@aztec/sequencer-client 0.0.1-commit.343b43af6 → 0.0.1-commit.350e0a4d

package/src/publisher/sequencer-publisher.ts

@@ -3,64 +3,102 @@ import { Blob, getBlobsPerL1Block, getPrefixedEthBlobCommitments } from '@aztec/
 import type { EpochCache } from '@aztec/epoch-cache';
 import type { L1ContractsConfig } from '@aztec/ethereum/config';
 import {
-  type EmpireSlashingProposerContract,
   FeeAssetPriceOracle,
   type GovernanceProposerContract,
-  type IEmpireBase,
   MULTI_CALL_3_ADDRESS,
   Multicall3,
-  RollupContract,
-  type TallySlashingProposerContract,
-  type ViemCommitteeAttestations,
-  type ViemHeader,
+  MulticallForwarderRevertedError,
+  type RollupContract,
+  type SimulationOverridesPlan,
+  type SlashingProposerContract,
+  buildSimulationOverridesStateOverride,
 } from '@aztec/ethereum/contracts';
-import { type L1FeeAnalysisResult, L1FeeAnalyzer } from '@aztec/ethereum/l1-fee-analysis';
+import { type L1FeeAnalysisResult, L1FeeAnalyzer, captureWindowBlockFees } from '@aztec/ethereum/l1-fee-analysis';
 import {
   type L1BlobInputs,
   type L1TxConfig,
   type L1TxRequest,
+  L1TxTimeoutError,
   type L1TxUtils,
   MAX_L1_TX_LIMIT,
   type TransactionStats,
   WEI_CONST,
 } from '@aztec/ethereum/l1-tx-utils';
-import { FormattedViemError, formatViemError, mergeAbis, tryExtractEvent } from '@aztec/ethereum/utils';
-import { sumBigint } from '@aztec/foundation/bigint';
-import { toHex as toPaddedHex } from '@aztec/foundation/bigint-buffer';
+import {
+  FormattedViemError,
+  formatViemError,
+  mergeAbis,
+  tryDecodeRevertReason,
+  tryExtractEvent,
+} from '@aztec/ethereum/utils';
 import { CheckpointNumber, SlotNumber } from '@aztec/foundation/branded-types';
+import { trimmedBytesLength } from '@aztec/foundation/buffer';
 import { pick } from '@aztec/foundation/collection';
 import type { Fr } from '@aztec/foundation/curves/bn254';
 import { TimeoutError } from '@aztec/foundation/error';
 import { EthAddress } from '@aztec/foundation/eth-address';
-import { Signature, type ViemSignature } from '@aztec/foundation/eth-signature';
+import { Signature } from '@aztec/foundation/eth-signature';
 import { type Logger, createLogger } from '@aztec/foundation/log';
-import { makeBackoff, retry } from '@aztec/foundation/retry';
+import { InterruptibleSleep } from '@aztec/foundation/sleep';
 import { bufferToHex } from '@aztec/foundation/string';
-import { DateProvider, Timer } from '@aztec/foundation/timer';
-import { EmpireBaseAbi, ErrorsAbi, RollupAbi } from '@aztec/l1-artifacts';
+import { type DateProvider, Timer } from '@aztec/foundation/timer';
+import { EmpireBaseAbi, ErrorsAbi, RollupAbi, SlashingProposerAbi } from '@aztec/l1-artifacts';
 import { type ProposerSlashAction, encodeSlashConsensusVotes } from '@aztec/slasher';
 import { CommitteeAttestationsAndSigners, type ValidateCheckpointResult } from '@aztec/stdlib/block';
 import type { Checkpoint } from '@aztec/stdlib/checkpoint';
-import { SlashFactoryContract } from '@aztec/stdlib/l1-contracts';
+import {
+  getLastL1SlotTimestampForL2Slot,
+  getNextL1SlotTimestamp,
+  getTimestampForSlot,
+} from '@aztec/stdlib/epoch-helpers';
 import type { CheckpointHeader } from '@aztec/stdlib/rollup';
 import type { L1PublishCheckpointStats } from '@aztec/stdlib/stats';
 import { type TelemetryClient, type Tracer, getTelemetryClient, trackSpan } from '@aztec/telemetry-client';
 
 import {
+  type Abi,
   type Hex,
-  type StateOverride,
   type TransactionReceipt,
   type TypedDataDefinition,
   encodeFunctionData,
   keccak256,
-  multicall3Abi,
   toHex,
 } from 'viem';
 
 import type { SequencerPublisherConfig } from './config.js';
 import { type FailedL1Tx, type L1TxFailedStore, createL1TxFailedStore } from './l1_tx_failed_store/index.js';
+import { type DroppedRequest, SequencerBundleSimulator } from './sequencer-bundle-simulator.js';
 import { SequencerPublisherMetrics } from './sequencer-publisher-metrics.js';
 
+/**
+ * Returns true if the receipt indicates a successful send AND the expected event was emitted
+ * by the target contract. Both pieces are required: an aggregate3 entry that reverted will
+ * have receipt.status === 'success' but no event log.
+ */
+function extractEventSuccess(
+  receipt: TransactionReceipt | undefined,
+  opts: { address: string; abi: Abi; eventName: string },
+): boolean {
+  if (!receipt || receipt.status !== 'success') {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return !!tryExtractEvent(receipt.logs, opts.address.toString() as Hex, opts.abi, opts.eventName);
+}
+
+/** Result of a sendRequests call, returned by both sendRequests() and sendRequestsAt(). */
+export type SendRequestsResult = {
+  /** The L1 transaction receipt from the bundled multicall. */
+  result: { receipt: TransactionReceipt };
+  /** Actions that expired (past their deadline) before the request was sent. */
+  expiredActions: Action[];
+  /** Actions that were included in the sent L1 transaction. */
+  sentActions: Action[];
+  /** Actions whose L1 simulation succeeded (subset of sentActions). */
+  successfulActions: Action[];
+  /** Actions whose L1 simulation failed (subset of sentActions). */
+  failedActions: Action[];
+};
+
 /** Arguments to the process method of the rollup contract */
 type L1ProcessArgs = {
   /** The L2 block header. */
@@ -80,18 +118,16 @@ type L1ProcessArgs = {
 export const Actions = [
   'invalidate-by-invalid-attestation',
   'invalidate-by-insufficient-attestations',
+  'prune',
   'propose',
   'governance-signal',
-  'empire-slashing-signal',
-  'create-empire-payload',
-  'execute-empire-payload',
   'vote-offenses',
   'execute-slash',
 ] as const;
 
 export type Action = (typeof Actions)[number];
 
-type GovernanceSignalAction = Extract<Action, 'governance-signal' | 'empire-slashing-signal'>;
+type GovernanceSignalAction = Extract<Action, 'governance-signal'>;
 
 // Sorting for actions such that invalidations go before proposals, and proposals go before votes
 export const compareActions = (a: Action, b: Action) => Actions.indexOf(a) - Actions.indexOf(b);
@@ -102,14 +138,22 @@ export type InvalidateCheckpointRequest = {
   gasUsed: bigint;
   checkpointNumber: CheckpointNumber;
   forcePendingCheckpointNumber: CheckpointNumber;
+  /** Archive at the rollback target checkpoint (checkpoint N-1). */
+  lastArchive: Fr;
+};
+
+type EnqueueProposeCheckpointOpts = {
+  txTimeoutAt?: Date;
 };
 
-interface RequestWithExpiry {
+export interface RequestWithExpiry {
   action: Action;
   request: L1TxRequest;
   lastValidL2Slot: SlotNumber;
   gasConfig?: Pick<L1TxConfig, 'txTimeoutAt' | 'gasLimit'>;
   blobConfig?: L1BlobInputs;
+  /** Gas consumed by validateBlobs; stashed for the bundle simulate at send time. */
+  blobEvaluationGas?: bigint;
   checkSuccess: (
     request: L1TxRequest,
     result?: { receipt: TransactionReceipt; stats?: TransactionStats; errorMsg?: string },
@@ -119,24 +163,29 @@ interface RequestWithExpiry {
 export class SequencerPublisher {
   private interrupted = false;
   private metrics: SequencerPublisherMetrics;
+  private bundleSimulator: SequencerBundleSimulator;
   public epochCache: EpochCache;
   private failedTxStore?: Promise<L1TxFailedStore | undefined>;
 
-  protected governanceLog = createLogger('sequencer:publisher:governance');
-  protected slashingLog = createLogger('sequencer:publisher:slashing');
+  /**
+   * ABI used to decode raw revert payloads from dropped bundle entries when the original
+   * request did not carry an abi (e.g. the propose request). Merges every contract the
+   * publisher can route to so any of their custom errors decode against it.
+   */
+  private readonly revertDecoderAbi: Abi = mergeAbis([RollupAbi, SlashingProposerAbi, EmpireBaseAbi, ErrorsAbi]);
 
   protected lastActions: Partial<Record<Action, SlotNumber>> = {};
 
-  private isPayloadEmptyCache: Map<string, boolean> = new Map<string, boolean>();
-  private payloadProposedCache: Set<string> = new Set<string>();
-
   protected log: Logger;
   protected ethereumSlotDuration: bigint;
+  protected aztecSlotDuration: bigint;
+  private readonly previousL1BlockWaitTimeoutMs: number;
+  private readonly previousL1BlockWaitPollIntervalMs: number;
 
-  private blobClient: BlobClientInterface;
+  /** Date provider for wall-clock time. */
+  private readonly dateProvider: DateProvider;
 
-  /** Address to use for simulations in fisherman mode (actual proposer's address) */
-  private proposerAddressForSimulation?: EthAddress;
+  private blobClient: BlobClientInterface;
 
   /** Optional callback to obtain a replacement publisher when the current one fails to send. */
   private getNextPublisher?: (excludeAddresses: EthAddress[]) => Promise<L1TxUtils | undefined>;
@@ -147,33 +196,34 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
   /** Fee asset price oracle for computing price modifiers from Uniswap V4 */
   private feeAssetPriceOracle: FeeAssetPriceOracle;
 
-  // A CALL to a cold address is 2700 gas
-  public static MULTICALL_OVERHEAD_GAS_GUESS = 5000n;
-
-  // Gas report for VotingWithSigTest shows a max gas of 100k, but we've seen it cost 700k+ in testnet
-  public static VOTE_GAS_GUESS: bigint = 800_000n;
+  /** Interruptible sleep used by sendRequestsAt to wait until a target timestamp. */
+  private readonly interruptibleSleep = new InterruptibleSleep();
 
   public l1TxUtils: L1TxUtils;
   public rollupContract: RollupContract;
   public govProposerContract: GovernanceProposerContract;
-  public slashingProposerContract: EmpireSlashingProposerContract | TallySlashingProposerContract | undefined;
-  public slashFactoryContract: SlashFactoryContract;
+  public slashingProposerContract: SlashingProposerContract | undefined;
 
   public readonly tracer: Tracer;
 
   protected requests: RequestWithExpiry[] = [];
 
   constructor(
-    private config: Pick<SequencerPublisherConfig, 'fishermanMode' | 'l1TxFailedStore'> &
-      Pick<L1ContractsConfig, 'ethereumSlotDuration'> & { l1ChainId: number },
+    private config: Pick<
+      SequencerPublisherConfig,
+      | 'fishermanMode'
+      | 'l1TxFailedStore'
+      | 'sequencerPublisherPreviousL1BlockWaitTimeoutMs'
+      | 'sequencerPublisherPreviousL1BlockWaitPollIntervalMs'
+    > &
+      Pick<L1ContractsConfig, 'ethereumSlotDuration' | 'aztecSlotDuration'> & { l1ChainId: number },
     deps: {
       telemetry?: TelemetryClient;
       blobClient: BlobClientInterface;
       l1TxUtils: L1TxUtils;
       rollupContract: RollupContract;
-      slashingProposerContract: EmpireSlashingProposerContract | TallySlashingProposerContract | undefined;
+      slashingProposerContract: SlashingProposerContract | undefined;
       governanceProposerContract: GovernanceProposerContract;
-      slashFactoryContract: SlashFactoryContract;
       epochCache: EpochCache;
       dateProvider: DateProvider;
       metrics: SequencerPublisherMetrics;
@@ -184,10 +234,15 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
   ) {
     this.log = deps.log ?? createLogger('sequencer:publisher');
     this.ethereumSlotDuration = BigInt(config.ethereumSlotDuration);
+    this.aztecSlotDuration = BigInt(config.aztecSlotDuration);
+    this.previousL1BlockWaitTimeoutMs = config.sequencerPublisherPreviousL1BlockWaitTimeoutMs;
+    this.previousL1BlockWaitPollIntervalMs = config.sequencerPublisherPreviousL1BlockWaitPollIntervalMs;
+    this.dateProvider = deps.dateProvider;
     this.epochCache = deps.epochCache;
     this.lastActions = deps.lastActions;
 
     this.blobClient = deps.blobClient;
+    this.dateProvider = deps.dateProvider;
 
     const telemetry = deps.telemetry ?? getTelemetryClient();
     this.metrics = deps.metrics ?? new SequencerPublisherMetrics(telemetry, 'SequencerPublisher');
@@ -205,14 +260,12 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       const newSlashingProposer = await this.rollupContract.getSlashingProposer();
       this.slashingProposerContract = newSlashingProposer;
     });
-    this.slashFactoryContract = deps.slashFactoryContract;
-
     // Initialize L1 fee analyzer for fisherman mode
     if (config.fishermanMode) {
       this.l1FeeAnalyzer = new L1FeeAnalyzer(
         this.l1TxUtils.client,
         deps.dateProvider,
-        createLogger('sequencer:publisher:fee-analyzer'),
+        this.log.createChild('fee-analyzer'),
       );
     }
 
@@ -220,33 +273,112 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     this.feeAssetPriceOracle = new FeeAssetPriceOracle(
       this.l1TxUtils.client,
       this.rollupContract,
-      createLogger('sequencer:publisher:price-oracle'),
+      this.log.createChild('price-oracle'),
     );
 
     // Initialize failed L1 tx store (optional, for test networks)
     this.failedTxStore = createL1TxFailedStore(config.l1TxFailedStore, this.log);
+
+    this.bundleSimulator = new SequencerBundleSimulator({
+      getL1TxUtils: () => this.l1TxUtils,
+      rollupContract: this.rollupContract,
+      epochCache: this.epochCache,
+      log: this.log.createChild('bundle-simulator'),
+    });
   }
 
   /**
-   * Backs up a failed L1 transaction to the configured store for debugging.
-   * Does nothing if no store is configured.
+   * Logs the gas-pricing data of a failed L1 transaction at warn — so underpricing is diagnosable
+   * from logs even with no failed-tx store configured — and backs the record up to the store when
+   * one is. When captureFeeSummary is true, also records the fee data of the already-mined L1
+   * blocks in the target slot's inclusion window.
    */
-  private backupFailedTx(failedTx: Omit<FailedL1Tx, 'timestamp'>): void {
-    if (!this.failedTxStore) {
-      return;
-    }
-
+  private backupFailedTx(
+    failedTx: Omit<FailedL1Tx, 'timestamp'>,
+    opts?: { captureFeeSummary?: boolean; targetSlot?: SlotNumber; sharedFeeSummary?: FailedL1Tx['gasInfo'] },
+  ): void {
     const tx: FailedL1Tx = {
       ...failedTx,
       timestamp: Date.now(),
     };
 
     // Fire and forget - don't block on backup
-    void this.failedTxStore
-      .then(store => store?.saveFailedTx(tx))
-      .catch(err => {
+    void (async () => {
+      try {
+        // Prefer a pre-captured summary (shared across a batch of failures in the same slot) so we
+        // don't re-read the fee window per record. A capture error must not lose the record itself.
+        const feeSummary =
+          opts?.sharedFeeSummary ??
+          (opts?.captureFeeSummary
+            ? await this.captureFeeEnvironment(opts.targetSlot).catch(() => undefined)
+            : undefined);
+        if (feeSummary) {
+          tx.gasInfo = { ...tx.gasInfo, ...feeSummary };
+        }
+        if (tx.gasInfo) {
+          this.log.warn(`Gas pricing data for failed L1 tx (${tx.failureType})`, {
+            failureType: tx.failureType,
+            actions: tx.context.actions,
+            slot: tx.context.slot,
+            ...tx.gasInfo,
+            ...tx.timing,
+          });
+        }
+        const store = await this.failedTxStore;
+        if (store) {
+          await store.saveFailedTx(tx);
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
         this.log.warn(`Failed to backup failed L1 tx to store`, err);
-      });
+      }
+    })();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Captures per-block fee data for the L1 blocks in the target slot's inclusion window (the blocks the
+   * tx could have landed in) for underpricing diagnostics. Reads only already-mined blocks, so it never
+   * waits on the chain. Safe to call off the critical path: the underlying capture never throws, and this
+   * returns undefined when there is no target slot or the window is not yet mined (e.g. an early send
+   * failure), in which case the record simply carries no window data.
+   */
+  private async captureFeeEnvironment(targetL2Slot: SlotNumber | undefined): Promise<FailedL1Tx['gasInfo']> {
+    if (targetL2Slot === undefined) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    const l1Constants = this.epochCache.getL1Constants();
+    // The inclusion window is [start of slot N, start of slot N+1): all L1 blocks that can include a tx
+    // for this L2 slot. getTimestampForSlot returns seconds, matching block.timestamp.
+    const windowStartS = getTimestampForSlot(targetL2Slot, l1Constants);
+    const windowEndS = getTimestampForSlot(SlotNumber(Number(targetL2Slot) + 1), l1Constants);
+    const windowBlocks = await captureWindowBlockFees(this.l1TxUtils.client, windowStartS, windowEndS);
+    if (windowBlocks.length === 0) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    return { windowBlocks };
+  }
+
+  /** Computes timing info relative to the L2 slot deadline. */
+  private computeTimingInfo(targetL2Slot: SlotNumber | undefined): FailedL1Tx['timing'] {
+    if (targetL2Slot === undefined) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    const l1Constants = this.epochCache.getL1Constants();
+    const slotDeadlineS = getTimestampForSlot(SlotNumber(Number(targetL2Slot) + 1), l1Constants);
+    const slotDeadlineMs = Number(slotDeadlineS) * 1000;
+    return {
+      targetL2Slot: Number(targetL2Slot),
+      slotDeadlineTimestampS: slotDeadlineS,
+      msUntilSlotDeadline: slotDeadlineMs - this.dateProvider.now(),
+    };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Builds an id for a synthetic failure record (send-error/timeout) that has no on-chain tx hash.
+   * Includes the failure time so each attempt — including retries of the same slot — is stored as its
+   * own record rather than overwriting the previous one.
+   */
+  private failureRecordId(actions: string[], targetSlot: SlotNumber | undefined): Hex {
+    return keccak256(toHex(`${actions.join(',')}:${targetSlot ?? ''}:${Date.now()}`));
   }
 
   public getRollupContract(): RollupContract {
@@ -255,10 +387,14 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
 
   /**
    * Gets the fee asset price modifier from the oracle.
-   * Returns 0n if the oracle query fails.
+   *
+   * @param predictedParentEthPerFeeAssetE12 - Optional predicted parent eth-per-fee-asset (E12).
+   *   Pipelined proposers should pass the value from the predicted parent fee header so the
+   *   modifier matches the parent L1 will use when applying it.
+   * @returns The fee asset price modifier in basis points, or 0n if the oracle query fails.
    */
-  public getFeeAssetPriceModifier(): Promise<bigint> {
-    return this.feeAssetPriceOracle.computePriceModifier();
+  public getFeeAssetPriceModifier(predictedParentEthPerFeeAssetE12?: bigint): Promise<bigint> {
+    return this.feeAssetPriceOracle.computePriceModifier(predictedParentEthPerFeeAssetE12);
   }
 
   public getSenderAddress() {
@@ -272,20 +408,12 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     return this.l1FeeAnalyzer;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Sets the proposer address to use for simulations in fisherman mode.
-   * @param proposerAddress - The actual proposer's address to use for balance lookups in simulations
-   */
-  public setProposerAddressForSimulation(proposerAddress: EthAddress | undefined) {
-    this.proposerAddressForSimulation = proposerAddress;
-  }
-
   public addRequest(request: RequestWithExpiry) {
     this.requests.push(request);
   }
 
   public getCurrentL2Slot(): SlotNumber {
-    return this.epochCache.getEpochAndSlotNow().slot;
+    return this.epochCache.getSlotNow();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -357,22 +485,26 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
 
   /**
    * Sends all requests that are still valid.
+   * @param targetSlot - The target L2 slot for this send. When provided (the production path, via
+   *   sendRequestsAt), it is threaded into bundleSimulate so the block.timestamp override matches
+   *   the slot the propose is built for. When omitted, falls back to getCurrentL2Slot() for the
+   *   AutomineSequencer, which publishes synchronously within the current slot.
    * @returns one of:
    * - A receipt and stats if the tx succeeded
    * - a receipt and errorMsg if it failed on L1
    * - undefined if no valid requests are found OR the tx failed to send.
    */
   @trackSpan('SequencerPublisher.sendRequests')
-  public async sendRequests() {
+  public async sendRequests(targetSlot?: SlotNumber): Promise<SendRequestsResult | undefined> {
     const requestsToProcess = [...this.requests];
     this.requests = [];
+
     if (this.interrupted || requestsToProcess.length === 0) {
       return undefined;
     }
-    const currentL2Slot = this.getCurrentL2Slot();
+    const currentL2Slot = targetSlot ?? this.getCurrentL2Slot();
     this.log.debug(`Sending requests on L2 slot ${currentL2Slot}`);
     const validRequests = requestsToProcess.filter(request => request.lastValidL2Slot >= currentL2Slot);
-    const validActions = validRequests.map(x => x.action);
     const expiredActions = requestsToProcess
       .filter(request => request.lastValidL2Slot < currentL2Slot)
       .map(x => x.action);
@@ -395,73 +527,101 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       return undefined;
     }
 
-    // @note - we can only have one blob config per bundle
-    // find requests with gas and blob configs
-    // See https://github.com/AztecProtocol/aztec-packages/issues/11513
-    const gasConfigs = requestsToProcess.filter(request => request.gasConfig).map(request => request.gasConfig);
-    const blobConfigs = requestsToProcess.filter(request => request.blobConfig).map(request => request.blobConfig);
-
-    if (blobConfigs.length > 1) {
-      throw new Error('Multiple blob configs found');
-    }
-
-    const blobConfig = blobConfigs[0];
-
-    // Merge gasConfigs. Yields the sum of gasLimits, and the earliest txTimeoutAt, or undefined if no gasConfig sets them.
-    const gasLimits = gasConfigs.map(g => g?.gasLimit).filter((g): g is bigint => g !== undefined);
-    let gasLimit = gasLimits.length > 0 ? sumBigint(gasLimits) : undefined; // sum
-    // Cap at L1 block gas limit so the node accepts the tx ("gas limit too high" otherwise).
-    const maxGas = MAX_L1_TX_LIMIT;
-    if (gasLimit !== undefined && gasLimit > maxGas) {
-      this.log.debug('Capping bundled tx gas limit to L1 max', {
-        requested: gasLimit,
-        capped: maxGas,
-      });
-      gasLimit = maxGas;
-    }
+    // Collect earliest txTimeoutAt across all requests.
+    const gasConfigs = validRequests.filter(request => request.gasConfig).map(request => request.gasConfig);
     const txTimeoutAts = gasConfigs.map(g => g?.txTimeoutAt).filter((g): g is Date => g !== undefined);
-    const txTimeoutAt = txTimeoutAts.length > 0 ? new Date(Math.min(...txTimeoutAts.map(g => g.getTime()))) : undefined; // earliest
-    const txConfig: RequestWithExpiry['gasConfig'] = { gasLimit, txTimeoutAt };
+    const txTimeoutAt = txTimeoutAts.length > 0 ? new Date(Math.min(...txTimeoutAts.map(g => g.getTime()))) : undefined;
 
     // Sort the requests so that proposals always go first
     // This ensures the committee gets precomputed correctly
     validRequests.sort((a, b) => compareActions(a.action, b.action));
 
     try {
-      // Capture context for failed tx backup before sending
-      const l1BlockNumber = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber();
-      const multicallData = encodeFunctionData({
-        abi: multicall3Abi,
-        functionName: 'aggregate3',
-        args: [
-          validRequests.map(r => ({
-            target: r.request.to!,
-            callData: r.request.data!,
-            allowFailure: true,
-          })),
-        ],
-      });
-      const blobDataHex = blobConfig?.blobs?.map(b => toHex(b)) as Hex[] | undefined;
+      // Bundle-level eth_simulateV1: filters out entries that revert and derives the gasLimit.
+      const bundleResult = await this.bundleSimulator.simulate(validRequests, currentL2Slot);
+
+      if (bundleResult.kind === 'aborted') {
+        this.logDroppedInSim(bundleResult.droppedRequests);
+        void this.backupDroppedInSim(bundleResult.droppedRequests, currentL2Slot).catch(err =>
+          this.log.error(`Failed to backup requests dropped in simulation`, err),
+        );
+        return undefined;
+      }
 
-      const txContext = { multicallData, blobData: blobDataHex, l1BlockNumber };
+      const { requests, droppedRequests, gasLimit } =
+        bundleResult.kind === 'fallback'
+          ? {
+              requests: bundleResult.requests,
+              droppedRequests: bundleResult.droppedRequests,
+              gasLimit: MAX_L1_TX_LIMIT,
+            }
+          : bundleResult;
+
+      this.logDroppedInSim(droppedRequests);
+
+      // Compute blobConfig from survivors (not original validRequests) so that if the propose
+      // entry was dropped by bundleSimulate we don't attach a blob-typed config to a non-blob tx.
+      const [blobConfig] = requests.filter(r => r.blobConfig).map(r => r.blobConfig);
+      const txConfig: RequestWithExpiry['gasConfig'] = { gasLimit, txTimeoutAt };
 
       this.log.debug('Forwarding transactions', {
-        validRequests: validRequests.map(request => request.action),
+        requests: requests.map(request => request.action),
         txConfig,
       });
-      const result = await this.forwardWithPublisherRotation(validRequests, txConfig, blobConfig);
+      const result = await this.forwardWithPublisherRotation(requests, txConfig, blobConfig, currentL2Slot);
       if (result === undefined) {
         return undefined;
       }
-      const { successfulActions = [], failedActions = [] } = this.callbackBundledTransactions(
-        validRequests,
+      const { successfulActions = [], failedActions = [] } = this.callbackBundledTransactions(requests, result);
+      const allFailedActions = [...failedActions, ...droppedRequests.map(d => d.request.action)];
+      return {
         result,
-        txContext,
-      );
-      return { result, expiredActions, sentActions: validActions, successfulActions, failedActions };
+        expiredActions,
+        sentActions: requests.map(x => x.action),
+        successfulActions,
+        failedActions: allFailedActions,
+      };
     } catch (err) {
       const viemError = formatViemError(err);
       this.log.error(`Failed to publish bundled transactions`, viemError);
+      if (err instanceof TimeoutError) {
+        const timeoutState = err instanceof L1TxTimeoutError ? err.txState : undefined;
+        void (async () => {
+          // The RPC is likely degraded right after a timeout, so back up without the block number
+          // rather than leaking an unhandled rejection.
+          const l1BlockNumber = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber().catch(() => 0n);
+          this.backupFailedTx(
+            {
+              id: this.failureRecordId(
+                validRequests.map(r => r.action),
+                currentL2Slot,
+              ),
+              failureType: 'timeout',
+              request: { to: MULTI_CALL_3_ADDRESS as Hex, data: '0x' as Hex },
+              l1BlockNumber,
+              error: { message: viemError.message, name: 'TimeoutError' },
+              context: {
+                actions: validRequests.map(r => r.action),
+                requests: validRequests
+                  .filter(r => r.request.to !== null)
+                  .map(r => ({ action: r.action, to: r.request.to! as Hex, data: r.request.data! })),
+                sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+                slot: Number(currentL2Slot),
+              },
+              timing: this.computeTimingInfo(currentL2Slot),
+              gasInfo: timeoutState
+                ? {
+                    sentGasPriceLadder: timeoutState.gasPriceHistory,
+                    attempts: timeoutState.attempts,
+                    gasLimit: timeoutState.gasLimit,
+                    nonce: timeoutState.nonce,
+                  }
+                : undefined,
+            },
+            { captureFeeSummary: true, targetSlot: currentL2Slot },
+          );
+        })();
+      }
       return undefined;
     } finally {
       try {
@@ -475,6 +635,54 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     }
   }
 
+  /** Logs entries dropped by bundle simulation as warnings on the publisher's logger. */
+  private logDroppedInSim(dropped: DroppedRequest[]): void {
+    for (const drop of dropped) {
+      const revertReasonDecoded = drop.revertReason ?? tryDecodeRevertReason(drop.returnData, this.revertDecoderAbi);
+      this.log.warn('Bundle entry dropped: action reverted in sim', {
+        action: drop.request.action,
+        revertReason: revertReasonDecoded ?? drop.returnData,
+        revertReasonDecoded,
+        returnData: drop.returnData,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Backs up entries dropped by bundle simulation, one record per dropped action. */
+  private async backupDroppedInSim(dropped: DroppedRequest[], targetSlot?: SlotNumber): Promise<void> {
+    if (dropped.length === 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+    // Invoked as `void backupDroppedInSim(...)` on the publish path, so it must not throw.
+    try {
+      const l1BlockNumber = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber();
+      // Every dropped entry failed in the same slot against the same L1 fee conditions, so capture
+      // the fee environment once and share it rather than re-reading the window per entry.
+      const sharedFeeSummary = await this.captureFeeEnvironment(targetSlot).catch(() => undefined);
+      const timing = this.computeTimingInfo(targetSlot);
+      for (const { request: req } of dropped) {
+        this.backupFailedTx(
+          {
+            id: keccak256(req.request.data!),
+            failureType: 'simulation',
+            request: { to: req.request.to! as Hex, data: req.request.data! },
+            l1BlockNumber,
+            error: { message: 'Bundle entry dropped: action reverted in sim' },
+            context: {
+              actions: [req.action],
+              sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+              slot: targetSlot !== undefined ? Number(targetSlot) : undefined,
+            },
+            timing,
+          },
+          { sharedFeeSummary },
+        );
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      this.log.warn(`Failed to back up dropped-in-sim entries`, err);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Forwards transactions via Multicall3, rotating to the next available publisher if a send
    * failure occurs (i.e. the tx never reached the chain).
@@ -484,20 +692,32 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     validRequests: RequestWithExpiry[],
     txConfig: RequestWithExpiry['gasConfig'],
     blobConfig: L1BlobInputs | undefined,
+    targetSlot?: SlotNumber,
   ) {
+    if (!txConfig?.gasLimit) {
+      throw new Error('gasLimit is required for bundled transactions');
+    }
+    const txConfigWithGasLimit = txConfig as L1TxConfig & { gasLimit: bigint };
+
     const triedAddresses: EthAddress[] = [];
     let currentPublisher = this.l1TxUtils;
 
     while (true) {
+      if (txConfig.txTimeoutAt && new Date() > txConfig.txTimeoutAt) {
+        this.log.warn(`Tx timeout (${txConfig.txTimeoutAt.toISOString()}) elapsed; stopping publisher rotation`, {
+          triedAddresses: triedAddresses.map(a => a.toString()),
+        });
+        return undefined;
+      }
       triedAddresses.push(currentPublisher.getSenderAddress());
+
       try {
         const result = await Multicall3.forward(
           validRequests.map(r => r.request),
           currentPublisher,
-          txConfig,
+          txConfigWithGasLimit,
           blobConfig,
-          this.rollupContract.address,
-          this.log,
+          { gasLimitRequired: true },
         );
         this.l1TxUtils = currentPublisher;
         return result;
@@ -505,9 +725,17 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
         if (err instanceof TimeoutError) {
           throw err;
         }
+        if (err instanceof MulticallForwarderRevertedError) {
+          this.log.error('Forwarder transaction reverted on-chain; not rotating publisher', err, {
+            transactionHash: err.receipt.transactionHash,
+          });
+          this.backupRevertFailure(validRequests, err, currentPublisher, targetSlot);
+          return undefined;
+        }
         const viemError = formatViemError(err);
         if (!this.getNextPublisher) {
           this.log.error('Failed to publish bundled transactions', viemError);
+          this.backupSendFailure(validRequests, viemError, currentPublisher, targetSlot);
           return undefined;
         }
         this.log.warn(
@@ -516,7 +744,12 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
         );
         const nextPublisher = await this.getNextPublisher([...triedAddresses]);
         if (!nextPublisher) {
-          this.log.error('All available publishers exhausted, failed to publish bundled transactions');
+          this.log.error(
+            `All available publishers exhausted (tried ${triedAddresses.length}), failed to publish bundled transactions`,
+            viemError,
+            { triedAddresses: triedAddresses.map(a => a.toString()) },
+          );
+          this.backupSendFailure(validRequests, viemError, currentPublisher, targetSlot);
           return undefined;
         }
         currentPublisher = nextPublisher;
@@ -524,87 +757,207 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     }
   }
 
-  private callbackBundledTransactions(
+  /** Backs up an on-chain revert failure to the failed tx store. */
+  private backupRevertFailure(
     requests: RequestWithExpiry[],
-    result: { receipt: TransactionReceipt; errorMsg?: string } | FormattedViemError | undefined,
-    txContext: { multicallData: Hex; blobData?: Hex[]; l1BlockNumber: bigint },
-  ) {
-    const actionsListStr = requests.map(r => r.action).join(', ');
-    if (result instanceof FormattedViemError) {
-      this.log.error(`Failed to publish bundled transactions (${actionsListStr})`, result);
-      this.backupFailedTx({
-        id: keccak256(txContext.multicallData),
-        failureType: 'send-error',
-        request: { to: MULTI_CALL_3_ADDRESS, data: txContext.multicallData },
-        blobData: txContext.blobData,
-        l1BlockNumber: txContext.l1BlockNumber.toString(),
-        error: { message: result.message, name: result.name },
+    err: MulticallForwarderRevertedError,
+    publisher: L1TxUtils,
+    targetSlot?: SlotNumber,
+  ): void {
+    this.backupFailedTx(
+      {
+        id: err.receipt.transactionHash,
+        failureType: 'revert',
+        request: { to: MULTI_CALL_3_ADDRESS as Hex, data: '0x' as Hex },
+        l1BlockNumber: err.receipt.blockNumber,
+        receipt: {
+          transactionHash: err.receipt.transactionHash,
+          blockNumber: err.receipt.blockNumber,
+          gasUsed: err.receipt.gasUsed,
+          status: 'reverted',
+        },
+        error: { message: err.message, name: err.name },
         context: {
           actions: requests.map(r => r.action),
-          requests: requests.map(r => ({ action: r.action, to: r.request.to! as Hex, data: r.request.data! })),
-          sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+          requests: requests
+            .filter(r => r.request.to !== null)
+            .map(r => ({ action: r.action, to: r.request.to! as Hex, data: r.request.data! })),
+          sender: publisher.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+          slot: targetSlot !== undefined ? Number(targetSlot) : undefined,
         },
+        gasInfo: err.txState
+          ? {
+              sentGasPrice: err.txState.gasPrice,
+              gasLimit: err.txState.gasLimit,
+              nonce: err.txState.nonce,
+            }
+          : undefined,
+        timing: this.computeTimingInfo(targetSlot),
+      },
+      { captureFeeSummary: true, targetSlot },
+    );
+  }
+
+  /** Backs up a send failure (tx never reached chain) to the failed tx store. */
+  private backupSendFailure(
+    requests: RequestWithExpiry[],
+    error: FormattedViemError | Error,
+    publisher: L1TxUtils,
+    targetSlot?: SlotNumber,
+  ): void {
+    // If we can't get the block number, still back up without it.
+    void this.l1TxUtils
+      .getBlockNumber()
+      .catch(() => 0n)
+      .then(l1BlockNumber => {
+        this.backupFailedTx(
+          {
+            id: this.failureRecordId(
+              requests.map(r => r.action),
+              targetSlot,
+            ),
+            failureType: 'send-error',
+            request: { to: MULTI_CALL_3_ADDRESS as Hex, data: '0x' as Hex },
+            l1BlockNumber,
+            error: {
+              message: error.message,
+              name: 'name' in error ? error.name : undefined,
+            },
+            context: {
+              actions: requests.map(r => r.action),
+              requests: requests
+                .filter(r => r.request.to !== null)
+                .map(r => ({ action: r.action, to: r.request.to! as Hex, data: r.request.data! })),
+              sender: publisher.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+              slot: targetSlot !== undefined ? Number(targetSlot) : undefined,
+            },
+            timing: this.computeTimingInfo(targetSlot),
+          },
+          { captureFeeSummary: true, targetSlot },
+        );
       });
-      return { failedActions: requests.map(r => r.action) };
-    } else {
-      this.log.verbose(`Published bundled transactions (${actionsListStr})`, { result, requests });
-      const successfulActions: Action[] = [];
-      const failedActions: Action[] = [];
-      for (const request of requests) {
-        if (request.checkSuccess(request.request, result)) {
-          successfulActions.push(request.action);
-        } else {
-          failedActions.push(request.action);
+  }
+
+  /*
+   * Schedules sending all enqueued requests at (or after) the start of the given L2 slot.
+   */
+  public async sendRequestsAt(targetSlot: SlotNumber): Promise<SendRequestsResult | undefined> {
+    await this.waitForTargetSlot(targetSlot);
+    if (this.interrupted) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+
+    return this.sendRequests(targetSlot);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Sleeps until one L1 slot before the L2 slot boundary, and then waits for that L1 block
+   * to be mined, so we don't risk being included in it. If that block never gets mined after
+   * a timeout, we assume it got skipped on L1, so we send the tx anyway.
+   */
+  private async waitForTargetSlot(targetSlot: SlotNumber): Promise<void> {
+    const l1Constants = this.epochCache.getL1Constants();
+    const nowInSeconds = this.dateProvider.nowInSeconds();
+    const startOfTargetSlotTs = getTimestampForSlot(targetSlot, l1Constants);
+    const previousL1BlockTs = startOfTargetSlotTs - this.ethereumSlotDuration;
+    const waitDeadlineTs = previousL1BlockTs + BigInt(this.previousL1BlockWaitTimeoutMs / 1000);
+    const logCtx = { targetSlot, startOfTargetSlotTs, nowInSeconds, previousL1BlockTs, waitDeadlineTs };
+
+    // Check if we are already past time
+    if (nowInSeconds >= startOfTargetSlotTs) {
+      this.log.verbose(`Target slot ${targetSlot} already started, sending requests immediately`, logCtx);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Otherwise we wait
+    this.log.debug(`Waiting for slot ${targetSlot} before sending requests`, logCtx);
+
+    // Wait until previous L1 block timestamp first
+    const sleepMs = (Number(previousL1BlockTs) - nowInSeconds) * 1000;
+    if (sleepMs > 0 && !this.interrupted) {
+      this.log.trace(`Sleeping ${sleepMs}ms before waiting for previous L1 block`, logCtx);
+      await this.interruptibleSleep.sleep(sleepMs);
+    }
+
+    // Then loop until we see the previous L1 block, so we know that we cannot be included in it.
+    // We time out after a while, once we are sure that that block is skipped in L1.
+    while (!this.interrupted) {
+      try {
+        const nowInSeconds = this.dateProvider.nowInSeconds();
+        logCtx.nowInSeconds = nowInSeconds;
+
+        if (nowInSeconds >= waitDeadlineTs) {
+          this.log.warn(`Timed out waiting for previous L1 block before sending requests, proceeding`, logCtx);
+          return;
+        }
+
+        const latestBlockTs = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlock().then(b => b.timestamp);
+        if (latestBlockTs >= previousL1BlockTs) {
+          this.log.debug(`Previous L1 block mined, proceeding to send requests`, { ...logCtx, latestBlockTs });
+          return;
         }
+        this.log.trace(`Previous L1 block not mined yet, continuing to wait`, { ...logCtx, latestBlockTs });
+      } catch (err) {
+        this.log.error(`Error while waiting for previous L1 block before sending requests; retrying`, err, logCtx);
+      } finally {
+        await this.interruptibleSleep.sleep(this.previousL1BlockWaitPollIntervalMs);
       }
-      // Single backup for the whole reverted tx
-      if (failedActions.length > 0 && result?.receipt?.status === 'reverted') {
-        this.backupFailedTx({
-          id: result.receipt.transactionHash,
-          failureType: 'revert',
-          request: { to: MULTI_CALL_3_ADDRESS, data: txContext.multicallData },
-          blobData: txContext.blobData,
-          l1BlockNumber: result.receipt.blockNumber.toString(),
-          receipt: {
-            transactionHash: result.receipt.transactionHash,
-            blockNumber: result.receipt.blockNumber.toString(),
-            gasUsed: (result.receipt.gasUsed ?? 0n).toString(),
-            status: 'reverted',
-          },
-          error: { message: result.errorMsg ?? 'Transaction reverted' },
-          context: {
-            actions: failedActions,
-            requests: requests
-              .filter(r => failedActions.includes(r.action))
-              .map(r => ({ action: r.action, to: r.request.to! as Hex, data: r.request.data! })),
-            sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
-          },
-        });
+    }
+  }
+
+  private callbackBundledTransactions(
+    requests: RequestWithExpiry[],
+    result: { receipt: TransactionReceipt; multicallData: Hex },
+  ) {
+    const actionsListStr = requests.map(r => r.action).join(', ');
+    this.log.verbose(`Published bundled transactions (${actionsListStr})`, {
+      result,
+      requests: requests.map(r => ({
+        ...r,
+        // Avoid logging large blob data
+        blobConfig: r.blobConfig
+          ? { ...r.blobConfig, blobs: r.blobConfig.blobs.map(b => ({ size: trimmedBytesLength(b) })) }
+          : undefined,
+      })),
+    });
+    const successfulActions: Action[] = [];
+    const failedActions: Action[] = [];
+    for (const request of requests) {
+      if (request.checkSuccess(request.request, result)) {
+        successfulActions.push(request.action);
+      } else {
+        failedActions.push(request.action);
       }
-      return { successfulActions, failedActions };
     }
+    return { successfulActions, failedActions };
   }
 
   /**
-   * @notice  Will call `canProposeAtNextEthBlock` to make sure that it is possible to propose
+   * @notice  Will call `canProposeAt` to make sure that it is possible to propose
    * @param tipArchive - The archive to check
    * @returns The slot and block number if it is possible to propose, undefined otherwise
    */
-  public canProposeAtNextEthBlock(
-    tipArchive: Fr,
-    msgSender: EthAddress,
-    opts: { forcePendingCheckpointNumber?: CheckpointNumber } = {},
-  ) {
+  public async canProposeAt(tipArchive: Fr, msgSender: EthAddress, simulationOverridesPlan?: SimulationOverridesPlan) {
     // TODO: #14291 - should loop through multiple keys to check if any of them can propose
-    const ignoredErrors = ['SlotAlreadyInChain', 'InvalidProposer', 'InvalidArchive'];
+    // These errors are expected when we cannot actually propose right now — usually because our
+    // local view of the chain is ahead of L1 (proposed parent hasn't landed yet, or someone
+    // else has just landed the slot, or the archive override doesn't match). We log a warn and
+    // skip the proposal; we do NOT treat these as bugs.
+    const expectedErrors = ['SlotAlreadyInChain', 'InvalidProposer', 'InvalidArchive'];
+
+    const slotOffset = this.aztecSlotDuration;
+    const nextL1SlotTs = this.getNextL1SlotTimestamp() + slotOffset;
 
     return this.rollupContract
-      .canProposeAtNextEthBlock(tipArchive.toBuffer(), msgSender.toString(), Number(this.ethereumSlotDuration), {
-        forcePendingCheckpointNumber: opts.forcePendingCheckpointNumber,
-      })
+      .canProposeAt(
+        tipArchive.toBuffer(),
+        msgSender.toString(),
+        nextL1SlotTs,
+        await buildSimulationOverridesStateOverride(this.rollupContract, simulationOverridesPlan),
+      )
       .catch(err => {
-        if (err instanceof FormattedViemError && ignoredErrors.find(e => err.message.includes(e))) {
-          this.log.warn(`Failed canProposeAtTime check with ${ignoredErrors.find(e => err.message.includes(e))}`, {
+        if (err instanceof FormattedViemError && expectedErrors.find(e => err.message.includes(e))) {
+          this.log.warn(`Failed canProposeAtTime check with ${expectedErrors.find(e => err.message.includes(e))}`, {
             error: err.message,
           });
         } else {
@@ -613,6 +966,7 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
         return undefined;
       });
   }
+
   /**
    * @notice  Will simulate `validateHeader` to make sure that the block header is valid
    * @dev     This is a convenience function that can be used by the sequencer to validate a "partial" header.
@@ -622,13 +976,13 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
   @trackSpan('SequencerPublisher.validateBlockHeader')
   public async validateBlockHeader(
     header: CheckpointHeader,
-    opts?: { forcePendingCheckpointNumber: CheckpointNumber | undefined },
+    simulationOverridesPlan?: SimulationOverridesPlan,
   ): Promise<void> {
     const flags = { ignoreDA: true, ignoreSignatures: true };
 
     const args = [
       header.toViem(),
-      CommitteeAttestationsAndSigners.empty().getPackedAttestations(),
+      CommitteeAttestationsAndSigners.packAttestations([]),
       [], // no signers
       Signature.empty().toViemSignature(),
       `0x${'0'.repeat(64)}`, // 32 empty bytes
@@ -636,10 +990,9 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       flags,
     ] as const;
 
-    const ts = BigInt((await this.l1TxUtils.getBlock()).timestamp + this.ethereumSlotDuration);
-    const stateOverrides = await this.rollupContract.makePendingCheckpointNumberOverride(
-      opts?.forcePendingCheckpointNumber,
-    );
+    const l1Constants = this.epochCache.getL1Constants();
+    const ts = getLastL1SlotTimestampForL2Slot(header.slotNumber, l1Constants);
+    const stateOverrides = await buildSimulationOverridesStateOverride(this.rollupContract, simulationOverridesPlan);
     let balance = 0n;
     if (this.config.fishermanMode) {
       // In fisherman mode, we can't know where the proposer is publishing from
@@ -659,7 +1012,7 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
         data: encodeFunctionData({ abi: RollupAbi, functionName: 'validateHeaderWithAttestations', args }),
         from: MULTI_CALL_3_ADDRESS,
       },
-      { time: ts + 1n },
+      { time: ts },
       stateOverrides,
     );
     this.log.debug(`Simulated validateHeader`);
@@ -712,6 +1065,7 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
         gasUsed,
         checkpointNumber,
         forcePendingCheckpointNumber: CheckpointNumber(checkpointNumber - 1),
+        lastArchive: validationResult.checkpoint.lastArchive,
         reason,
       };
     } catch (err) {
@@ -724,8 +1078,8 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
           `Simulation for invalidate checkpoint ${checkpointNumber} failed due to checkpoint not being in pending chain`,
           { ...logData, request, error: viemError.message },
         );
-        const latestPendingCheckpointNumber = await this.rollupContract.getCheckpointNumber();
-        if (latestPendingCheckpointNumber < checkpointNumber) {
+        const latestProposedCheckpointNumber = await this.rollupContract.getCheckpointNumber();
+        if (latestProposedCheckpointNumber < checkpointNumber) {
           this.log.verbose(`Checkpoint ${checkpointNumber} has already been invalidated`, { ...logData });
           return undefined;
         } else {
@@ -745,18 +1099,22 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
 
       // Otherwise, throw. We cannot build the next checkpoint if we cannot invalidate the previous one.
       this.log.error(`Simulation for invalidate checkpoint ${checkpointNumber} failed`, viemError, logData);
-      this.backupFailedTx({
-        id: keccak256(request.data!),
-        failureType: 'simulation',
-        request: { to: request.to!, data: request.data!, value: request.value?.toString() },
-        l1BlockNumber: l1BlockNumber.toString(),
-        error: { message: viemError.message, name: viemError.name },
-        context: {
-          actions: [`invalidate-${reason}`],
-          checkpointNumber,
-          sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+      this.backupFailedTx(
+        {
+          id: keccak256(request.data!),
+          failureType: 'simulation',
+          request: { to: request.to!, data: request.data!, value: request.value },
+          l1BlockNumber,
+          error: { message: viemError.message, name: viemError.name },
+          context: {
+            actions: [`invalidate-${reason}`],
+            checkpointNumber,
+            sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+          },
+          timing: this.computeTimingInfo(this.getCurrentL2Slot()),
         },
-      });
+        { captureFeeSummary: true, targetSlot: this.getCurrentL2Slot() },
+      );
       throw new Error(`Failed to simulate invalidate checkpoint ${checkpointNumber}`, { cause: viemError });
     }
   }
@@ -770,9 +1128,11 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     const logData = { ...checkpoint, reason };
     this.log.debug(`Building invalidate checkpoint ${checkpoint.checkpointNumber} request`, logData);
 
-    const attestationsAndSigners = new CommitteeAttestationsAndSigners(
-      validationResult.attestations,
-    ).getPackedAttestations();
+    // Use the exact packed tuple posted to L1 verbatim. A repack via `packAttestations` is not a
+    // byte-faithful inverse of `fromPacked` (a canonicalized yParity byte or an all-zero signature slot
+    // round-trips differently), so it would diverge from the stored `attestationsHash` and revert the
+    // invalidation.
+    const attestationsAndSigners = validationResult.verbatimAttestations;
 
     if (reason === 'invalid-attestation') {
       return this.rollupContract.buildInvalidateBadAttestationRequest(
@@ -793,43 +1153,11 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     }
   }
 
-  /** Simulates `propose` to make sure that the checkpoint is valid for submission */
-  @trackSpan('SequencerPublisher.validateCheckpointForSubmission')
-  public async validateCheckpointForSubmission(
-    checkpoint: Checkpoint,
-    attestationsAndSigners: CommitteeAttestationsAndSigners,
-    attestationsAndSignersSignature: Signature,
-    options: { forcePendingCheckpointNumber?: CheckpointNumber },
-  ): Promise<bigint> {
-    const ts = BigInt((await this.l1TxUtils.getBlock()).timestamp + this.ethereumSlotDuration);
-    const blobFields = checkpoint.toBlobFields();
-    const blobs = await getBlobsPerL1Block(blobFields);
-    const blobInput = getPrefixedEthBlobCommitments(blobs);
-
-    const args = [
-      {
-        header: checkpoint.header.toViem(),
-        archive: toHex(checkpoint.archive.root.toBuffer()),
-        oracleInput: {
-          feeAssetPriceModifier: checkpoint.feeAssetPriceModifier,
-        },
-      },
-      attestationsAndSigners.getPackedAttestations(),
-      attestationsAndSigners.getSigners().map(signer => signer.toString()),
-      attestationsAndSignersSignature.toViemSignature(),
-      blobInput,
-    ] as const;
-
-    await this.simulateProposeTx(args, ts, options);
-    return ts;
-  }
-
   private async enqueueCastSignalHelper(
     slotNumber: SlotNumber,
-    timestamp: bigint,
     signalType: GovernanceSignalAction,
     payload: EthAddress,
-    base: IEmpireBase,
+    base: GovernanceProposerContract,
     signerAddress: EthAddress,
     signer: (msg: TypedDataDefinition) => Promise<`0x${string}`>,
   ): Promise<boolean> {
@@ -855,34 +1183,28 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       return false;
     }
 
-    if (await this.isPayloadEmpty(payload)) {
+    if (await base.isPayloadEmpty(payload)) {
       this.log.warn(`Skipping vote cast for payload with empty code`);
       return false;
     }
 
-    // Check if payload was already submitted to governance
-    const cacheKey = payload.toString();
-    if (!this.payloadProposedCache.has(cacheKey)) {
-      try {
-        const l1StartBlock = await this.rollupContract.getL1StartBlock();
-        const proposed = await retry(
-          () => base.hasPayloadBeenProposed(payload.toString(), l1StartBlock),
-          'Check if payload was proposed',
-          makeBackoff([0, 1, 2]),
-          this.log,
-          true,
-        );
-        if (proposed) {
-          this.payloadProposedCache.add(cacheKey);
-        }
-      } catch (err) {
-        this.log.warn(`Failed to check if payload ${payload} was proposed after retries, skipping signal`, err);
-        return false;
-      }
+    // Skip signaling if there is already a live (non-terminal) Governance proposal for this
+    // payload. This is intentionally not cached: a previously-live proposal may transition to
+    // a terminal state (Dropped/Rejected/Expired/Executed), at which point we may want to re-signal
+    // the same payload in a future round.
+    let proposed = false;
+    try {
+      proposed = await base.hasActiveProposalWithPayload(payload.toString());
+    } catch (err) {
+      // We deliberately swallow the error and proceed to signal. Failing closed (skipping the
+      // signal) on transient RPC errors would let a flaky L1 endpoint silence governance
+      // participation entirely; failing open at worst produces a duplicate signal that the
+      // contract will simply count alongside others in the round.
+      this.log.error(`Failed to check if payload ${payload} was already proposed (signalling anyway)`, err);
     }
 
-    if (this.payloadProposedCache.has(cacheKey)) {
-      this.log.info(`Payload ${payload} was already proposed to governance, stopping signals`);
+    if (proposed) {
+      this.log.info(`Payload ${payload} has a live governance proposal, stopping signals`);
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -904,41 +1226,19 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       lastValidL2Slot: slotNumber,
     });
 
-    const l1BlockNumber = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber();
-
-    try {
-      await this.l1TxUtils.simulate(request, { time: timestamp }, [], mergeAbis([request.abi ?? [], ErrorsAbi]));
-      this.log.debug(`Simulation for ${action} at slot ${slotNumber} succeeded`, { request });
-    } catch (err) {
-      const viemError = formatViemError(err);
-      this.log.error(`Failed simulation for ${action} at slot ${slotNumber} (enqueuing the action anyway)`, viemError);
-      this.backupFailedTx({
-        id: keccak256(request.data!),
-        failureType: 'simulation',
-        request: { to: request.to!, data: request.data!, value: request.value?.toString() },
-        l1BlockNumber: l1BlockNumber.toString(),
-        error: { message: viemError.message, name: viemError.name },
-        context: {
-          actions: [action],
-          slot: slotNumber,
-          sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
-        },
-      });
-      // Yes, we enqueue the request anyway, in case there was a bug with the simulation itself
-    }
-
     // TODO(palla/slash): All votes (governance and slashing) should txTimeoutAt at the end of the slot.
     this.addRequest({
-      gasConfig: { gasLimit: SequencerPublisher.VOTE_GAS_GUESS },
       action,
       request,
       lastValidL2Slot: slotNumber,
       checkSuccess: (_request, result) => {
         const success =
           result &&
-          result.receipt &&
-          result.receipt.status === 'success' &&
-          tryExtractEvent(result.receipt.logs, base.address.toString(), EmpireBaseAbi, 'SignalCast');
+          extractEventSuccess(result.receipt, {
+            address: base.address.toString(),
+            abi: EmpireBaseAbi,
+            eventName: 'SignalCast',
+          });
 
         const logData = { ...result, slotNumber, round, payload: payload.toString() };
         if (!success) {
@@ -960,33 +1260,19 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     return true;
   }
 
-  private async isPayloadEmpty(payload: EthAddress): Promise<boolean> {
-    const key = payload.toString();
-    const cached = this.isPayloadEmptyCache.get(key);
-    if (cached) {
-      return cached;
-    }
-    const isEmpty = !(await this.l1TxUtils.getCode(payload));
-    this.isPayloadEmptyCache.set(key, isEmpty);
-    return isEmpty;
-  }
-
   /**
    * Enqueues a governance castSignal transaction to cast a signal for a given slot number.
    * @param slotNumber - The slot number to cast a signal for.
-   * @param timestamp - The timestamp of the slot to cast a signal for.
    * @returns True if the signal was successfully enqueued, false otherwise.
    */
   public enqueueGovernanceCastSignal(
     governancePayload: EthAddress,
     slotNumber: SlotNumber,
-    timestamp: bigint,
     signerAddress: EthAddress,
     signer: (msg: TypedDataDefinition) => Promise<`0x${string}`>,
   ): Promise<boolean> {
     return this.enqueueCastSignalHelper(
       slotNumber,
-      timestamp,
       'governance-signal',
       governancePayload,
       this.govProposerContract,
@@ -995,11 +1281,51 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     );
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Enqueues a `prune()` transaction if the rollup is prunable at the given slot's L1 timestamp.
+   * `prune()` is permissionless and idempotent — if the chain is no longer prunable by send time the
+   * bundle simulation usually drops the entry; on a node without `eth_simulateV1` the bundle is sent
+   * as-is and the prune reverts `Rollup__NothingToPrune` inside `aggregate3(allowFailure: true)`
+   * (a failed action, never a whole-tx revert). Used by the failed-sync fallback so a stuck pending
+   * chain (e.g. bad data blocking sync) can be wound back to recover.
+   * @returns true if a prune request was enqueued, false otherwise.
+   */
+  public async enqueuePruneIfPrunable(slotNumber: SlotNumber): Promise<boolean> {
+    if (this.lastActions['prune'] === slotNumber) {
+      this.log.debug(`Skipping duplicate prune for slot ${slotNumber}`, { slotNumber });
+      return false;
+    }
+    // Use the SAME timestamp the bundle simulator overrides block.timestamp with at send time
+    // (sequencer-bundle-simulator.ts) so this upfront check and the send-time sim agree. Slot-start
+    // and last-L1-slot both fall within the same L2 slot (and epoch, which is what `canPruneAtTime`
+    // derives), so they agree today; matching the simulator keeps it robust if the contract ever uses
+    // the timestamp more granularly.
+    const ts = getLastL1SlotTimestampForL2Slot(slotNumber, this.epochCache.getL1Constants());
+    const canPrune = await this.rollupContract.canPruneAtTime(ts).catch(err => {
+      this.log.error(`Failed to check canPruneAtTime for slot ${slotNumber}`, err, { slotNumber });
+      return false;
+    });
+    if (!canPrune) {
+      this.log.debug(`Rollup not prunable at slot ${slotNumber}`, { slotNumber });
+      return false;
+    }
+    const request: L1TxRequest = {
+      to: this.rollupContract.address,
+      data: encodeFunctionData({ abi: RollupAbi, functionName: 'prune', args: [] }),
+    };
+    this.log.info(`Enqueuing rollup prune for slot ${slotNumber}`, { slotNumber });
+    return this.enqueueRequest(
+      'prune',
+      request,
+      { address: this.rollupContract.address, abi: RollupAbi, eventName: 'PrunedPending' },
+      slotNumber,
+    );
+  }
+
   /** Enqueues all slashing actions as returned by the slasher client. */
   public async enqueueSlashingActions(
     actions: ProposerSlashAction[],
     slotNumber: SlotNumber,
-    timestamp: bigint,
     signerAddress: EthAddress,
     signer: (msg: TypedDataDefinition) => Promise<`0x${string}`>,
   ): Promise<boolean> {
@@ -1010,58 +1336,6 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
 
     for (const action of actions) {
       switch (action.type) {
-        case 'vote-empire-payload': {
-          if (this.slashingProposerContract?.type !== 'empire') {
-            this.log.error('Cannot vote for empire payload on non-empire slashing contract');
-            break;
-          }
-          this.log.debug(`Enqueuing slashing vote for payload ${action.payload} at slot ${slotNumber}`, {
-            signerAddress,
-          });
-          await this.enqueueCastSignalHelper(
-            slotNumber,
-            timestamp,
-            'empire-slashing-signal',
-            action.payload,
-            this.slashingProposerContract,
-            signerAddress,
-            signer,
-          );
-          break;
-        }
-
-        case 'create-empire-payload': {
-          this.log.debug(`Enqueuing slashing create payload at slot ${slotNumber}`, { slotNumber, signerAddress });
-          const request = this.slashFactoryContract.buildCreatePayloadRequest(action.data);
-          await this.simulateAndEnqueueRequest(
-            'create-empire-payload',
-            request,
-            (receipt: TransactionReceipt) =>
-              !!this.slashFactoryContract.tryExtractSlashPayloadCreatedEvent(receipt.logs),
-            slotNumber,
-            timestamp,
-          );
-          break;
-        }
-
-        case 'execute-empire-payload': {
-          this.log.debug(`Enqueuing slashing execute payload at slot ${slotNumber}`, { slotNumber, signerAddress });
-          if (this.slashingProposerContract?.type !== 'empire') {
-            this.log.error('Cannot execute slashing payload on non-empire slashing contract');
-            return false;
-          }
-          const empireSlashingProposer = this.slashingProposerContract as EmpireSlashingProposerContract;
-          const request = empireSlashingProposer.buildExecuteRoundRequest(action.round);
-          await this.simulateAndEnqueueRequest(
-            'execute-empire-payload',
-            request,
-            (receipt: TransactionReceipt) => !!empireSlashingProposer.tryExtractPayloadSubmittedEvent(receipt.logs),
-            slotNumber,
-            timestamp,
-          );
-          break;
-        }
-
         case 'vote-offenses': {
           this.log.debug(`Enqueuing slashing vote for ${action.votes.length} votes at slot ${slotNumber}`, {
             slotNumber,
@@ -1069,19 +1343,21 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
             votesCount: action.votes.length,
             signerAddress,
           });
-          if (this.slashingProposerContract?.type !== 'tally') {
-            this.log.error('Cannot vote for slashing offenses on non-tally slashing contract');
+          if (!this.slashingProposerContract) {
+            this.log.error('No slashing proposer contract available');
             return false;
           }
-          const tallySlashingProposer = this.slashingProposerContract as TallySlashingProposerContract;
           const votes = bufferToHex(encodeSlashConsensusVotes(action.votes));
-          const request = await tallySlashingProposer.buildVoteRequestFromSigner(votes, slotNumber, signer);
-          await this.simulateAndEnqueueRequest(
+          const request = await this.slashingProposerContract.buildVoteRequestFromSigner(votes, slotNumber, signer);
+          this.enqueueRequest(
             'vote-offenses',
             request,
-            (receipt: TransactionReceipt) => !!tallySlashingProposer.tryExtractVoteCastEvent(receipt.logs),
+            {
+              address: this.slashingProposerContract.address.toString(),
+              abi: SlashingProposerAbi,
+              eventName: 'VoteCast',
+            },
             slotNumber,
-            timestamp,
           );
           break;
         }
@@ -1092,18 +1368,23 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
             round: action.round,
             signerAddress,
           });
-          if (this.slashingProposerContract?.type !== 'tally') {
-            this.log.error('Cannot execute slashing offenses on non-tally slashing contract');
+          if (!this.slashingProposerContract) {
+            this.log.error('No slashing proposer contract available');
             return false;
           }
-          const tallySlashingProposer = this.slashingProposerContract as TallySlashingProposerContract;
-          const request = tallySlashingProposer.buildExecuteRoundRequest(action.round, action.committees);
-          await this.simulateAndEnqueueRequest(
+          const executeRequest = this.slashingProposerContract.buildExecuteRoundRequest(
+            action.round,
+            action.committees,
+          );
+          this.enqueueRequest(
             'execute-slash',
-            request,
-            (receipt: TransactionReceipt) => !!tallySlashingProposer.tryExtractRoundExecutedEvent(receipt.logs),
+            executeRequest,
+            {
+              address: this.slashingProposerContract.address.toString(),
+              abi: SlashingProposerAbi,
+              eventName: 'RoundExecuted',
+            },
             slotNumber,
-            timestamp,
           );
           break;
         }
@@ -1118,12 +1399,12 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     return true;
   }
 
-  /** Simulates and enqueues a proposal for a checkpoint on L1 */
+  /** Enqueues a proposal for a checkpoint on L1 */
   public async enqueueProposeCheckpoint(
     checkpoint: Checkpoint,
     attestationsAndSigners: CommitteeAttestationsAndSigners,
     attestationsAndSignersSignature: Signature,
-    opts: { txTimeoutAt?: Date; forcePendingCheckpointNumber?: CheckpointNumber } = {},
+    opts: EnqueueProposeCheckpointOpts = {},
   ): Promise<void> {
     const checkpointHeader = checkpoint.header;
 
@@ -1139,31 +1420,11 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       feeAssetPriceModifier: checkpoint.feeAssetPriceModifier,
     };
 
-    let ts: bigint;
-
-    try {
-      // @note  This will make sure that we are passing the checks for our header ASSUMING that the data is also made available
-      //        This means that we can avoid the simulation issues in later checks.
-      //        By simulation issue, I mean the fact that the block.timestamp is equal to the last block, not the next, which
-      //        make time consistency checks break.
-      // TODO(palla): Check whether we're validating twice, once here and once within addProposeTx, since we call simulateProposeTx in both places.
-      ts = await this.validateCheckpointForSubmission(
-        checkpoint,
-        attestationsAndSigners,
-        attestationsAndSignersSignature,
-        opts,
-      );
-    } catch (err: any) {
-      this.log.error(`Checkpoint validation failed. ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'No error message'}`, err, {
-        ...checkpoint.getStats(),
-        slotNumber: checkpoint.header.slotNumber,
-        forcePendingCheckpointNumber: opts.forcePendingCheckpointNumber,
-      });
-      throw err;
-    }
-
-    this.log.verbose(`Enqueuing checkpoint propose transaction`, { ...checkpoint.toCheckpointInfo(), ...opts });
-    await this.addProposeTx(checkpoint, proposeTxArgs, opts, ts);
+    this.log.verbose(`Enqueuing checkpoint propose transaction`, {
+      ...checkpoint.toCheckpointInfo(),
+      txTimeoutAt: opts.txTimeoutAt,
+    });
+    await this.addProposeTx(checkpoint, proposeTxArgs, { txTimeoutAt: opts.txTimeoutAt });
   }
 
   public enqueueInvalidateCheckpoint(
@@ -1174,23 +1435,22 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       return;
     }
 
-    // We issued the simulation against the rollup contract, so we need to account for the overhead of the multicall3
-    const gasLimit = this.l1TxUtils.bumpGasLimit(BigInt(Math.ceil((Number(request.gasUsed) * 64) / 63)));
-
     const { gasUsed, checkpointNumber } = request;
-    const logData = { gasUsed, checkpointNumber, gasLimit, opts };
+    const logData = { gasUsed, checkpointNumber, opts };
     this.log.verbose(`Enqueuing invalidate checkpoint request`, logData);
     this.addRequest({
       action: `invalidate-by-${request.reason}`,
       request: request.request,
-      gasConfig: { gasLimit, txTimeoutAt: opts.txTimeoutAt },
+      gasConfig: opts.txTimeoutAt ? { txTimeoutAt: opts.txTimeoutAt } : undefined,
       lastValidL2Slot: SlotNumber(this.getCurrentL2Slot() + 2),
       checkSuccess: (_req, result) => {
         const success =
           result &&
-          result.receipt &&
-          result.receipt.status === 'success' &&
-          tryExtractEvent(result.receipt.logs, this.rollupContract.address, RollupAbi, 'CheckpointInvalidated');
+          extractEventSuccess(result.receipt, {
+            address: this.rollupContract.address,
+            abi: RollupAbi,
+            eventName: 'CheckpointInvalidated',
+          });
         if (!success) {
           this.log.warn(`Invalidate checkpoint ${request.checkpointNumber} failed`, { ...result, ...logData });
         } else {
@@ -1201,72 +1461,36 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     });
   }
 
-  private async simulateAndEnqueueRequest(
+  /**
+   * Dedup-checked enqueue helper for actions that are simulated at bundle-send time rather
+   * than at enqueue time. Validates the (action, slot) dedup key, sets `lastActions`, and
+   * enqueues without a gasLimit so the bundle simulate sets the only gasLimit that matters.
+   */
+  private enqueueRequest(
     action: Action,
     request: L1TxRequest,
-    checkSuccess: (receipt: TransactionReceipt) => boolean | undefined,
+    eventOpts: { address: string; abi: Abi; eventName: string },
     slotNumber: SlotNumber,
-    timestamp: bigint,
-  ) {
-    const logData = { slotNumber, timestamp, gasLimit: undefined as bigint | undefined };
+  ): boolean {
     if (this.lastActions[action] && this.lastActions[action] === slotNumber) {
       this.log.debug(`Skipping duplicate action ${action} for slot ${slotNumber}`);
       return false;
     }
-
     const cachedLastActionSlot = this.lastActions[action];
     this.lastActions[action] = slotNumber;
 
-    this.log.debug(`Simulating ${action} for slot ${slotNumber}`, logData);
-
-    const l1BlockNumber = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber();
-
-    let gasUsed: bigint;
-    const simulateAbi = mergeAbis([request.abi ?? [], ErrorsAbi]);
-    try {
-      ({ gasUsed } = await this.l1TxUtils.simulate(request, { time: timestamp }, [], simulateAbi)); // TODO(palla/slash): Check the timestamp logic
-      this.log.verbose(`Simulation for ${action} succeeded`, { ...logData, request, gasUsed });
-    } catch (err) {
-      const viemError = formatViemError(err, simulateAbi);
-      this.log.error(`Simulation for ${action} at ${slotNumber} failed`, viemError, logData);
-
-      this.backupFailedTx({
-        id: keccak256(request.data!),
-        failureType: 'simulation',
-        request: { to: request.to!, data: request.data!, value: request.value?.toString() },
-        l1BlockNumber: l1BlockNumber.toString(),
-        error: { message: viemError.message, name: viemError.name },
-        context: {
-          actions: [action],
-          slot: slotNumber,
-          sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
-        },
-      });
-
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    // We issued the simulation against the rollup contract, so we need to account for the overhead of the multicall3
-    const gasLimit = this.l1TxUtils.bumpGasLimit(BigInt(Math.ceil((Number(gasUsed) * 64) / 63)));
-    logData.gasLimit = gasLimit;
-
-    // Store the ABI used for simulation on the request so Multicall3.forward can decode errors
-    // when the tx is sent and a revert is diagnosed via simulation.
-    const requestWithAbi = { ...request, abi: simulateAbi };
-
-    this.log.debug(`Enqueuing ${action}`, logData);
+    this.log.debug(`Enqueuing ${action}`, { slotNumber });
     this.addRequest({
       action,
-      request: requestWithAbi,
-      gasConfig: { gasLimit },
+      request,
       lastValidL2Slot: slotNumber,
-      checkSuccess: (_req, result) => {
-        const success = result && result.receipt && result.receipt.status === 'success' && checkSuccess(result.receipt);
+      checkSuccess: (_request, result) => {
+        const success = result && extractEventSuccess(result.receipt, eventOpts);
         if (!success) {
-          this.log.warn(`Action ${action} at ${slotNumber} failed`, { ...result, ...logData });
+          this.log.warn(`Action ${action} at ${slotNumber} failed`, { ...result, slotNumber });
           this.lastActions[action] = cachedLastActionSlot;
         } else {
-          this.log.info(`Action ${action} at ${slotNumber} succeeded`, { ...result, ...logData });
+          this.log.info(`Action ${action} at ${slotNumber} succeeded`, { ...result, slotNumber });
         }
         return !!success;
       },
@@ -1282,6 +1506,7 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
    */
   public interrupt() {
     this.interrupted = true;
+    this.interruptibleSleep.interrupt();
     this.l1TxUtils.interrupt();
   }
 
@@ -1291,11 +1516,7 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
     this.l1TxUtils.restart();
   }
 
-  private async prepareProposeTx(
-    encodedData: L1ProcessArgs,
-    timestamp: bigint,
-    options: { forcePendingCheckpointNumber?: CheckpointNumber },
-  ) {
+  private async prepareProposeTx(encodedData: L1ProcessArgs) {
     const kzg = Blob.getViemKzgInstance();
     const blobInput = getPrefixedEthBlobCommitments(encodedData.blobs);
     this.log.debug('Validating blob input', { blobInput });
@@ -1308,7 +1529,11 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       blobEvaluationGas = BigInt(encodedData.blobs.length) * 21_000n;
       this.log.debug(`Using fixed blob evaluation gas estimate in fisherman mode: ${blobEvaluationGas}`);
     } else {
-      // Normal mode - use estimateGas with blob inputs
+      // We call validateBlobs via estimateGas with real blob+kzg sidecars as a consistency check
+      // that our locally-built blob commitments match the blob data. The bundle simulate at send
+      // time uses eth_simulateV1, which cannot carry blob inputs, so the rollup's on-chain blob
+      // check is forced off there — making this the only pre-flight detector of a commitment/data
+      // mismatch. The returned gas estimate is stashed on the request for the bundle path to read.
       blobEvaluationGas = await this.l1TxUtils
         .estimateGas(
           this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
@@ -1335,18 +1560,22 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
             args: [blobInput],
           });
           const l1BlockNumber = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber();
-          this.backupFailedTx({
-            id: keccak256(validateBlobsData),
-            failureType: 'simulation',
-            request: { to: this.rollupContract.address as Hex, data: validateBlobsData },
-            blobData: encodedData.blobs.map(b => toHex(b.data)) as Hex[],
-            l1BlockNumber: l1BlockNumber.toString(),
-            error: { message: viemError.message, name: viemError.name },
-            context: {
-              actions: ['validate-blobs'],
-              sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+          this.backupFailedTx(
+            {
+              id: keccak256(validateBlobsData),
+              failureType: 'simulation',
+              request: { to: this.rollupContract.address as Hex, data: validateBlobsData },
+              blobData: encodedData.blobs.map(b => toHex(b.data)) as Hex[],
+              l1BlockNumber,
+              error: { message: viemError.message, name: viemError.name },
+              context: {
+                actions: ['validate-blobs'],
+                sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
+              },
+              timing: this.computeTimingInfo(this.getCurrentL2Slot()),
             },
-          });
+            { captureFeeSummary: true, targetSlot: this.getCurrentL2Slot() },
+          );
           throw new Error('Failed to validate blobs');
         });
     }
@@ -1366,138 +1595,21 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       blobInput,
     ] as const;
 
-    const { rollupData, simulationResult } = await this.simulateProposeTx(args, timestamp, options);
+    const rollupData = encodeFunctionData({ abi: RollupAbi, functionName: 'propose', args });
 
-    return { args, blobEvaluationGas, rollupData, simulationResult };
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Simulates the propose tx with eth_simulateV1
-   * @param args - The propose tx args
-   * @param timestamp - The timestamp to simulate proposal at
-   * @returns The simulation result
-   */
-  private async simulateProposeTx(
-    args: readonly [
-      {
-        readonly header: ViemHeader;
-        readonly archive: `0x${string}`;
-        readonly oracleInput: {
-          readonly feeAssetPriceModifier: bigint;
-        };
-      },
-      ViemCommitteeAttestations,
-      `0x${string}`[], // Signers
-      ViemSignature,
-      `0x${string}`,
-    ],
-    timestamp: bigint,
-    options: { forcePendingCheckpointNumber?: CheckpointNumber },
-  ) {
-    const rollupData = encodeFunctionData({
-      abi: RollupAbi,
-      functionName: 'propose',
-      args,
-    });
-
-    // override the pending checkpoint number if requested
-    const forcePendingCheckpointNumberStateDiff = (
-      options.forcePendingCheckpointNumber !== undefined
-        ? await this.rollupContract.makePendingCheckpointNumberOverride(options.forcePendingCheckpointNumber)
-        : []
-    ).flatMap(override => override.stateDiff ?? []);
-
-    const stateOverrides: StateOverride = [
-      {
-        address: this.rollupContract.address,
-        // @note we override checkBlob to false since blobs are not part simulate()
-        stateDiff: [
-          { slot: toPaddedHex(RollupContract.checkBlobStorageSlot, true), value: toPaddedHex(0n, true) },
-          ...forcePendingCheckpointNumberStateDiff,
-        ],
-      },
-    ];
-    // In fisherman mode, simulate as the proposer but with sufficient balance
-    if (this.proposerAddressForSimulation) {
-      stateOverrides.push({
-        address: this.proposerAddressForSimulation.toString(),
-        balance: 10n * WEI_CONST * WEI_CONST, // 10 ETH
-      });
-    }
-
-    const l1BlockNumber = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber();
-
-    const simulationResult = await this.l1TxUtils
-      .simulate(
-        {
-          to: this.rollupContract.address,
-          data: rollupData,
-          gas: MAX_L1_TX_LIMIT,
-          ...(this.proposerAddressForSimulation && { from: this.proposerAddressForSimulation.toString() }),
-        },
-        {
-          // @note we add 1n to the timestamp because geth implementation doesn't like simulation timestamp to be equal to the current block timestamp
-          time: timestamp + 1n,
-          // @note reth should have a 30m gas limit per block but throws errors that this tx is beyond limit so we increase here
-          gasLimit: MAX_L1_TX_LIMIT * 2n,
-        },
-        stateOverrides,
-        RollupAbi,
-        {
-          // @note fallback gas estimate to use if the node doesn't support simulation API
-          fallbackGasEstimate: MAX_L1_TX_LIMIT,
-        },
-      )
-      .catch(err => {
-        // In fisherman mode, we expect ValidatorSelection__MissingProposerSignature since fisherman doesn't have proposer signature
-        const viemError = formatViemError(err);
-        if (this.config.fishermanMode && viemError.message?.includes('ValidatorSelection__MissingProposerSignature')) {
-          this.log.debug(`Ignoring expected ValidatorSelection__MissingProposerSignature error in fisherman mode`);
-          // Return a minimal simulation result with the fallback gas estimate
-          return {
-            gasUsed: MAX_L1_TX_LIMIT,
-            logs: [],
-          };
-        }
-        this.log.error(`Failed to simulate propose tx`, viemError);
-        this.backupFailedTx({
-          id: keccak256(rollupData),
-          failureType: 'simulation',
-          request: { to: this.rollupContract.address, data: rollupData },
-          l1BlockNumber: l1BlockNumber.toString(),
-          error: { message: viemError.message, name: viemError.name },
-          context: {
-            actions: ['propose'],
-            slot: Number(args[0].header.slotNumber),
-            sender: this.getSenderAddress().toString(),
-          },
-        });
-        throw err;
-      });
-
-    return { rollupData, simulationResult };
+    return { args, blobEvaluationGas, rollupData };
   }
 
   private async addProposeTx(
     checkpoint: Checkpoint,
     encodedData: L1ProcessArgs,
-    opts: { txTimeoutAt?: Date; forcePendingCheckpointNumber?: CheckpointNumber } = {},
-    timestamp: bigint,
+    opts: EnqueueProposeCheckpointOpts = {},
   ): Promise<void> {
     const slot = checkpoint.header.slotNumber;
     const timer = new Timer();
     const kzg = Blob.getViemKzgInstance();
-    const { rollupData, simulationResult, blobEvaluationGas } = await this.prepareProposeTx(
-      encodedData,
-      timestamp,
-      opts,
-    );
+    const { rollupData, blobEvaluationGas } = await this.prepareProposeTx(encodedData);
     const startBlock = await this.l1TxUtils.getBlockNumber();
-    const gasLimit = this.l1TxUtils.bumpGasLimit(
-      BigInt(Math.ceil((Number(simulationResult.gasUsed) * 64) / 63)) +
-        blobEvaluationGas +
-        SequencerPublisher.MULTICALL_OVERHEAD_GAS_GUESS, // We issue the simulation against the rollup contract, so we need to account for the overhead of the multicall3
-    );
 
     // Send the blobs to the blob client preemptively. This helps in tests where the sequencer mistakingly thinks that the propose
     // tx fails but it does get mined. We make sure that the blobs are sent to the blob client regardless of the tx outcome.
@@ -1514,7 +1626,8 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
         data: rollupData,
       },
       lastValidL2Slot: checkpoint.header.slotNumber,
-      gasConfig: { ...opts, gasLimit },
+      gasConfig: { txTimeoutAt: opts.txTimeoutAt, gasLimit: undefined },
+      blobEvaluationGas,
       blobConfig: {
         blobs: encodedData.blobs.map(b => b.data),
         kzg,
@@ -1524,10 +1637,11 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
           return false;
         }
         const { receipt, stats, errorMsg } = result;
-        const success =
-          receipt &&
-          receipt.status === 'success' &&
-          tryExtractEvent(receipt.logs, this.rollupContract.address, RollupAbi, 'CheckpointProposed');
+        const success = extractEventSuccess(receipt, {
+          address: this.rollupContract.address,
+          abi: RollupAbi,
+          eventName: 'CheckpointProposed',
+        });
 
         if (success) {
           const endBlock = receipt.blockNumber;
@@ -1567,4 +1681,10 @@ export class SequencerPublisher {
       },
     });
   }
+
+  /** Returns the timestamp of the next L1 slot boundary after now. */
+  private getNextL1SlotTimestamp(): bigint {
+    const l1Constants = this.epochCache.getL1Constants();
+    return getNextL1SlotTimestamp(this.dateProvider.nowInSeconds(), l1Constants);
+  }
 }