diff --git a/codex/contracts/clock.nim b/codex/contracts/clock.nim
index 9102e5c2..4be75257 100644
--- a/codex/contracts/clock.nim
+++ b/codex/contracts/clock.nim
@@ -15,26 +15,39 @@ type
     provider: Provider
     subscription: Subscription
     offset: times.Duration
+    blockNumber: UInt256
     started: bool
     newBlock: AsyncEvent
-    lastBlockTime: UInt256
 
 proc new*(_: type OnChainClock, provider: Provider): OnChainClock =
   OnChainClock(provider: provider, newBlock: newAsyncEvent())
 
+proc update(clock: OnChainClock, blck: Block) =
+  if number =? blck.number and number > clock.blockNumber:
+    let blockTime = initTime(blck.timestamp.truncate(int64), 0)
+    let computerTime = getTime()
+    clock.offset = blockTime - computerTime
+    clock.blockNumber = number
+    trace "updated clock", blockTime=blck.timestamp, blockNumber=number, offset=clock.offset
+    clock.newBlock.fire()
+
+proc update(clock: OnChainClock) {.async.} =
+  try:
+    if latest =? (await clock.provider.getBlock(BlockTag.latest)):
+      clock.update(latest)
+  except CatchableError as error:
+    debug "error updating clock: ", error=error.msg
+    discard
+
 method start*(clock: OnChainClock) {.async.} =
   if clock.started:
     return
 
-  proc onBlock(blck: Block) =
-    let blockTime = initTime(blck.timestamp.truncate(int64), 0)
-    let computerTime = getTime()
-    clock.offset = blockTime - computerTime
-    clock.lastBlockTime = blck.timestamp
-    clock.newBlock.fire()
+  proc onBlock(_: Block) =
+    # ignore block parameter; hardhat may call this with pending blocks
+    asyncSpawn clock.update()
 
-  if latestBlock =? (await clock.provider.getBlock(BlockTag.latest)):
-    onBlock(latestBlock)
+  await clock.update()
 
   clock.subscription = await clock.provider.subscribe(onBlock)
   clock.started = true
@@ -47,22 +60,8 @@ method stop*(clock: OnChainClock) {.async.} =
   clock.started = false
 
 method now*(clock: OnChainClock): SecondsSince1970 =
-  when codex_use_hardhat:
-    # hardhat's latest block.timestamp is usually 1s behind the block timestamp
-    # in the newHeads event. When testing, always return the latest block.
-    try:
-      if queriedBlock =? (waitFor clock.provider.getBlock(BlockTag.latest)):
-        trace "using last block timestamp for clock.now",
-          lastBlockTimestamp = queriedBlock.timestamp.truncate(int64),
-          cachedBlockTimestamp = clock.lastBlockTime.truncate(int64)
-        return queriedBlock.timestamp.truncate(int64)
-    except CatchableError as e:
-      warn "failed to get latest block timestamp", error = e.msg
-      return clock.lastBlockTime.truncate(int64)
-
-  else:
-    doAssert clock.started, "clock should be started before calling now()"
-    return toUnix(getTime() + clock.offset)
+  doAssert clock.started, "clock should be started before calling now()"
+  return toUnix(getTime() + clock.offset)
 
 method waitUntil*(clock: OnChainClock, time: SecondsSince1970) {.async.} =
   while (let difference = time - clock.now(); difference > 0):
diff --git a/codex/contracts/market.nim b/codex/contracts/market.nim
index 8f12578e..c2b89a86 100644
--- a/codex/contracts/market.nim
+++ b/codex/contracts/market.nim
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ method proofDowntime*(market: OnChainMarket): Future[uint8] {.async.} =
   return config.proofs.downtime
 
 method getPointer*(market: OnChainMarket, slotId: SlotId): Future[uint8] {.async.} =
-  return await market.contract.getPointer(slotId)
+  let overrides = CallOverrides(blockTag: some BlockTag.pending)
+  return await market.contract.getPointer(slotId, overrides)
 
 method myRequests*(market: OnChainMarket): Future[seq[RequestId]] {.async.} =
   return await market.contract.myRequests
@@ -88,7 +89,8 @@ method getRequest(market: OnChainMarket,
 method requestState*(market: OnChainMarket,
                      requestId: RequestId): Future[?RequestState] {.async.} =
   try:
-    return some await market.contract.requestState(requestId)
+    let overrides = CallOverrides(blockTag: some BlockTag.pending)
+    return some await market.contract.requestState(requestId, overrides)
   except ProviderError as e:
     if e.revertReason.contains("Unknown request"):
       return none RequestState
@@ -96,7 +98,8 @@ method requestState*(market: OnChainMarket,
 
 method slotState*(market: OnChainMarket,
                   slotId: SlotId): Future[SlotState] {.async.} =
-  return await market.contract.slotState(slotId)
+  let overrides = CallOverrides(blockTag: some BlockTag.pending)
+  return await market.contract.slotState(slotId, overrides)
 
 method getRequestEnd*(market: OnChainMarket,
                       id: RequestId): Future[SecondsSince1970] {.async.} =
@@ -140,7 +143,8 @@ method withdrawFunds(market: OnChainMarket,
 method isProofRequired*(market: OnChainMarket,
                         id: SlotId): Future[bool] {.async.} =
   try:
-    return await market.contract.isProofRequired(id)
+    let overrides = CallOverrides(blockTag: some BlockTag.pending)
+    return await market.contract.isProofRequired(id, overrides)
   except ProviderError as e:
     if e.revertReason.contains("Slot is free"):
       return false
@@ -149,14 +153,16 @@ method isProofRequired*(market: OnChainMarket,
 method willProofBeRequired*(market: OnChainMarket,
                             id: SlotId): Future[bool] {.async.} =
   try:
-    return await market.contract.willProofBeRequired(id)
+    let overrides = CallOverrides(blockTag: some BlockTag.pending)
+    return await market.contract.willProofBeRequired(id, overrides)
   except ProviderError as e:
     if e.revertReason.contains("Slot is free"):
       return false
     raise e
 
 method getChallenge*(market: OnChainMarket, id: SlotId): Future[ProofChallenge] {.async.} =
-  return await market.contract.getChallenge(id)
+  let overrides = CallOverrides(blockTag: some BlockTag.pending)
+  return await market.contract.getChallenge(id, overrides)
 
 method submitProof*(market: OnChainMarket,
                     id: SlotId,
diff --git a/tests/contracts/testClock.nim b/tests/contracts/testClock.nim
index d7b6ad34..40f7aed0 100644
--- a/tests/contracts/testClock.nim
+++ b/tests/contracts/testClock.nim
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ ethersuite "On-Chain Clock":
     let future = (getTime() + 42.years).toUnix
     discard await ethProvider.send("evm_setNextBlockTimestamp", @[%future])
     discard await ethProvider.send("evm_mine")
-    check clock.now() == future
+    check eventually clock.now() == future
 
   test "can wait until a certain time is reached by the chain":
     let future = clock.now() + 42 # seconds
diff --git a/tests/contracts/time.nim b/tests/contracts/time.nim
index 05eba0b3..cd6aac1b 100644
--- a/tests/contracts/time.nim
+++ b/tests/contracts/time.nim
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import pkg/ethers
 
 proc currentTime*(provider: Provider): Future[UInt256] {.async.} =
-  return (!await provider.getBlock(BlockTag.latest)).timestamp
+  return (!await provider.getBlock(BlockTag.pending)).timestamp
 
 proc advanceTime*(provider: JsonRpcProvider, seconds: UInt256) {.async.} =
   discard await provider.send("evm_increaseTime", @[%("0x" & seconds.toHex)])
diff --git a/tests/ethertest.nim b/tests/ethertest.nim
index 8859f714..349aafad 100644
--- a/tests/ethertest.nim
+++ b/tests/ethertest.nim
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ template ethersuite*(name, body) =
     setup:
       ethProvider = JsonRpcProvider.new("ws://localhost:8545")
       snapshot = await send(ethProvider, "evm_snapshot")
+      # ensure that we have a recent block with a fresh timestamp
+      discard await send(ethProvider, "evm_mine")
       accounts = await ethProvider.listAccounts()
 
     teardown:
diff --git a/tests/integration/multinodes.nim b/tests/integration/multinodes.nim
index 58a013a1..10eff165 100644
--- a/tests/integration/multinodes.nim
+++ b/tests/integration/multinodes.nim
@@ -226,6 +226,8 @@ template multinodesuite*(name: string, body: untyped) =
         # reverted in the test teardown
         if nodeConfigs.hardhat.isNil:
           snapshot = await send(ethProvider, "evm_snapshot")
+        # ensure that we have a recent block with a fresh timestamp
+        discard await send(ethProvider, "evm_mine")
         accounts = await ethProvider.listAccounts()
       except CatchableError as e:
         fatal "failed to connect to hardhat", error = e.msg
diff --git a/tests/integration/testmarketplace.nim b/tests/integration/testmarketplace.nim
index 27e0eeab..e9973d8f 100644
--- a/tests/integration/testmarketplace.nim
+++ b/tests/integration/testmarketplace.nim
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ marketplacesuite "Marketplace payouts":
     let reward = 400.u256
     let duration = 100.periods
     let collateral = 200.u256
-    let expiry = 4.periods
+    let expiry = 10.periods
     let datasetSizeInBlocks = 3
     let data = await RandomChunker.example(blocks=datasetSizeInBlocks)
     let client = clients()[0]
diff --git a/tests/integration/testproofs.nim b/tests/integration/testproofs.nim
index 287507d3..43363135 100644
--- a/tests/integration/testproofs.nim
+++ b/tests/integration/testproofs.nim
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ marketplacesuite "Simulate invalid proofs":
 
     let purchaseId = await client0.requestStorage(
       cid,
+      expiry=10.periods,
       duration=totalPeriods.periods,
       origDatasetSizeInBlocks=datasetSizeInBlocks)
     let requestId = client0.requestId(purchaseId).get
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@ marketplacesuite "Simulate invalid proofs":
 
     let purchaseId = await client0.requestStorage(
       cid,
+      expiry=10.periods,
       duration=totalPeriods.periods,
       origDatasetSizeInBlocks=datasetSizeInBlocks)
     let requestId = client0.requestId(purchaseId).get