diff --git a/consensus/Cargo.toml b/consensus/Cargo.toml
index 5074e6e9..8bc42368 100644
--- a/consensus/Cargo.toml
+++ b/consensus/Cargo.toml
@@ -57,5 +57,3 @@ dirs = {version="5.0", optional = true}
 # here to help cargo to pick a version - remove me
 syn = "2.0.37"
 
-[profile.dev]
-opt-level = 3
diff --git a/consensus/src/bin/scan_chain.rs b/consensus/src/bin/scan_chain.rs
index 6d1f051f..22adb621 100644
--- a/consensus/src/bin/scan_chain.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/bin/scan_chain.rs
@@ -132,7 +132,28 @@ where
 
             if current_height % 500 == 0 {
                 tracing::info!("Saving cache to: {}", save_file.display());
-                cache.write().unwrap().save(&save_file)?;
+                cache.read().unwrap().save(&save_file)?;
+
+                let DatabaseResponse::BlockExtendedHeader(header) = database
+                    .ready()
+                    .await?
+                    .call(DatabaseRequest::BlockExtendedHeader(
+                        verified_block_info.height.into(),
+                    ))
+                    .await?
+                else {
+                    panic!();
+                };
+
+                assert_eq!(header.block_weight, verified_block_info.weight);
+                assert_eq!(
+                    header.cumulative_difficulty,
+                    verified_block_info.cumulative_difficulty
+                );
+                assert_eq!(
+                    header.long_term_weight,
+                    verified_block_info.long_term_weight
+                );
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/consensus/src/block.rs b/consensus/src/block.rs
index ca15ed5d..e5f11e0c 100644
--- a/consensus/src/block.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/block.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use crate::{
     ConsensusError, HardFork,
 };
 
-//mod checks;
+mod checks;
 mod hash_worker;
 mod miner_tx;
 
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ where
 
     tracing::debug!("got blockchain context: {:?}", context);
 
+    // TODO: reorder these tests so we do the cheap tests first.
+
     let txs = if !txs.is_empty() {
         let VerifyTxResponse::BatchSetupOk(txs) = tx_verifier_svc
             .oneshot(VerifyTxRequest::BatchSetupVerifyBlock {
@@ -159,6 +161,17 @@ where
 
     let hashing_blob = block.serialize_hashable();
 
+    checks::block_size_sanity_check(block.serialize().len(), context.effective_median_weight)?;
+    checks::block_weight_check(block_weight, context.median_weight_for_block_reward)?;
+
+    checks::check_amount_txs(block.txs.len())?;
+    checks::check_prev_id(&block, &context.top_hash)?;
+    if let Some(median_timestamp) = context.median_block_timestamp {
+        // will only be None for the first 60 blocks
+        checks::check_timestamp(&block, median_timestamp)?;
+    }
+
+    // do POW test last
     let pow_hash = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
         hash_worker::calculate_pow_hash(
             &hashing_blob,
@@ -169,6 +182,12 @@ where
     .await
     .unwrap()?;
 
+    checks::check_block_pow(&pow_hash, context.next_difficulty)?;
+
+    context
+        .current_hard_fork
+        .check_block_version_vote(&block.header)?;
+
     Ok(VerifiedBlockInformation {
         block_hash: block.hash(),
         block,
diff --git a/consensus/src/block/checks.rs b/consensus/src/block/checks.rs
index 0499051a..3bdde852 100644
--- a/consensus/src/block/checks.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/block/checks.rs
@@ -15,18 +15,22 @@ const BLOCK_FUTURE_TIME_LIMIT: u64 = 60 * 60 * 2;
 /// Returns if the blocks POW hash is valid for the current difficulty.
 ///
 /// See: https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks/difficulty.html#checking-a-blocks-proof-of-work
-pub fn check_block_pow(hash: &[u8; 32], difficulty: u128) -> bool {
+pub fn check_block_pow(hash: &[u8; 32], difficulty: u128) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
     let int_hash = U256::from_le_slice(hash);
 
     let difficulty = U256::from_u128(difficulty);
 
-    int_hash.checked_mul(&difficulty).is_some().unwrap_u8() == 1
+    if int_hash.checked_mul(&difficulty).is_some().unwrap_u8() != 1 {
+        Err(ConsensusError::BlockPOWInvalid)
+    } else {
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 /// Sanity check on the block blob size.
 ///
 /// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks.html#block-weight-and-size
-fn block_size_sanity_check(
+pub fn block_size_sanity_check(
     block_blob_len: usize,
     effective_median: usize,
 ) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
@@ -37,10 +41,21 @@ fn block_size_sanity_check(
     }
 }
 
+/// Sanity check on number of txs in the block.
+///
+/// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks.html#amount-of-transactions
+pub fn check_amount_txs(number_none_miner_txs: usize) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
+    if number_none_miner_txs + 1 > 0x10000000 {
+        Err(ConsensusError::BlockIsTooLarge)
+    } else {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 /// Sanity check on the block weight.
 ///
 /// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks.html#block-weight-and-siz
-fn block_weight_check(
+pub fn block_weight_check(
     block_weight: usize,
     median_for_block_reward: usize,
 ) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
@@ -54,7 +69,7 @@ fn block_weight_check(
 /// Verifies the previous id is the last blocks hash
 ///
 /// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks.html#previous-id
-fn check_prev_id(block: &Block, top_hash: &[u8; 32]) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
+pub fn check_prev_id(block: &Block, top_hash: &[u8; 32]) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
     if &block.header.previous != top_hash {
         Err(ConsensusError::BlockIsNotApartOfChain)
     } else {
@@ -65,7 +80,7 @@ fn check_prev_id(block: &Block, top_hash: &[u8; 32]) -> Result<(), ConsensusErro
 /// Checks the blocks timestamp is in the valid range.
 ///
 /// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks.html#timestamp
-fn check_timestamp(block: &Block, median_timestamp: u64) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
+pub fn check_timestamp(block: &Block, median_timestamp: u64) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
     if block.header.timestamp < median_timestamp
         || block.header.timestamp > current_time() + BLOCK_FUTURE_TIME_LIMIT
     {
diff --git a/consensus/src/block/miner_tx.rs b/consensus/src/block/miner_tx.rs
index faeed8dc..de41cb42 100644
--- a/consensus/src/block/miner_tx.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/block/miner_tx.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ pub fn calculate_block_reward(
 /// Checks the miner transactions version.
 ///
 /// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks/miner_tx.html#version
-fn check_tx_version(tx_version: &TxVersion, hf: &HardFork) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
+fn check_miner_tx_version(tx_version: &TxVersion, hf: &HardFork) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
+    // The TxVersion enum checks if the version is not 1 or 2
     if hf >= &HardFork::V12 && tx_version != &TxVersion::RingCT {
         Err(ConsensusError::MinerTransaction("Version invalid"))
     } else {
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ pub fn check_miner_tx(
     hf: &HardFork,
 ) -> Result<u64, ConsensusError> {
     let tx_version = TxVersion::from_raw(tx.prefix.version)?;
-    check_tx_version(&tx_version, hf)?;
+    check_miner_tx_version(&tx_version, hf)?;
 
     if hf >= &HardFork::V12 && tx.rct_signatures.rct_type() != RctType::Null {
         return Err(ConsensusError::MinerTransaction("RctType is not null"));
diff --git a/consensus/src/context.rs b/consensus/src/context.rs
index 5017c2e4..11504410 100644
--- a/consensus/src/context.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/context.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ pub struct BlockChainContext {
     /// The current cumulative difficulty.
     pub cumulative_difficulty: u128,
     /// The current effective median block weight.
-    effective_median_weight: usize,
+    pub effective_median_weight: usize,
     /// The median long term block weight.
     median_long_term_weight: usize,
     /// Median weight to use for block reward calculations.
diff --git a/consensus/src/context/hardforks.rs b/consensus/src/context/hardforks.rs
index 9e57a3d5..db3901e0 100644
--- a/consensus/src/context/hardforks.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/context/hardforks.rs
@@ -18,28 +18,6 @@ const BLOCK_TIME_V2: Duration = Duration::from_secs(120);
 
 const NUMB_OF_HARD_FORKS: usize = 16;
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
-pub struct BlockHFInfo {
-    pub version: HardFork,
-    pub vote: HardFork,
-}
-
-impl BlockHFInfo {
-    pub fn from_block_header(block_header: &BlockHeader) -> Result<BlockHFInfo, ConsensusError> {
-        BlockHFInfo::from_major_minor(block_header.major_version, block_header.minor_version)
-    }
-
-    pub fn from_major_minor(
-        major_version: u8,
-        minor_version: u8,
-    ) -> Result<BlockHFInfo, ConsensusError> {
-        Ok(BlockHFInfo {
-            version: HardFork::from_version(&major_version)?,
-            vote: HardFork::from_vote(&minor_version),
-        })
-    }
-}
-
 /// Information about a given hard-fork.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
 pub struct HFInfo {
@@ -187,8 +165,20 @@ impl HardFork {
     /// Checks a blocks version and vote, assuming that `self` is the current hard-fork.
     ///
     /// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/blocks.html#version-and-vote
-    pub fn check_block_version_vote(&self, block_hf_info: &BlockHFInfo) -> bool {
-        self == &block_hf_info.version && &block_hf_info.vote >= self
+    pub fn check_block_version_vote(
+        &self,
+        block_header: &BlockHeader,
+    ) -> Result<(), ConsensusError> {
+        let version = HardFork::from_version(&block_header.major_version)?;
+        let vote = HardFork::from_vote(&block_header.minor_version);
+
+        if self == &version && &vote >= self {
+            Ok(())
+        } else {
+            Err(ConsensusError::InvalidHardForkVersion(
+                "Block version or vote incorrect",
+            ))
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/consensus/src/transactions.rs b/consensus/src/transactions.rs
index c5790ef7..28d0e700 100644
--- a/consensus/src/transactions.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/transactions.rs
@@ -236,7 +236,9 @@ where
                 spent_kis.clone(),
             )
         })
-    });
+    })
+    .await
+    .unwrap()?;
 
     Ok(VerifyTxResponse::Ok)
 }
diff --git a/consensus/src/transactions/time_lock.rs b/consensus/src/transactions/time_lock.rs
index 8546842a..48d1177d 100644
--- a/consensus/src/transactions/time_lock.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/transactions/time_lock.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ fn output_unlocked(
 /// https://cuprate.github.io/monero-book/consensus_rules/transactions/unlock_time.html#block-height
 fn check_block_time_lock(unlock_height: u64, current_chain_height: u64) -> bool {
     // current_chain_height = 1 + top height
-    unlock_height >= current_chain_height
+    unlock_height <= current_chain_height
 }
 
 /// ///
diff --git a/cryptonight/build.rs b/cryptonight/build.rs
index 92a7fea5..abf7ebbb 100644
--- a/cryptonight/build.rs
+++ b/cryptonight/build.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ fn main() {
         .file("c/CryptonightR_JIT.c")
         .file("c/CryptonightR_template.S")
         .flag("-maes")
-        .flag("-Ofast")
+        .flag("-O2")
         .flag("-fexceptions")
         .compile("cryptonight")
 }
diff --git a/net/monero-wire/src/serde_helpers.rs b/net/monero-wire/src/serde_helpers.rs
index afdb99d1..efc8844d 100644
--- a/net/monero-wire/src/serde_helpers.rs
+++ b/net/monero-wire/src/serde_helpers.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-use std::fmt::Debug;
-
 pub(crate) fn default_false() -> bool {
     false
 }