diff --git a/scripts/run_native_testnet.sh b/scripts/run_native_testnet.sh
index c19a363e02fc..b942083c93ec 100755
--- a/scripts/run_native_testnet.sh
+++ b/scripts/run_native_testnet.sh
@@ -135,15 +135,11 @@ if $METRICS; then
 fi
 
 # If an ethereum rpc url is provided, use it
-if $ETHEREUM_HOST; then
-  export ETHEREUM_HOST
-fi
-if $L1_CONSENSUS_HOST_URL; then
-  export L1_CONSENSUS_HOST_URL
-fi
+export ETHEREUM_HOST
+export L1_CONSENSUS_HOST_URL
 
 # If an ethereum url has been provided, do not run the ethereum.sh script
-if $ETHEREUM_HOST && $L1_CONSENSUS_HOST_URL; then
+if [ -n "$ETHEREUM_HOST" ]; then
   ETHEREUM_SCRIPT=""
 else
   ETHEREUM_SCRIPT="./ethereum.sh"
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/files/config/setup-service-addresses.sh b/spartan/aztec-network/files/config/setup-service-addresses.sh
index 2f77eafca915..83118f1bf2b2 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/files/config/setup-service-addresses.sh
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/files/config/setup-service-addresses.sh
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fi
 
 # Write addresses to file for sourcing
 echo "export ETHEREUM_HOST=${ETHEREUM_ADDR}" >> /shared/config/service-addresses
-echo "export ETHEREUM_CONSENSUS_HOST=${ETHEREUM_CONSENSUS_ADDR}" >> /shared/config/service-addresses
+echo "export L1_CONSENSUS_HOST_URL=${ETHEREUM_CONSENSUS_ADDR}" >> /shared/config/service-addresses
 echo "export BOOT_NODE_HOST=${BOOT_NODE_ADDR}" >> /shared/config/service-addresses
 echo "export PROVER_NODE_HOST=${PROVER_NODE_ADDR}" >> /shared/config/service-addresses
 echo "export PROVER_BROKER_HOST=${PROVER_BROKER_ADDR}" >> /shared/config/service-addresses
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/_helpers.tpl b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 519cd01b1c95..b96837261865 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ Service Address Setup Container
       value: "{{ .Values.ethereum.execution.service.port }}"
     - name: EXTERNAL_ETHEREUM_CONSENSUS_HOST
       value: "{{ .Values.ethereum.beacon.externalHost }}"
-    - name: EXTERNAL_ETHEREUM_CONSENSUS_PORT
+    - name: ETHEREUM_CONSENSUS_PORT
       value: "{{ .Values.ethereum.beacon.service.port }}"
     - name: EXTERNAL_BOOT_NODE_HOST
       value: "{{ .Values.bootNode.externalHost }}"
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/eth-execution.yaml b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/eth-execution.yaml
index c4bcc29947b4..39f1e722e96d 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/eth-execution.yaml
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/eth-execution.yaml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ spec:
               --http.addr="0.0.0.0"
               --http.api="admin,net,eth,web3,debug,trace"
               --http.corsdomain="*"
+              --txpool.max-tx-input-bytes={{ .Values.ethereum.maxTxInputSizeBytes }}
               --max-outbound-peers=0
               --max-inbound-peers=0
               --ipcdisable
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml b/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml
index 043a7f658e46..b0aea8e16fd2 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml
@@ -223,6 +223,8 @@ ethereum:
   # 1 billion gas limit
   # helps ensure we can deploy public contracts
   gasLimit: "1000000000"
+  # 10 times the default of 131072
+  maxTxInputSizeBytes: "1310720"
   args: ""
   execution:
     externalHost: ""
diff --git a/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/factory.ts b/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/factory.ts
index ff56d6118f98..16f8eaa3ac45 100644
--- a/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/factory.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/factory.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { type BlobSinkClientInterface } from './interface.js';
 import { LocalBlobSinkClient } from './local.js';
 
 export function createBlobSinkClient(config?: BlobSinkConfig): BlobSinkClientInterface {
-  if (!config?.blobSinkUrl) {
+  if (!config?.blobSinkUrl && !config?.l1ConsensusHostUrl) {
     const blobStore = new MemoryBlobStore();
     return new LocalBlobSinkClient(blobStore);
   }
diff --git a/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/http.ts b/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/http.ts
index dd2c0996a47c..ece4ad85b5b7 100644
--- a/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/http.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/blob-sink/src/client/http.ts
@@ -70,16 +70,19 @@ export class HttpBlobSinkClient implements BlobSinkClientInterface {
       this.log.debug('Getting blob sidecar from blob sink');
       const blobs = await this.getBlobSidecarFrom(this.config.blobSinkUrl, blockHash, indices);
       if (blobs.length > 0) {
+        this.log.debug(`Got ${blobs.length} blobs from blob sink`);
         return blobs;
       }
     }
 
     if (this.config.l1ConsensusHostUrl) {
       // The beacon api can query by slot number, so we get that first
+      this.log.debug('Getting slot number from consensus host');
       const slotNumber = await this.getSlotNumber(blockHash);
       if (slotNumber) {
         const blobs = await this.getBlobSidecarFrom(this.config.l1ConsensusHostUrl, slotNumber, indices);
         if (blobs.length > 0) {
+          this.log.debug(`Got ${blobs.length} blobs from consensus host`);
           return blobs;
         }
       }
@@ -94,6 +97,7 @@ export class HttpBlobSinkClient implements BlobSinkClientInterface {
     blockHashOrSlot: string | number,
     indices?: number[],
   ): Promise<Blob[]> {
+    // TODO(md): right now we assume all blobs are ours, this will not yet work on sepolia
     try {
       let url = `${hostUrl}/eth/v1/beacon/blob_sidecars/${blockHashOrSlot}`;
       if (indices && indices.length > 0) {
@@ -104,7 +108,6 @@ export class HttpBlobSinkClient implements BlobSinkClientInterface {
 
       if (res.ok) {
         const body = await res.json();
-        this.log.debug(`Blob sidecar for block ${blockHashOrSlot} is ${body}`);
         const blobs = body.data.map((b: BlobJson) => Blob.fromJson(b));
         return blobs;
       }