diff --git a/action_utxo.go b/action_utxo.go
index fe6af27c..16e8d7aa 100644
--- a/action_utxo.go
+++ b/action_utxo.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func (c *Client) UnReserveUtxos(ctx context.Context, xPubID, draftID string) err
 	// Check for existing NewRelic transaction
 	ctx = c.GetOrStartTxn(ctx, "unreserve_uxtos_by_draft_id")
 
-	return unReserveUtxos(ctx, xPubID, draftID)
+	return unReserveUtxos(ctx, xPubID, draftID, c.DefaultModelOptions()...)
 }
 
 // should this be optional in the results?
diff --git a/chainstate/merkle_root.go b/chainstate/merkle_root.go
index 246a6c17..462ad4a4 100644
--- a/chainstate/merkle_root.go
+++ b/chainstate/merkle_root.go
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ import (
 
 // VerifyMerkleRoots will try to verify merkle roots with all available providers
 func (c *Client) VerifyMerkleRoots(ctx context.Context, merkleRoots []MerkleRootConfirmationRequestItem) error {
+	if c.options.config.pulseClient == nil {
+		c.options.logger.Warn().Msg("VerifyMerkleRoots is called even though no pulse client is configured; this likely indicates that the paymail capabilities have been cached.")
+		return errors.New("no pulse client found")
+	}
 	pulseProvider := createPulseProvider(c)
 	merkleRootsRes, err := pulseProvider.verifyMerkleRoots(ctx, c, merkleRoots)
 	if err != nil {