diff --git a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/merkle_tree_circuit.rs b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/capped_tree_circuit.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/merkle_tree_circuit.rs
rename to codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/capped_tree_circuit.rs
diff --git a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/mod.rs b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/mod.rs
index 2fc0c5c..cf32426 100644
--- a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/mod.rs
+++ b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/mod.rs
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-pub mod merkle_tree_circuit;
\ No newline at end of file
+pub mod capped_tree_circuit;
+pub mod safe_tree_circuit;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/safe_tree_circuit.rs b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/safe_tree_circuit.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f024b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/circuits/safe_tree_circuit.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,414 @@
+// Plonky2 Circuit implementation of "safe" merkle tree
+// consistent with the one in codex:
+// https://github.com/codex-storage/codex-storage-proofs-circuits/blob/master/circuit/codex/merkle.circom
+
+use anyhow::Result;
+use plonky2::field::extension::Extendable;
+use plonky2::field::goldilocks_field::GoldilocksField;
+use plonky2::field::types::Field;
+use plonky2::hash::hash_types::{HashOut, HashOutTarget, MerkleCapTarget, RichField, NUM_HASH_OUT_ELTS};
+use plonky2::hash::hashing::{hash_n_to_m_no_pad, PlonkyPermutation};
+use plonky2::hash::poseidon::PoseidonHash;
+use plonky2::iop::target::{BoolTarget, Target};
+use plonky2::iop::witness::{PartialWitness, Witness, WitnessWrite};
+use plonky2::plonk::circuit_builder::CircuitBuilder;
+use plonky2::plonk::circuit_data::{CircuitConfig, CircuitData, VerifierCircuitData, VerifierCircuitTarget};
+use plonky2::plonk::config::{AlgebraicHasher, GenericConfig, GenericHashOut, Hasher, PoseidonGoldilocksConfig};
+use plonky2::plonk::proof::{Proof, ProofWithPublicInputs};
+use std::marker::PhantomData;
+use plonky2_poseidon2::poseidon2_hash::poseidon2::Poseidon2;
+use serde::Serialize;
+
+use crate::merkle_tree::merkle_safe::{MerkleTree, MerkleProof, MerkleProofTarget, KeyedHasher};
+use crate::merkle_tree::merkle_safe::{KEY_NONE,KEY_BOTTOM_LAYER,KEY_ODD,KEY_ODD_AND_BOTTOM_LAYER};
+
+
+/// Merkle tree targets representing the input to the circuit
+// note: this omits the mask bits since in plonky2 we can
+// uses the Plonk's permutation argument to check that two elements are equal.
+// TODO: double check the need for mask
+// #[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct MerkleTreeTargets<
+    F: RichField + Extendable<D> + Poseidon2,
+    C: GenericConfig<D, F = F>,
+    const D: usize,
+    H: Hasher<F> + AlgebraicHasher<F> + KeyedHasher<F>,
+> {
+    pub leaf: HashOutTarget,
+    pub path_bits: Vec<BoolTarget>,
+    pub last_bits: Vec<BoolTarget>,
+    pub merkle_path: MerkleProofTarget,
+    pub expected_root: HashOutTarget,
+    _phantom: PhantomData<(C, H)>,
+}
+
+/// Merkle tree circuit contains the tree and functions for
+/// building, proving and verifying the circuit.
+// #[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct MerkleTreeCircuit<
+    F: RichField + Extendable<D> + Poseidon2,
+    C: GenericConfig<D, F = F>,
+    const D: usize,
+    H: Hasher<F> + AlgebraicHasher<F> + KeyedHasher<F>,
+> {
+    pub tree: MerkleTree<F, H>,
+    pub _phantom: PhantomData<C>,
+}
+
+impl<
+    F: RichField + Extendable<D> + Poseidon2,
+    C: GenericConfig<D, F=F>,
+    const D: usize,
+    H: Hasher<F> + AlgebraicHasher<F> + KeyedHasher<F>,
+> MerkleTreeCircuit<F, C, D, H> {
+
+    pub fn build_circuit(
+        &mut self,
+        builder: &mut CircuitBuilder::<F, D>
+    ) -> MerkleTreeTargets<F, C, D, H>{
+        // Retrieve tree depth
+        let depth = self.tree.depth();
+
+        // Create virtual targets
+        let leaf = builder.add_virtual_hash();
+
+        // path bits (binary decomposition of leaf_index)
+        let path_bits = (0..depth).map(|_| builder.add_virtual_bool_target_safe()).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
+        // last bits (binary decomposition of last_index = nleaves - 1)
+        let last_bits = (0..depth).map(|_| builder.add_virtual_bool_target_safe()).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
+        // Merkle path (sibling hashes from leaf to root)
+        let merkle_path = MerkleProofTarget {
+            path: (0..depth).map(|_| builder.add_virtual_hash()).collect(),
+        };
+
+        // expected Merkle root
+        let expected_root = builder.add_virtual_hash();
+
+        // create MerkleTreeTargets struct
+        let mut targets = MerkleTreeTargets {
+            leaf,
+            path_bits,
+            last_bits,
+            merkle_path,
+            expected_root,
+            _phantom: PhantomData,
+        };
+
+        // Add Merkle proof verification constraints to the circuit
+        self.verify_merkle_proof_circuit2(builder, &mut targets);
+
+        // Return MerkleTreeTargets
+        targets
+    }
+
+    /// prove given the circuit data and partial witness
+    pub fn prove(
+        &mut self,
+        data: CircuitData<F, C, D>,
+        pw: PartialWitness<F>
+    ) -> Result<ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>>{
+        let proof = data.prove(pw);
+        return proof
+    }
+
+    /// verify given verifier data, public input, and proof
+    pub fn verify(
+        &mut self,
+        verifier_data: &VerifierCircuitData<F, C, D>,
+        public_inputs: Vec<F>,
+        proof: Proof<F, C, D>
+    )-> Result<()> {
+        verifier_data.verify(ProofWithPublicInputs {
+            proof,
+            public_inputs,
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// assign the witness values in the circuit targets
+    /// this takes leaf_index and fills all required circuit targets(inputs)
+    pub fn assign_witness(
+        &mut self,
+        pw: &mut PartialWitness<F>,
+        targets: &mut MerkleTreeTargets<F, C, D, H>,
+        leaf_index: usize,
+    )-> Result<()> {
+        // Get the total number of leaves and tree depth
+        let nleaves = self.tree.leaves_count();
+        let depth = self.tree.depth();
+
+        // get the Merkle proof for the specified leaf index
+        let proof = self.tree.get_proof(leaf_index)?;
+
+        // get the leaf hash from the Merkle tree
+        let leaf_hash = self.tree.layers[0][leaf_index].clone();
+
+        // Assign the leaf hash to the leaf target
+        pw.set_hash_target(targets.leaf, leaf_hash);
+
+        // Convert `leaf_index` to binary bits and assign as path_bits
+        let path_bits = self.usize_to_bits_le_padded(leaf_index, depth);
+        for (i, bit) in path_bits.iter().enumerate() {
+            pw.set_bool_target(targets.path_bits[i], *bit);
+        }
+
+        // get `last_index` (nleaves - 1) in binary bits and assign
+        let last_index = nleaves - 1;
+        let last_bits = self.usize_to_bits_le_padded(last_index, depth);
+        for (i, bit) in last_bits.iter().enumerate() {
+            pw.set_bool_target(targets.last_bits[i], *bit);
+        }
+
+        // assign the Merkle path (sibling hashes) to the targets
+        for (i, sibling_hash) in proof.path.iter().enumerate() {
+            // This is a bit hacky because it should be HashOutTarget, but it is H:Hash
+            // pw.set_hash_target(targets.merkle_path.path[i],sibling_hash);
+            // TODO: fix this HashOutTarget later
+            let sibling_hash_out = sibling_hash.to_vec();
+            for j in 0..sibling_hash_out.len() {
+                pw.set_target(targets.merkle_path.path[i].elements[j], sibling_hash_out[j]);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // assign the expected Merkle root to the target
+        let expected_root = self.tree.root()?;
+        // TODO: fix this HashOutTarget later same issue as above
+        let expected_root_hash_out = expected_root.to_vec();
+        for j in 0..expected_root_hash_out.len() {
+            pw.set_target(targets.expected_root.elements[j], expected_root_hash_out[j]);
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Verifies a Merkle proof within the circuit.
+    /// takes the params from the targets struct
+    pub fn verify_merkle_proof_circuit2(
+        &self,
+        builder: &mut CircuitBuilder<F, D>,
+        targets: &mut MerkleTreeTargets<F, C, D, H>,
+    ) {
+        let max_depth = targets.path_bits.len();
+        let mut state: HashOutTarget = targets.leaf;
+        let zero = builder.zero();
+        let one = builder.one();
+        let two = builder.two();
+        debug_assert_eq!(targets.path_bits.len(), targets.merkle_path.path.len());
+
+        // compute is_last
+        let mut is_last = vec![BoolTarget::new_unsafe(zero); max_depth + 1];
+        is_last[max_depth] = BoolTarget::new_unsafe(one); // set isLast[max_depth] to 1 (true)
+        for i in (0..max_depth).rev() {
+            let eq_out = builder.is_equal(targets.path_bits[i].target , targets.last_bits[i].target);
+            is_last[i] = builder.and( is_last[i + 1] , eq_out);
+        }
+
+        let mut i: usize = 0;
+        for (&bit, &sibling) in targets.path_bits.iter().zip(&targets.merkle_path.path) {
+            debug_assert_eq!(sibling.elements.len(), NUM_HASH_OUT_ELTS);
+
+            let bottom = if i == 0 {
+                builder.constant(F::from_canonical_u64(KEY_BOTTOM_LAYER))
+            } else {
+                builder.constant(F::from_canonical_u64(KEY_NONE))
+            };
+
+            // compute: odd = isLast[i] * (1-pathBits[i]);
+            // compute: key = bottom + 2*odd
+            let mut odd = builder.sub(one, targets.path_bits[i].target);
+            odd = builder.mul(is_last[i].target, odd);
+            odd = builder.mul(two, odd);
+            let key = builder.add(bottom,odd);
+
+            // select left and right based on path_bit
+            let mut left = vec![];
+            let mut right = vec![];
+            for i in 0..NUM_HASH_OUT_ELTS {
+                left.push( builder.select(bit, sibling.elements[i], state.elements[i]));
+                right.push( builder.select(bit, state.elements[i], sibling.elements[i]));
+            }
+
+            // hash left, right, and key
+            let mut perm_inputs:Vec<Target>= Vec::new();
+            perm_inputs.extend_from_slice(&left);
+            perm_inputs.extend_from_slice(&right);
+            perm_inputs.push(key);
+            state = builder.hash_n_to_hash_no_pad::<H>(perm_inputs);
+
+            i += 1;
+        }
+
+        // check equality with expected root
+        for i in 0..NUM_HASH_OUT_ELTS {
+            builder.connect(targets.expected_root.elements[i], state.elements[i]);
+        }
+
+    }
+
+
+}
+
+// --------- helper functions ---------
+impl<
+    F: RichField + Extendable<D> + Poseidon2,
+    C: GenericConfig<D, F = F>,
+    const D: usize,
+    H: Hasher<F> + AlgebraicHasher<F> + KeyedHasher<F>,
+> MerkleTreeCircuit<F, C, D, H> {
+    /// Converts an index to a vector of bits (LSB first) with padding.
+    fn usize_to_bits_le_padded(&self, index: usize, bit_length: usize) -> Vec<bool> {
+        let mut bits = Vec::with_capacity(bit_length);
+        for i in 0..bit_length {
+            bits.push(((index >> i) & 1) == 1);
+        }
+        // If index requires fewer bits, pad with `false`
+        while bits.len() < bit_length {
+            bits.push(false);
+        }
+        bits
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use plonky2::field::types::Field;
+    use plonky2::plonk::circuit_data::CircuitConfig;
+    use plonky2::plonk::config::{GenericConfig, PoseidonGoldilocksConfig};
+    use plonky2::iop::witness::PartialWitness;
+    use rand::Rng;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_build_circuit() -> Result<()> {
+        // circuit params
+        const D: usize = 2;
+        type C = PoseidonGoldilocksConfig;
+        type F = <C as GenericConfig<D>>::F;
+        type H = PoseidonHash;
+
+        // Generate random leaf data
+        let nleaves = 10; // Number of leaves
+        let data = (0..nleaves)
+            .map(|i| GoldilocksField::from_canonical_u64(i))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        // Hash the data to obtain leaf hashes
+        let leaves: Vec<HashOut<GoldilocksField>> = data
+            .iter()
+            .map(|&element| {
+                // Hash each field element to get the leaf hash
+                PoseidonHash::hash_no_pad(&[element])
+            })
+            .collect();
+
+        //initialize the Merkle tree
+        let zero_hash = HashOut {
+            elements: [GoldilocksField::ZERO; 4],
+        };
+        let tree = MerkleTree::<F, H>::new(&leaves, zero_hash, H::compress)?;
+
+        // select leaf index to prove
+        let leaf_index: usize = 8;
+
+        // get the Merkle proof for the selected leaf
+        let proof = tree.get_proof(leaf_index)?;
+        // sanity check:
+        let check = proof.verify(tree.layers[0][leaf_index],tree.root().unwrap()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(check, true);
+
+        // get the expected Merkle root
+        let expected_root = tree.root()?;
+
+        // create the circuit
+        let config = CircuitConfig::standard_recursion_config();
+        let mut builder = CircuitBuilder::<F, D>::new(config);
+        let mut circuit_instance = MerkleTreeCircuit::<F, C, D, H> {
+            tree: tree.clone(),
+            _phantom: PhantomData,
+        };
+        let mut targets = circuit_instance.build_circuit(&mut builder);
+
+        // create a PartialWitness and assign
+        let mut pw = PartialWitness::new();
+        circuit_instance.assign_witness(&mut pw, &mut targets, leaf_index)?;
+
+        // build the circuit
+        let data = builder.build::<C>();
+
+        // Prove the circuit with the assigned witness
+        let proof_with_pis = data.prove(pw)?;
+
+        // verify the proof
+        let verifier_data = data.verifier_data();
+        assert!(
+            verifier_data.verify(proof_with_pis).is_ok(),
+            "Merkle proof verification failed"
+        );
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    // same as test above but for all leaves
+    #[test]
+    fn test_verify_all_leaves() -> Result<()> {
+        const D: usize = 2;
+        type C = PoseidonGoldilocksConfig;
+        type F = <C as GenericConfig<D>>::F;
+        type H = PoseidonHash;
+
+        let nleaves = 10; // Number of leaves
+        let data = (0..nleaves)
+            .map(|i| GoldilocksField::from_canonical_u64(i as u64))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        // Hash the data to obtain leaf hashes
+        let leaves: Vec<HashOut<GoldilocksField>> = data
+            .iter()
+            .map(|&element| {
+                // Hash each field element to get the leaf hash
+                PoseidonHash::hash_no_pad(&[element])
+            })
+            .collect();
+
+        let zero_hash = HashOut {
+            elements: [GoldilocksField::ZERO; 4],
+        };
+        let tree = MerkleTree::<F, H>::new(&leaves, zero_hash, H::compress)?;
+
+        let expected_root = tree.root()?;
+
+        let config = CircuitConfig::standard_recursion_config();
+        let mut builder = CircuitBuilder::<F, D>::new(config);
+        let mut circuit_instance = MerkleTreeCircuit::<F, C, D, H> {
+            tree: tree.clone(),
+            _phantom: PhantomData,
+        };
+        let mut targets = circuit_instance.build_circuit(&mut builder);
+
+        let data = builder.build::<C>();
+
+        for leaf_index in 0..nleaves {
+            let proof = tree.get_proof(leaf_index)?;
+            let check = proof.verify(tree.layers[0][leaf_index], expected_root)?;
+            assert!(
+                check,
+                "Merkle proof verification failed for leaf index {}",
+                leaf_index
+            );
+
+            let mut pw = PartialWitness::new();
+
+            circuit_instance.assign_witness(&mut pw, &mut targets, leaf_index)?;
+
+            let proof_with_pis = data.prove(pw)?;
+
+            let verifier_data = data.verifier_data();
+            assert!(
+                verifier_data.verify(proof_with_pis).is_ok(),
+                "Merkle proof verification failed in circuit for leaf index {}",
+                leaf_index
+            );
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/merkle_tree/merkle_safe.rs b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/merkle_tree/merkle_safe.rs
index 3aa995e..2f52caa 100644
--- a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/merkle_tree/merkle_safe.rs
+++ b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/merkle_tree/merkle_safe.rs
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ use std::ops::Shr;
 use plonky2_field::types::Field;
 
 // Constants for the keys used in compression
-const KEY_NONE: u64 = 0x0;
-const KEY_BOTTOM_LAYER: u64 = 0x1;
-const KEY_ODD: u64 = 0x2;
-const KEY_ODD_AND_BOTTOM_LAYER: u64 = 0x3;
+pub const KEY_NONE: u64 = 0x0;
+pub const KEY_BOTTOM_LAYER: u64 = 0x1;
+pub const KEY_ODD: u64 = 0x2;
+pub const KEY_ODD_AND_BOTTOM_LAYER: u64 = 0x3;
 
 /// Trait for a hash function that supports keyed compression.
 pub trait KeyedHasher<F: RichField>: Hasher<F> {
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ impl KeyedHasher<GoldilocksField> for PoseidonHash {
 /// Merkle tree struct, containing the layers, compression function, and zero hash.
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct MerkleTree<F: RichField, H: KeyedHasher<F>> {
-    layers: Vec<Vec<H::Hash>>,
-    compress: fn(H::Hash, H::Hash, u64) -> H::Hash,
-    zero: H::Hash,
+    pub layers: Vec<Vec<H::Hash>>,
+    pub compress: fn(H::Hash, H::Hash, u64) -> H::Hash,
+    pub zero: H::Hash,
 }
 
 impl<F: RichField, H: KeyedHasher<F>> MerkleTree<F, H> {