diff --git a/src/cc/oracles.cpp b/src/cc/oracles.cpp
index 6e58111fd..bdd01ccfa 100644
--- a/src/cc/oracles.cpp
+++ b/src/cc/oracles.cpp
@@ -638,11 +638,7 @@ bool OraclesDataValidate(struct CCcontract_info *cp,Eval* eval,const CTransactio
 
 int32_t GetLatestTimestamp(int32_t height)
 {
-    uint256 blockHash; CBlock block; CBlockIndex* pindex;
-
-    blockHash = chainActive[height]->GetBlockHash();
-    pindex = mapBlockIndex[blockHash];
-    return(pindex->nTime);
+    return(komodo_heightstamp(height));
 }
 
 bool OraclesValidate(struct CCcontract_info *cp,Eval* eval,const CTransaction &tx, uint32_t nIn)
diff --git a/src/komodo_utils.h b/src/komodo_utils.h
index ecf5237e6..1bf8dfbeb 100644
--- a/src/komodo_utils.h
+++ b/src/komodo_utils.h
@@ -1692,7 +1692,7 @@ int8_t equihash_params_possible(uint64_t n, uint64_t k)
 
 void komodo_args(char *argv0)
 {
-    std::string name,addn,hexstr,symbol; char *dirname,fname[512],arg0str[64],magicstr[9]; uint8_t magic[4],extrabuf[32756],disablebits[32],*extraptr=0; FILE *fp; uint64_t val; uint16_t port; int32_t i,nonz=0,baseid,len,n,extralen = 0; uint64_t ccenables[256], ccEnablesHeight[512];
+    std::string name,addn,hexstr,symbol; char *dirname,fname[512],arg0str[64],magicstr[9]; uint8_t magic[4],extrabuf[32756],disablebits[32],*extraptr=0; FILE *fp; uint64_t val; uint16_t port; int32_t i,nonz=0,baseid,len,n,extralen = 0; uint64_t ccenables[256], ccEnablesHeight[512] = {0};
     IS_KOMODO_NOTARY = GetBoolArg("-notary", false);
     IS_STAKED_NOTARY = GetArg("-stakednotary", -1);
     memset(ccenables,0,sizeof(ccenables));
@@ -1717,15 +1717,17 @@ void komodo_args(char *argv0)
             // I think on season change should reccomend notaries to use -notary to avoid needing this. 
             int32_t kmd_season = getacseason(time(NULL));
             for (i=0; i<64; i++)
-                if ( strcmp(NOTARY_PUBKEY.c_str(),notaries_elected[kmd_season][NUM_KMD_NOTARIES][1]) == 0 )
+            {
+                if ( strcmp(NOTARY_PUBKEY.c_str(),notaries_elected[kmd_season-1][i][1]) == 0 )
                 {
                     IS_KOMODO_NOTARY = 1;
                     KOMODO_MININGTHREADS = 1;
                     mapArgs ["-genproclimit"] = itostr(KOMODO_MININGTHREADS);
                     IS_STAKED_NOTARY = -1;
-                    fprintf(stderr,"running as notary.%d %s\n",i,notaries_elected[kmd_season][NUM_KMD_NOTARIES][0]);
+                    fprintf(stderr,"running as notary.%d %s\n",i,notaries_elected[kmd_season-1][i][0]);
                     break;
                 }
+            }
         }
     }
     if ( IS_STAKED_NOTARY != -1 && IS_KOMODO_NOTARY == true ) {
@@ -1767,7 +1769,7 @@ void komodo_args(char *argv0)
     {
         int32_t ecode = ccEnablesHeight[i];
         int32_t ht = ccEnablesHeight[i+1];
-        if ( ecode > 256 )
+        if ( ecode > 255 || ecode < 0 )
             fprintf(stderr, "ac_ccactivateht: invalid evalcode.%i must be between 0 and 256.\n", ecode);
         else if ( ht > 0 )
         {
diff --git a/src/miner.cpp b/src/miner.cpp
index 9976909fa..e4e907447 100644
--- a/src/miner.cpp
+++ b/src/miner.cpp
@@ -222,9 +222,13 @@ CBlockTemplate* CreateNewBlock(CPubKey _pk,const CScript& _scriptPubKeyIn, int32
     boost::optional<CTransaction> cheatSpend;
 
     uint256 cbHash;
-
+    
+    boost::this_thread::interruption_point(); // exit thread before entering locks. 
+    
     CBlockIndex* pindexPrev = 0;
     {
+        // this should stop create block ever exiting until it has returned something. 
+        boost::this_thread::disable_interruption();
         ENTER_CRITICAL_SECTION(cs_main);
         ENTER_CRITICAL_SECTION(mempool.cs);
         pindexPrev = chainActive.LastTip();
@@ -815,7 +819,8 @@ CBlockTemplate* CreateNewBlock(CPubKey _pk,const CScript& _scriptPubKeyIn, int32
                     LEAVE_CRITICAL_SECTION(cs_main);
                     LEAVE_CRITICAL_SECTION(mempool.cs);
                 }
-                throw std::runtime_error("CreateNewBlock(): TestBlockValidity failed");
+                //throw std::runtime_error("CreateNewBlock(): TestBlockValidity failed"); // crashes the node, moved to GetBlockTemplate and issue return.
+                return(0);
             }
             //fprintf(stderr,"valid\n");
         }
diff --git a/src/rpc/mining.cpp b/src/rpc/mining.cpp
index 53a744497..4814d34dd 100644
--- a/src/rpc/mining.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/mining.cpp
@@ -745,7 +745,8 @@ UniValue getblocktemplate(const UniValue& params, bool fHelp)
 #endif
         ENTER_CRITICAL_SECTION(cs_main);
         if (!pblocktemplate)
-            throw JSONRPCError(RPC_OUT_OF_MEMORY, "Out of memory or no available utxo for staking");
+            throw std::runtime_error("CreateNewBlock(): create block failed");
+            //throw JSONRPCError(RPC_OUT_OF_MEMORY, "Out of memory or no available utxo for staking");
 
         // Need to update only after we know CreateNewBlockWithKey succeeded
         pindexPrev = pindexPrevNew;