tendermint-recursive-elf.bin
index 01989f1..fd683f1 100644
Binary files a/elfs/variable/tendermint-recursive-elf.bin and b/elfs/variable/tendermint-recursive-elf.bin differ
diff --git a/elfs/variable/tendermint-wrapper-elf.bin b/elfs/variable/tendermint-wrapper-elf.bin
index 0bcb6bc..9409073 100644
Binary files a/elfs/variable/tendermint-wrapper-elf.bin and b/elfs/variable/tendermint-wrapper-elf.bin differ