diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-aztec-packages.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-aztec-packages.yml
index 9da6aad1589..ade937c872e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-aztec-packages.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-aztec-packages.yml
@@ -324,16 +324,6 @@ jobs:
             --VERSION=${{ steps.version_step.outputs.VERSION }} \
             --DRY_RUN=${{ (github.event.inputs.publish == 'false') && '1' || '0' }}
 
-      - name: Publish spartan NPM package
-        run: |
-          earthly-ci \
-            --no-output \
-            --secret NPM_TOKEN=${{ env.NPM_TOKEN }} \
-            ./spartan/releases/rough-rhino+publish-npm \
-            --DIST_TAG=${{ steps.version_step.outputs.DIST_TAG }} \
-            --VERSION=${{ steps.version_step.outputs.VERSION }} \
-            --DRY_RUN=${{ (github.event.inputs.publish == 'false') && '1' || '0' }}
-
   publish-aztec-up:
     needs: [configure, publish-manifests]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/boot-node.yaml b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/boot-node.yaml
index 62dbcab873c..c963b3d88b8 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/boot-node.yaml
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/boot-node.yaml
@@ -68,7 +68,13 @@ spec:
             - -c
             - |
               source /shared/config/service-addresses
-              cast publish --rpc-url ${ETHEREUM_HOST} 0xf8a58085174876e800830186a08080b853604580600e600039806000f350fe7fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffe03601600081602082378035828234f58015156039578182fd5b8082525050506014600cf31ba02222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222a02222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222
+              output=$(cast code 0x4e59b44847b379578588920cA78FbF26c0B4956C --rpc-url ${ETHEREUM_HOST})
+              if [ "$output" == "0x" ]; then
+                echo "Deploying create2 deployer"
+                cast publish --rpc-url ${ETHEREUM_HOST} 0xf8a58085174876e800830186a08080b853604580600e600039806000f350fe7fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffe03601600081602082378035828234f58015156039578182fd5b8082525050506014600cf31ba02222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222a02222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222
+              else
+                echo "Create2 deployer already deployed"
+              fi
           volumeMounts:
             - name: config
               mountPath: /shared/config
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/reth.yaml b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/reth.yaml
index 938d48b649a..950ea3a4142 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/templates/reth.yaml
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/templates/reth.yaml
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ spec:
             name: {{ include "aztec-network.fullname" . }}-reth-genesis
         - name: genesis-output
           emptyDir: {}
-{{if not .Values.network.public }}
 ---
 apiVersion: v1
 kind: Service
@@ -108,7 +107,11 @@ metadata:
   labels:
     {{- include "aztec-network.labels" . | nindent 4 }}
 spec:
-  type: {{ .Values.ethereum.service.type }}
+  {{- if .Values.network.public }}
+  type: LoadBalancer
+  {{- else }}
+  type: ClusterIP
+  {{- end }}
   selector:
     {{- include "aztec-network.selectorLabels" . | nindent 4 }}
     app: ethereum
@@ -119,7 +122,6 @@ spec:
       {{- if and (eq .Values.ethereum.service.type "NodePort") .Values.ethereum.service.nodePort }}
       nodePort: {{ .Values.ethereum.service.nodePort }}
       {{- end }}
-{{ end }}
 ---
 apiVersion: v1
 kind: ConfigMap
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml b/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml
index 26cf80bb5f7..6d92e99c740 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/values.yaml
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ ethereum:
   gasLimit: "1000000000"
   args: ""
   service:
-    type: ClusterIP
     port: 8545
     targetPort: 8545
     nodePort: ""
diff --git a/spartan/aztec-network/values/rc-1.yaml b/spartan/aztec-network/values/rc-1.yaml
index 1f50b6b21b0..70ae78d2b66 100644
--- a/spartan/aztec-network/values/rc-1.yaml
+++ b/spartan/aztec-network/values/rc-1.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 network:
   public: true
 
+ethereum:
+  resources:
+    requests:
+      memory: "31Gi"
+      cpu: "200m"
+
 aztec:
   slotDuration: 36
   epochDuration: 48
diff --git a/yarn-project/ethereum/src/deploy_l1_contracts.ts b/yarn-project/ethereum/src/deploy_l1_contracts.ts
index 31b2c1eeb50..2aee401d401 100644
--- a/yarn-project/ethereum/src/deploy_l1_contracts.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/ethereum/src/deploy_l1_contracts.ts
@@ -432,9 +432,19 @@ export const deployL1Contracts = async (
     txHashes.push(txHash);
   }
 
-  if (args.initialValidators && args.initialValidators.length > 0) {
+  const attesters = (await rollup.read
+    .getAttesters([])
+    .then(attesters =>
+      (attesters as `0x${string}`[]).map(attester => EthAddress.fromString(attester.toString())),
+    )) as EthAddress[];
+
+  logger.debug(`Existing attesters`, attesters);
+
+  const newAttesters = (args.initialValidators ?? []).filter(v => !attesters.some(a => a.equals(v)));
+
+  if (newAttesters.length > 0) {
     // Mint tokens, approve them, use cheat code to initialise validator set without setting up the epoch.
-    const stakeNeeded = MINIMUM_STAKE * BigInt(args.initialValidators.length);
+    const stakeNeeded = MINIMUM_STAKE * BigInt(newAttesters.length);
     await Promise.all(
       [
         await stakingAsset.write.mint([walletClient.account.address, stakeNeeded], {} as any),
@@ -442,8 +452,10 @@ export const deployL1Contracts = async (
       ].map(txHash => publicClient.waitForTransactionReceipt({ hash: txHash })),
     );
 
+    logger.info(`Minted ${newAttesters.length} validators`);
+
     const initiateValidatorSetTxHash = await rollup.write.cheat__InitialiseValidatorSet([
-      args.initialValidators.map(v => ({
+      newAttesters.map(v => ({
         attester: v.toString(),
         proposer: v.toString(),
         withdrawer: v.toString(),
@@ -451,7 +463,7 @@ export const deployL1Contracts = async (
       })),
     ]);
     txHashes.push(initiateValidatorSetTxHash);
-    logger.info(`Initialized validator set (${args.initialValidators.join(', ')}) in tx ${initiateValidatorSetTxHash}`);
+    logger.info(`Initialized validator set (${newAttesters.join(', ')}) in tx ${initiateValidatorSetTxHash}`);
   }
 
   // @note  This value MUST match what is in `constants.nr`. It is currently specified here instead of just importing
@@ -521,6 +533,7 @@ export const deployL1Contracts = async (
     client: walletClient,
   });
   if (!(await registryContract.read.isRollupRegistered([getAddress(rollupAddress.toString())]))) {
+    logger.info(`Registry ${registryAddress} is not registered to rollup ${rollupAddress}`);
     const upgradeTxHash = await registryContract.write.upgrade([getAddress(rollupAddress.toString())], { account });
     logger.verbose(
       `Upgrading registry contract at ${registryAddress} to rollup ${rollupAddress} in tx ${upgradeTxHash}`,