diff --git a/arbnode/node.go b/arbnode/node.go
index 3caca38900..ff14583d10 100644
--- a/arbnode/node.go
+++ b/arbnode/node.go
@@ -553,14 +553,6 @@ func createNodeImpl(
 
 	var statelessBlockValidator *staker.StatelessBlockValidator
 	if config.BlockValidator.ValidationServerConfigs[0].URL != "" {
-		var hotShotReader *HotShotReader
-		if config.BlockValidator.Espresso {
-			addr := common.HexToAddress(config.BlockValidator.HotShotAddress)
-			hotShotReader, err = NewHotShotReader(addr, l1client)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-		}
 		var hotShotReader *HotShotReader
 		if config.BlockValidator.Espresso {
 			addr := common.HexToAddress(config.BlockValidator.HotShotAddress)
diff --git a/deploy/deploy.go b/deploy/deploy.go
index cfe7fbcf8d..6752ae493e 100644
--- a/deploy/deploy.go
+++ b/deploy/deploy.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func deployChallengeFactory(ctx context.Context, l1Reader *headerreader.HeaderRe
 	return ospEntryAddr, challengeManagerAddr, nil
 }
 
-func deployRollupCreator(ctx context.Context, l1Reader *headerreader.HeaderReader, auth *bind.TransactOpts, maxDataSize *big.Int, hotshot common.Address isUsingFeeToken bool) (*rollupgen.RollupCreator, common.Address, common.Address, common.Address, error) {
+func deployRollupCreator(ctx context.Context, l1Reader *headerreader.HeaderReader, auth *bind.TransactOpts, maxDataSize *big.Int, hotshot common.Address, isUsingFeeToken bool) (*rollupgen.RollupCreator, common.Address, common.Address, common.Address, error) {
 	bridgeCreator, err := deployBridgeCreator(ctx, l1Reader, auth, maxDataSize, isUsingFeeToken)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, common.Address{}, common.Address{}, common.Address{}, fmt.Errorf("bridge creator deploy error: %w", err)
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func DeployOnL1(ctx context.Context, parentChainReader *headerreader.HeaderReade
 		return nil, errors.New("no machine specified")
 	}
 
-	rollupCreator, _, validatorUtils, validatorWalletCreator, err := deployRollupCreator(ctx, parentChainReader, deployAuth, maxDataSize, hotshot,isUsingFeeToken)
+	rollupCreator, _, validatorUtils, validatorWalletCreator, err := deployRollupCreator(ctx, parentChainReader, deployAuth, maxDataSize, hotshot, isUsingFeeToken)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error deploying rollup creator: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/system_tests/espresso-e2e/docker-compose.yaml b/system_tests/espresso-e2e/docker-compose.yaml
index b933df76fe..bc4948ba26 100644
--- a/system_tests/espresso-e2e/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/system_tests/espresso-e2e/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ services:
       - ESPRESSO_SEQUENCER_ETH_MNEMONIC
       - ESPRESSO_SEQUENCER_ETH_ACCOUNT_INDEX
       - ESPRESSO_SEQUENCER_PREFUNDED_BUILDER_ACCOUNTS
+      - ESPRESSO_SEQUENCER_STATE_PEERS=http://espresso-sequencer1:$ESPRESSO_SEQUENCER_API_PORT
       - RUST_LOG
       - RUST_LOG_FORMAT
     depends_on:
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ services:
       - ESPRESSO_STATE_RELAY_SERVER_URL
       - RUST_LOG
       - RUST_LOG_FORMAT
+      - ESPRESSO_SEQUENCER_STATE_PEERS=http://espresso-sequencer0:$ESPRESSO_SEQUENCER_API_PORT
     depends_on:
       orchestrator:
         condition: service_healthy
diff --git a/system_tests/espresso_e2e_test.go b/system_tests/espresso_e2e_test.go
index 07eb53382c..eae295921c 100644
--- a/system_tests/espresso_e2e_test.go
+++ b/system_tests/espresso_e2e_test.go
@@ -77,16 +77,20 @@ func runEspresso(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context) func() {
 func createL2Node(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, hotshot_url string, builder *NodeBuilder) (*TestClient, info, func()) {
 	nodeConfig := arbnode.ConfigDefaultL1Test()
 	builder.takeOwnership = false
+	nodeConfig.BatchPoster.Enable = false
+	nodeConfig.BlockValidator.Enable = false
 	nodeConfig.DelayedSequencer.Enable = true
 	nodeConfig.Sequencer = true
 	nodeConfig.Espresso = true
 	builder.execConfig.Sequencer.Enable = true
 	builder.execConfig.Sequencer.Espresso = true
-	builder.execConfig.Sequencer.EspressoNamespace = 412346
+	builder.execConfig.Sequencer.EspressoNamespace = builder.chainConfig.ChainID.Uint64()
 	builder.execConfig.Sequencer.HotShotUrl = hotshot_url
 
 	builder.chainConfig.ArbitrumChainParams.EnableEspresso = true
 
+	nodeConfig.Feed.Output.Enable = true
+	nodeConfig.Feed.Output.Addr = "0.0.0.0"
 	builder.nodeConfig.Feed.Output.Enable = true
 	builder.nodeConfig.Feed.Output.Port = fmt.Sprintf("%d", broadcastPort)
 
@@ -156,6 +160,7 @@ func createL1ValidatorPosterNode(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T) (*NodeBuilde
 	builder.nodeConfig.BatchPoster.PollInterval = 10 * time.Second
 	builder.nodeConfig.BatchPoster.MaxDelay = -1000 * time.Hour
 	builder.nodeConfig.BlockValidator.Enable = true
+	builder.nodeConfig.BlockValidator.ValidationPoll = 2 * time.Second
 	builder.nodeConfig.BlockValidator.ValidationServer.URL = fmt.Sprintf("ws://127.0.0.1:%d", arbValidationPort)
 	builder.nodeConfig.BlockValidator.HotShotAddress = hotShotAddress
 	builder.nodeConfig.BlockValidator.Espresso = true
@@ -209,6 +214,7 @@ func createStaker(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, builder *NodeBuilder, incor
 	config.BatchPoster.Enable = false
 	config.Staker.Enable = false
 	config.BlockValidator.Enable = true
+	config.BlockValidator.ValidationPoll = 2 * time.Second
 	config.BlockValidator.HotShotAddress = hotShotAddress
 	config.BlockValidator.Espresso = true
 	config.BlockValidator.ValidationServer.URL = fmt.Sprintf("ws://127.0.0.1:%d", arbValidationPort)
@@ -392,7 +398,14 @@ func TestEspressoE2E(t *testing.T) {
 	Require(t, err)
 
 	// Remember the number of messages
-	msgCnt, err := node.ConsensusNode.TxStreamer.GetMessageCount()
+	var msgCnt arbutil.MessageIndex
+	err = waitFor(t, ctx, func() bool {
+		cnt, err := node.ConsensusNode.TxStreamer.GetMessageCount()
+		Require(t, err)
+		msgCnt = cnt
+		log.Info("waiting for message count", "cnt", msgCnt)
+		return msgCnt > 1
+	})
 	Require(t, err)
 
 	// Wait for the number of validated messages to catch up
@@ -445,7 +458,7 @@ func TestEspressoE2E(t *testing.T) {
 	badStaker, blockValidatorB, cleanB := createStaker(ctx, t, builder, incorrectHeight)
 	defer cleanB()
 
-	err = waitFor(t, ctx, func() bool {
+	err = waitForWith(t, ctx, 60*time.Second, 1*time.Second, func() bool {
 		validatedA := blockValidatorA.Validated(t)
 		validatedB := blockValidatorB.Validated(t)
 		shouldValidated := arbutil.MessageIndex(incorrectHeight - 1)