diff --git a/crates/example-types/src/state_types.rs b/crates/example-types/src/state_types.rs
index 9b52e0c662..b30bc2603b 100644
--- a/crates/example-types/src/state_types.rs
+++ b/crates/example-types/src/state_types.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use rand::Rng;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use vbs::version::Version;
 
-pub use crate::node_types::TestTypes;
+pub use crate::node_types::{TestTwoStakeTablesTypes, TestTypes};
 use crate::{
     block_types::{TestBlockPayload, TestTransaction},
     testable_delay::{DelayConfig, SupportedTraitTypesForAsyncDelay, TestableDelay},
diff --git a/crates/example-types/src/storage_types.rs b/crates/example-types/src/storage_types.rs
index b5f3610f21..49d44e9bb0 100644
--- a/crates/example-types/src/storage_types.rs
+++ b/crates/example-types/src/storage_types.rs
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ use jf_vid::VidScheme;
 
 use crate::testable_delay::{DelayConfig, SupportedTraitTypesForAsyncDelay, TestableDelay};
 
-type VidShares<TYPES> = HashMap<
+type VidShares<TYPES> = BTreeMap<
     <TYPES as NodeType>::View,
     HashMap<<TYPES as NodeType>::SignatureKey, Proposal<TYPES, VidDisperseShare<TYPES>>>,
 >;
-type VidShares2<TYPES> = HashMap<
+type VidShares2<TYPES> = BTreeMap<
     <TYPES as NodeType>::View,
     HashMap<<TYPES as NodeType>::SignatureKey, Proposal<TYPES, VidDisperseShare2<TYPES>>>,
 >;
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ pub struct TestStorageState<TYPES: NodeType> {
 impl<TYPES: NodeType> Default for TestStorageState<TYPES> {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
-            vids: HashMap::new(),
-            vid2: HashMap::new(),
+            vids: BTreeMap::new(),
+            vid2: BTreeMap::new(),
             das: HashMap::new(),
             da2s: HashMap::new(),
             proposals: BTreeMap::new(),
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> TestStorage<TYPES> {
     pub async fn last_actioned_epoch(&self) -> TYPES::Epoch {
         self.inner.read().await.epoch
     }
+    pub async fn vids_cloned(&self) -> VidShares2<TYPES> {
+        self.inner.read().await.vid2.clone()
+    }
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
diff --git a/crates/hotshot/src/lib.rs b/crates/hotshot/src/lib.rs
index ea213a6338..e6faf52cab 100644
--- a/crates/hotshot/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/hotshot/src/lib.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ use hotshot_task_impls::{events::HotShotEvent, helpers::broadcast_event};
 /// Reexport error type
 pub use hotshot_types::error::HotShotError;
 use hotshot_types::{
-    consensus::{Consensus, ConsensusMetricsValue, OuterConsensus, View, ViewInner},
+    consensus::{Consensus, ConsensusMetricsValue, OuterConsensus, VidShares, View, ViewInner},
     constants::{EVENT_CHANNEL_SIZE, EXTERNAL_EVENT_CHANNEL_SIZE},
     data::{Leaf2, QuorumProposal, QuorumProposal2},
     event::{EventType, LeafInfo},
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ use hotshot_types::{
 pub use rand;
 use tokio::{spawn, time::sleep};
 use tracing::{debug, instrument, trace};
-
 // -- Rexports
 // External
 use crate::{
@@ -332,6 +331,7 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType, I: NodeImplementation<TYPES>, V: Versions> SystemContext<T
         };
         let consensus = Consensus::new(
             validated_state_map,
+            initializer.saved_vid_shares,
             anchored_leaf.view_number(),
             anchored_epoch,
             anchored_leaf.view_number(),
@@ -1022,6 +1022,8 @@ pub struct HotShotInitializer<TYPES: NodeType> {
     undecided_state: BTreeMap<TYPES::View, View<TYPES>>,
     /// Proposals we have sent out to provide to others for catchup
     saved_proposals: BTreeMap<TYPES::View, Proposal<TYPES, QuorumProposal2<TYPES>>>,
+    /// Saved VID shares
+    saved_vid_shares: Option<VidShares<TYPES>>,
 }
 
 impl<TYPES: NodeType> HotShotInitializer<TYPES> {
@@ -1048,6 +1050,7 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> HotShotInitializer<TYPES> {
             undecided_leaves: Vec::new(),
             undecided_state: BTreeMap::new(),
             instance_state,
+            saved_vid_shares: None,
         })
     }
 
@@ -1072,6 +1075,7 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> HotShotInitializer<TYPES> {
         decided_upgrade_certificate: Option<UpgradeCertificate<TYPES>>,
         undecided_leaves: Vec<Leaf2<TYPES>>,
         undecided_state: BTreeMap<TYPES::View, View<TYPES>>,
+        saved_vid_shares: Option<VidShares<TYPES>>,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             inner: anchor_leaf,
@@ -1087,6 +1091,7 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> HotShotInitializer<TYPES> {
             decided_upgrade_certificate,
             undecided_leaves,
             undecided_state,
+            saved_vid_shares,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/testing/src/spinning_task.rs b/crates/testing/src/spinning_task.rs
index 66438d701d..fac9856950 100644
--- a/crates/testing/src/spinning_task.rs
+++ b/crates/testing/src/spinning_task.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ where
                                             None,
                                             Vec::new(),
                                             BTreeMap::new(),
+                                            None,
                                         );
                                         // We assign node's public key and stake value rather than read from config file since it's a test
                                         let validator_config =
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ where
                                     read_storage.decided_upgrade_certificate().await,
                                     Vec::new(),
                                     BTreeMap::new(),
+                                    Some(read_storage.vids_cloned().await),
                                 );
                                 // We assign node's public key and stake value rather than read from config file since it's a test
                                 let validator_config = ValidatorConfig::generated_from_seed_indexed(
diff --git a/crates/testing/tests/tests_1/test_with_failures_2.rs b/crates/testing/tests/tests_1/test_with_failures_2.rs
index cf9ac8c83f..aa4721e696 100644
--- a/crates/testing/tests/tests_1/test_with_failures_2.rs
+++ b/crates/testing/tests/tests_1/test_with_failures_2.rs
@@ -74,50 +74,6 @@ cross_tests!(
     }
 );
 
-cross_tests!(
-    TestName: test_with_failures_2_with_epochs,
-    Impls: [Libp2pImpl, PushCdnImpl, CombinedImpl],
-    Types: [TestTwoStakeTablesTypes],
-    Versions: [EpochsTestVersions],
-    Ignore: false,
-    Metadata: {
-        let mut metadata = TestDescription::default_more_nodes();
-        metadata.num_nodes_with_stake = 12;
-        metadata.da_staked_committee_size = 12;
-        metadata.start_nodes = 12;
-        metadata.epoch_height = 10;
-        let dead_nodes = vec![
-            ChangeNode {
-                idx: 10,
-                updown: NodeAction::Down,
-            },
-            ChangeNode {
-                idx: 11,
-                updown: NodeAction::Down,
-            },
-        ];
-
-        metadata.spinning_properties = SpinningTaskDescription {
-            node_changes: vec![(5, dead_nodes)]
-        };
-
-        // 2 nodes fail triggering view sync, expect no other timeouts
-        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_failed_views = 6;
-        // Make sure we keep committing rounds after the bad leaders, but not the full 50 because of the numerous timeouts
-        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_successful_views = 20;
-        metadata.overall_safety_properties.expected_views_to_fail = HashMap::from([
-            (ViewNumber::new(5), false),
-            (ViewNumber::new(11), false),
-            (ViewNumber::new(17), false),
-            (ViewNumber::new(23), false),
-            (ViewNumber::new(29), false),
-            (ViewNumber::new(35), false),
-        ]);
-
-        metadata
-    }
-);
-
 cross_tests!(
     TestName: test_with_double_leader_failures,
     Impls: [MemoryImpl, Libp2pImpl, PushCdnImpl],
diff --git a/crates/testing/tests/tests_3/test_with_failures_half_f.rs b/crates/testing/tests/tests_3/test_with_failures_half_f.rs
index 3dd8e3ceb7..b5fbdfd0a0 100644
--- a/crates/testing/tests/tests_3/test_with_failures_half_f.rs
+++ b/crates/testing/tests/tests_3/test_with_failures_half_f.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 // along with the HotShot repository. If not, see <https://mit-license.org/>.
 
 use hotshot_example_types::{
-    node_types::{EpochsTestVersions, Libp2pImpl, MemoryImpl, PushCdnImpl, TestVersions},
+    node_types::{Libp2pImpl, MemoryImpl, PushCdnImpl, TestVersions},
     state_types::TestTypes,
 };
 use hotshot_macros::cross_tests;
@@ -53,42 +53,3 @@ cross_tests!(
         metadata
     }
 );
-cross_tests!(
-    TestName: test_with_failures_half_f_epochs,
-    Impls: [MemoryImpl, Libp2pImpl, PushCdnImpl],
-    Types: [TestTypes],
-    Versions: [EpochsTestVersions],
-    Ignore: false,
-    Metadata: {
-        let mut metadata = TestDescription::default_more_nodes();
-        metadata.epoch_height = 0;
-        metadata.num_bootstrap_nodes = 17;
-        metadata.epoch_height = 10;
-        // The first 14 (i.e., 20 - f) nodes are in the DA committee and we may shutdown the
-        // remaining 6 (i.e., f) nodes. We could remove this restriction after fixing the
-        // following issue.
-        let dead_nodes = vec![
-            ChangeNode {
-                idx: 17,
-                updown: NodeAction::Down,
-            },
-            ChangeNode {
-                idx: 18,
-                updown: NodeAction::Down,
-            },
-            ChangeNode {
-                idx: 19,
-                updown: NodeAction::Down,
-            },
-        ];
-
-        metadata.spinning_properties = SpinningTaskDescription {
-            node_changes: vec![(5, dead_nodes)]
-        };
-
-        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_failed_views = 3;
-        // Make sure we keep committing rounds after the bad leaders, but not the full 50 because of the numerous timeouts
-        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_successful_views = 22;
-        metadata
-    }
-);
diff --git a/crates/testing/tests/tests_6/test_epochs.rs b/crates/testing/tests/tests_6/test_epochs.rs
index c902483860..95d9142a61 100644
--- a/crates/testing/tests/tests_6/test_epochs.rs
+++ b/crates/testing/tests/tests_6/test_epochs.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the MIT License
 // along with the HotShot repository. If not, see <https://mit-license.org/>.
 
-use std::time::Duration;
+use std::{collections::HashMap, time::Duration};
 
 use hotshot_example_types::{
     node_types::{
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ use hotshot_macros::cross_tests;
 use hotshot_testing::{
     block_builder::SimpleBuilderImplementation,
     completion_task::{CompletionTaskDescription, TimeBasedCompletionTaskDescription},
+    overall_safety_task::OverallSafetyPropertiesDescription,
     spinning_task::{ChangeNode, NodeAction, SpinningTaskDescription},
-    test_builder::TestDescription,
+    test_builder::{TestDescription, TimingData},
     view_sync_task::ViewSyncTaskDescription,
 };
+use hotshot_types::{data::ViewNumber, traits::node_implementation::ConsensusTime};
 
 cross_tests!(
     TestName: test_success_with_epochs,
@@ -238,3 +240,224 @@ cross_tests!(
         }
     },
 );
+
+cross_tests!(
+    TestName: test_with_failures_2_with_epochs,
+    Impls: [Libp2pImpl, PushCdnImpl, CombinedImpl],
+    Types: [TestTwoStakeTablesTypes],
+    Versions: [EpochsTestVersions],
+    Ignore: false,
+    Metadata: {
+        let mut metadata = TestDescription::default_more_nodes();
+        metadata.num_nodes_with_stake = 12;
+        metadata.da_staked_committee_size = 12;
+        metadata.start_nodes = 12;
+        metadata.epoch_height = 10;
+        let dead_nodes = vec![
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 10,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 11,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+        ];
+
+        metadata.spinning_properties = SpinningTaskDescription {
+            node_changes: vec![(5, dead_nodes)]
+        };
+
+        // 2 nodes fail triggering view sync, expect no other timeouts
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_failed_views = 6;
+        // Make sure we keep committing rounds after the bad leaders, but not the full 50 because of the numerous timeouts
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_successful_views = 20;
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.expected_views_to_fail = HashMap::from([
+            (ViewNumber::new(5), false),
+            (ViewNumber::new(11), false),
+            (ViewNumber::new(17), false),
+            (ViewNumber::new(23), false),
+            (ViewNumber::new(29), false),
+            (ViewNumber::new(35), false),
+        ]);
+
+        metadata
+    }
+);
+
+cross_tests!(
+    TestName: test_with_double_leader_failures_with_epochs,
+    Impls: [Libp2pImpl, PushCdnImpl, CombinedImpl],
+    Types: [TestConsecutiveLeaderTypes],
+    Versions: [EpochsTestVersions],
+    Ignore: false,
+    Metadata: {
+        let mut metadata = TestDescription::default_more_nodes();
+        metadata.num_nodes_with_stake = 12;
+        metadata.da_staked_committee_size = 12;
+        metadata.start_nodes = 12;
+        let dead_nodes = vec![
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 5,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+        ];
+
+        // shutdown while node 5 is leader
+        // we want to trigger `ViewSyncTrigger` during epoch transition
+        // then ensure we do not fail again as next leader will be leader 2 views also
+        let view_spin_node_down = 9;
+        metadata.spinning_properties = SpinningTaskDescription {
+            node_changes: vec![(view_spin_node_down, dead_nodes)]
+        };
+
+        // node 5 is leader twice when we shut down
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_failed_views = 2;
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.expected_views_to_fail = HashMap::from([
+            // next views after turning node off
+            (ViewNumber::new(view_spin_node_down + 1), false),
+            (ViewNumber::new(view_spin_node_down + 2), false)
+        ]);
+        // Make sure we keep committing rounds after the bad leaders, but not the full 50 because of the numerous timeouts
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_successful_views = 13;
+
+        // only turning off 1 node, so expected should be num_nodes_with_stake - 1
+        let expected_nodes_in_view_sync = metadata.num_nodes_with_stake - 1;
+        metadata.view_sync_properties = ViewSyncTaskDescription::Threshold(expected_nodes_in_view_sync, expected_nodes_in_view_sync);
+
+        metadata
+    }
+);
+
+cross_tests!(
+    TestName: test_with_failures_half_f_epochs,
+    Impls: [MemoryImpl, Libp2pImpl, PushCdnImpl],
+    Types: [TestTypes, TestTwoStakeTablesTypes],
+    Versions: [EpochsTestVersions],
+    Ignore: false,
+    Metadata: {
+        let mut metadata = TestDescription::default_more_nodes();
+        metadata.epoch_height = 10;
+        // The first 14 (i.e., 20 - f) nodes are in the DA committee and we may shutdown the
+        // remaining 6 (i.e., f) nodes. We could remove this restriction after fixing the
+        // following issue.
+        let dead_nodes = vec![
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 17,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 18,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 19,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+        ];
+
+        metadata.spinning_properties = SpinningTaskDescription {
+            node_changes: vec![(5, dead_nodes)]
+        };
+
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_failed_views = 3;
+        // Make sure we keep committing rounds after the bad leaders, but not the full 50 because of the numerous timeouts
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_successful_views = 19;
+        metadata
+    }
+);
+
+cross_tests!(
+    TestName: test_with_failures_f_epochs,
+    Impls: [MemoryImpl, Libp2pImpl, PushCdnImpl],
+    Types: [TestTypes, TestTwoStakeTablesTypes],
+    Versions: [EpochsTestVersions],
+    Ignore: false,
+    Metadata: {
+        let mut metadata = TestDescription::default_more_nodes();
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_failed_views = 6;
+        // Make sure we keep committing rounds after the bad leaders, but not the full 50 because of the numerous timeouts
+        metadata.overall_safety_properties.num_successful_views = 15;
+        let dead_nodes = vec![
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 14,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 15,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 16,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 17,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 18,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+            ChangeNode {
+                idx: 19,
+                updown: NodeAction::Down,
+            },
+        ];
+
+        metadata.spinning_properties = SpinningTaskDescription {
+            node_changes: vec![(5, dead_nodes)]
+        };
+
+        metadata
+    }
+);
+
+cross_tests!(
+    TestName: test_all_restart_epochs,
+    Impls: [CombinedImpl, PushCdnImpl],
+    Types: [TestTypes, TestTypesRandomizedLeader],
+    Versions: [EpochsTestVersions],
+    Ignore: false,
+    Metadata: {
+      let timing_data = TimingData {
+          next_view_timeout: 2000,
+          ..Default::default()
+      };
+      let mut metadata = TestDescription::default();
+      let mut catchup_nodes = vec![];
+
+      for i in 0..20 {
+          catchup_nodes.push(ChangeNode {
+              idx: i,
+              updown: NodeAction::RestartDown(0),
+          })
+      }
+
+      metadata.timing_data = timing_data;
+      metadata.start_nodes = 20;
+      metadata.num_nodes_with_stake = 20;
+
+      metadata.spinning_properties = SpinningTaskDescription {
+          // Restart all the nodes in view 10
+          node_changes: vec![(10, catchup_nodes)],
+      };
+      metadata.view_sync_properties =
+          hotshot_testing::view_sync_task::ViewSyncTaskDescription::Threshold(0, 20);
+
+      metadata.completion_task_description =
+          CompletionTaskDescription::TimeBasedCompletionTaskBuilder(
+              TimeBasedCompletionTaskDescription {
+                  duration: Duration::from_secs(60),
+              },
+          );
+      metadata.overall_safety_properties = OverallSafetyPropertiesDescription {
+          // Make sure we keep committing rounds after the catchup, but not the full 50.
+          num_successful_views: 22,
+          num_failed_views: 15,
+          ..Default::default()
+      };
+
+      metadata
+    },
+);
diff --git a/crates/types/src/consensus.rs b/crates/types/src/consensus.rs
index d9978a2749..54a093be88 100644
--- a/crates/types/src/consensus.rs
+++ b/crates/types/src/consensus.rs
@@ -411,6 +411,7 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> Consensus<TYPES> {
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
     pub fn new(
         validated_state_map: BTreeMap<TYPES::View, View<TYPES>>,
+        vid_shares: Option<VidShares<TYPES>>,
         cur_view: TYPES::View,
         cur_epoch: TYPES::Epoch,
         locked_view: TYPES::View,
@@ -426,7 +427,7 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> Consensus<TYPES> {
     ) -> Self {
         Consensus {
             validated_state_map,
-            vid_shares: BTreeMap::new(),
+            vid_shares: vid_shares.unwrap_or_default(),
             saved_da_certs: HashMap::new(),
             cur_view,
             cur_epoch,
@@ -535,9 +536,8 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> Consensus<TYPES> {
         };
         let parent_vid = self
             .vid_shares()
-            .get(&parent_view_number)?
-            .get(public_key)
-            .cloned()
+            .get(&parent_view_number)
+            .and_then(|inner_map| inner_map.get(public_key).cloned())
             .map(|prop| prop.data);
 
         Some(LeafInfo {
@@ -861,6 +861,10 @@ impl<TYPES: NodeType> Consensus<TYPES> {
     /// # Panics
     /// On inconsistent stored entries
     pub fn collect_garbage(&mut self, old_anchor_view: TYPES::View, new_anchor_view: TYPES::View) {
+        // Nothing to collect
+        if new_anchor_view <= old_anchor_view {
+            return;
+        }
         let gc_view = TYPES::View::new(new_anchor_view.saturating_sub(1));
         // state check
         let anchor_entry = self