diff --git a/lez/sequencer/core/src/block_publisher.rs b/lez/sequencer/core/src/block_publisher.rs
index d2909e09f..059a760a2 100644
--- a/lez/sequencer/core/src/block_publisher.rs
+++ b/lez/sequencer/core/src/block_publisher.rs
@@ -155,8 +155,9 @@ pub trait LocalBlockPublisherTrait: Sized + Sync {
     ) -> Result<PublishOutcome>;
 
     /// Live (adopted, possibly not yet finalized) accredited-key snapshot for
-    /// this channel, read directly from the connected Bedrock node.
-    async fn accredited_keys(&self) -> Result<Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>>;
+    /// this channel with the slot its tip sits at, from one read of the
+    /// connected Bedrock node. `None` if the channel does not exist.
+    async fn accredited_keys(&self) -> Result<Option<(Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>, Slot)>>;
 
     /// Submit a committee `ChannelConfigOp` as its own, independent Mantle
     /// tx (not bundled with any block publish). `new_keys` is the full
@@ -551,14 +552,13 @@ impl BlockPublisherTrait for ZoneSdkPublisher {
             .await
     }
 
-    async fn accredited_keys(&self) -> Result<Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>> {
+    async fn accredited_keys(&self) -> Result<Option<(Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>, Slot)>> {
         Ok(self
             .node
             .channel_state(self.channel_id)
             .await
             .context("Failed to read channel state")?
-            .map(|state| state.accredited_keys.to_vec())
-            .unwrap_or_default())
+            .map(|state| (state.accredited_keys.to_vec(), state.tip_slot)))
     }
 
     async fn submit_channel_config(&self, new_keys: Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/lez/sequencer/core/src/committee_discovery.rs b/lez/sequencer/core/src/committee_discovery.rs
index 372e8b692..54602573a 100644
--- a/lez/sequencer/core/src/committee_discovery.rs
+++ b/lez/sequencer/core/src/committee_discovery.rs
@@ -5,36 +5,40 @@ use std::collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet};
 use log::warn;
 use sequencer_stake_core::{PendingUnstake, SequencerKey, SequencerStakeConfig, StakeRecord};
 
-/// When each leaving key was first seen gone from the live committee.
+/// The channel slot each leaving key was first seen gone from the live committee at.
+///
+/// In memory only: a restart re-stamps at the current tip and costs a pending
+/// exit one more finality delay.
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
 pub struct CommitteeAbsence {
     absent_since: BTreeMap<SequencerKey, u64>,
 }
 
 impl CommitteeAbsence {
-    /// Records one look at the live committee, taken at block height `height`.
+    /// Records one look at the live committee, taken with the channel tip at
+    /// `tip_slot`.
     pub fn observe(
         &mut self,
         live: &[SequencerKey],
         leaving: &BTreeSet<SequencerKey>,
-        height: u64,
+        tip_slot: u64,
     ) {
         self.absent_since.retain(|key, _| leaving.contains(key));
         for key in leaving {
             if live.contains(key) {
                 self.absent_since.remove(key);
             } else {
-                self.absent_since.entry(*key).or_insert(height);
+                self.absent_since.entry(*key).or_insert(tip_slot);
             }
         }
     }
 
-    /// Whether a block built after `key` was seen leaving has finalized.
+    /// Whether the channel slot that first showed `key` gone is irreversible.
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn removal_is_final(&self, key: SequencerKey, finalized_height: Option<u64>) -> bool {
+    pub fn removal_is_final(&self, key: SequencerKey, finalized_slot: Option<u64>) -> bool {
         self.absent_since
             .get(&key)
-            .is_some_and(|absent_since| finalized_height > Some(*absent_since))
+            .is_some_and(|absent_since| finalized_slot > Some(*absent_since))
     }
 }
 
@@ -113,7 +117,7 @@ pub fn finalize_unstake_is_valid(
     state: &lee::V03State,
     ownership_id: lee::AccountId,
     absence: &CommitteeAbsence,
-    finalized_height: Option<u64>,
+    finalized_slot: Option<u64>,
 ) -> bool {
     let Some(record) = stake_record(state, ownership_id) else {
         return true;
@@ -128,7 +132,7 @@ pub fn finalize_unstake_is_valid(
     };
 
     let fully_drains = entry.net_stake() == 0;
-    !fully_drains || absence.removal_is_final(record.sequencer_key, finalized_height)
+    !fully_drains || absence.removal_is_final(record.sequencer_key, finalized_slot)
 }
 
 /// Keys whose pending release takes them out of the committee.
diff --git a/lez/sequencer/core/src/lib.rs b/lez/sequencer/core/src/lib.rs
index 2fd76ed04..7b7b7db85 100644
--- a/lez/sequencer/core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lez/sequencer/core/src/lib.rs
@@ -687,15 +687,15 @@ impl<BP: BlockPublisherTrait, S: StorageActorTrait> SequencerCore<BP, S> {
     pub async fn update_committee_absence(
         &mut self,
     ) -> Option<Vec<sequencer_stake_core::SequencerKey>> {
-        let live_accredited_keys = self.live_accredited_sequencer_keys().await;
-        if let Some(live) = live_accredited_keys.as_deref() {
+        let snapshot = self.live_accredited_sequencer_keys().await;
+        if let Some((live, tip_slot)) = snapshot.as_ref() {
             let leaving = self
                 .with_state(committee_discovery::keys_leaving_the_committee)
                 .await;
-            let height = self.chain_height().await;
-            self.committee_absence.observe(live, &leaving, height);
+            self.committee_absence
+                .observe(live, &leaving, tip_slot.into_inner());
         }
-        live_accredited_keys
+        snapshot.map(|(keys, _)| keys)
     }
 
     /// Runs everything this sequencer owes its turn: builds a block from
@@ -747,12 +747,13 @@ impl<BP: BlockPublisherTrait, S: StorageActorTrait> SequencerCore<BP, S> {
     }
 
     /// Live committee snapshot for gating `FinalizeUnstake` inclusion and
-    /// committee updates. `None` if it could not be read.
+    /// committee updates, with the channel tip slot it was read at. `None` if
+    /// the channel is missing or unreadable.
     async fn live_accredited_sequencer_keys(
         &self,
-    ) -> Option<Vec<sequencer_stake_core::SequencerKey>> {
+    ) -> Option<(Vec<sequencer_stake_core::SequencerKey>, Slot)> {
         match self.block_publisher.accredited_keys().await {
-            Ok(keys) => Some(
+            Ok(Some((keys, tip_slot))) => Some((
                 keys.iter()
                     .filter_map(|key| {
                         sequencer_stake_core::SequencerKey::new(key.to_bytes()).or_else(|| {
@@ -764,7 +765,15 @@ impl<BP: BlockPublisherTrait, S: StorageActorTrait> SequencerCore<BP, S> {
                         })
                     })
                     .collect(),
-            ),
+                tip_slot,
+            )),
+            Ok(None) => {
+                warn!(
+                    "No channel to read a live committee from; skipping FinalizeUnstake inclusion \
+                     and committee updates this round"
+                );
+                None
+            }
             Err(err) => {
                 warn!(
                     "Failed to read live committee snapshot; skipping FinalizeUnstake inclusion \
@@ -997,7 +1006,6 @@ impl<BP: BlockPublisherTrait, S: StorageActorTrait> SequencerCore<BP, S> {
             mut working_state,
             pending_dispatches,
             finalize_unstake_txs,
-            finalized_height,
             committee_update,
         ) = {
             let chain = self.chain.lock().await;
@@ -1038,11 +1046,20 @@ impl<BP: BlockPublisherTrait, S: StorageActorTrait> SequencerCore<BP, S> {
                 chain.head_state().clone(),
                 pending,
                 build_finalize_unstake_txs(chain.head_state()),
-                chain.final_tip().map(|final_tip| final_tip.block_id),
                 committee_update,
             )
         };
 
+        // The last irreversible bedrock slot.
+        let finalized_slot = self
+            .store
+            .get_zone_checkpoint()
+            .await
+            .inspect_err(|err| warn!("Failed to read the zone checkpoint: {err:#}"))
+            .ok()
+            .flatten()
+            .map(|checkpoint| checkpoint.lib_slot.into_inner());
+
         if !settled.is_empty() {
             if let Err(err) = self
                 .store
@@ -1185,7 +1202,7 @@ impl<BP: BlockPublisherTrait, S: StorageActorTrait> SequencerCore<BP, S> {
                 &working_state,
                 &tx,
                 &self.committee_absence,
-                finalized_height,
+                finalized_slot,
             ) {
                 continue;
             }
@@ -2152,7 +2169,7 @@ fn finalize_unstake_is_includable(
     state: &lee::V03State,
     tx: &LeeTransaction,
     committee_absence: &committee_discovery::CommitteeAbsence,
-    finalized_height: Option<u64>,
+    finalized_slot: Option<u64>,
 ) -> bool {
     let Some(ownership_id) = finalize_unstake_ownership_account(tx) else {
         return true;
@@ -2161,7 +2178,7 @@ fn finalize_unstake_is_includable(
         state,
         ownership_id,
         committee_absence,
-        finalized_height,
+        finalized_slot,
     )
 }
 
diff --git a/lez/sequencer/core/src/mock.rs b/lez/sequencer/core/src/mock.rs
index 4cfe6775d..a63f39400 100644
--- a/lez/sequencer/core/src/mock.rs
+++ b/lez/sequencer/core/src/mock.rs
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ impl BlockPublisherTrait for MockBlockPublisher {
         self.publish_block(block, Vec::new()).await
     }
 
-    async fn accredited_keys(&self) -> Result<Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>> {
-        Ok(Vec::new())
+    async fn accredited_keys(&self) -> Result<Option<(Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>, Slot)>> {
+        Ok(self.tip_slot.map(|slot| (Vec::new(), slot)))
     }
 
     async fn submit_channel_config(&self, _new_keys: Vec<Ed25519PublicKey>) -> Result<()> {