diff --git a/src/komodo.h b/src/komodo.h
index ba69a2761..d27981250 100644
--- a/src/komodo.h
+++ b/src/komodo.h
@@ -797,6 +797,8 @@ int32_t komodo_notarycmp(uint8_t *scriptPubKey,int32_t scriptlen,uint8_t pubkeys
 void komodo_connectblock(CBlockIndex *pindex,CBlock& block)
 {
     static int32_t hwmheight;
+    int8_t StakedEra; static int8_t lastStakedEra;
+
     uint64_t signedmask,voutmask; char symbol[KOMODO_ASSETCHAIN_MAXLEN],dest[KOMODO_ASSETCHAIN_MAXLEN]; struct komodo_state *sp;
     uint8_t scriptbuf[10001],pubkeys[64][33],rmd160[20],scriptPubKey[35]; uint256 zero,btctxid,txhash;
     int32_t i,j,k,numnotaries,notarized,scriptlen,isratification,nid,numvalid,specialtx,notarizedheight,notaryid,len,numvouts,numvins,height,txn_count;
@@ -809,6 +811,27 @@ void komodo_connectblock(CBlockIndex *pindex,CBlock& block)
         return;
     }
     //fprintf(stderr,"%s connect.%d\n",ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL,pindex->nHeight);
+    if ( is_STAKED(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL) != 0 || IS_STAKED_NOTARY != -1 ) {
+        staked_era = STAKED_era(pindex->GetBlockTime());
+        if ( staked_era != lastStakedEra ) {
+            uint8_t tmp_pubkeys[64][33];
+            int8_t numSN = numStakedNotaries(tmp_pubkeys,staked_era);
+            UpdateNotaryAddrs(tmp_pubkeys,numSN);
+            STAKED_ERA = staked_era;
+            if ( NOTARYADDRS[0][0] != 0 )
+            {
+                if ( NOTARY_PUBKEY33[0] != 0 )
+                {
+                    if ( (IS_STAKED_NOTARY= updateStakedNotary()) > -1 )
+                    {
+                        IS_KOMODO_NOTARY = 0;
+                        fprintf(stderr, "Staked Notary Protection Active! NotaryID.%d RADD.%s ERA.%d\n",IS_STAKED_NOTARY,NOTARY_ADDRESS.c_str(),era);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        lastStakedEra = staked_era;
+    }
     numnotaries = komodo_notaries(pubkeys,pindex->nHeight,pindex->GetBlockTime());
     calc_rmd160_sha256(rmd160,pubkeys[0],33);
     if ( pindex->nHeight > hwmheight )
@@ -831,9 +854,9 @@ void komodo_connectblock(CBlockIndex *pindex,CBlock& block)
         txn_count = block.vtx.size();
         for (i=0; i<txn_count; i++)
         {
-            if ((is_STAKED(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL) != 0) && (STAKED_era((uint32_t)pindex->nTime) == 0)) {
-                //printf("ERA 0 SKIP getblocktime: %ld pindex->nTime : %d for %s\n",pindex->GetBlockTime(),(uint32_t)pindex->nTime,ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL);
-                continue;
+            if ( is_STAKED(ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL) != 0 && staked_era == 0 ) {
+                // in era gap no point checking any invlaid notarisations. 
+                break;
             }
             txhash = block.vtx[i].GetHash();
             numvouts = block.vtx[i].vout.size();
diff --git a/src/notaries_staked.cpp b/src/notaries_staked.cpp
index b528df512..ec0f2054e 100644
--- a/src/notaries_staked.cpp
+++ b/src/notaries_staked.cpp
@@ -121,12 +121,6 @@ int is_STAKED(const char *chain_name) {
 int STAKED_era(int timestamp)
 {
   int8_t era = 0;
-  static uint32_t lasttimestamp;
-  static int didera;
-  // test this, seems to sometimes get called into the past?
-  if ( timestamp < lasttimestamp )
-      timestamp = lasttimestamp;
-
   if (timestamp <= STAKED_NOTARIES_TIMESTAMP1)
     era = 1;
   else if (timestamp <= STAKED_NOTARIES_TIMESTAMP2 && timestamp >= (STAKED_NOTARIES_TIMESTAMP1 + STAKED_ERA_GAP))
@@ -135,28 +129,9 @@ int STAKED_era(int timestamp)
     era = 3;
   else if (timestamp <= STAKED_NOTARIES_TIMESTAMP4 && timestamp >= (STAKED_NOTARIES_TIMESTAMP3 + STAKED_ERA_GAP))
     era = 4;
-  else {
-    era = 0; didera = 0;
-  }
+  else
+    era = 0;
   // if we are in a gap, return era 0, this allows to invalidate notarizations when in GAP.
-
-  if ( era > STAKED_ERA || didera == 0 )
-  {
-      STAKED_ERA = era;
-      if ( NOTARYADDRS[0][0] != 0 )
-      {
-          if ( NOTARY_PUBKEY33[0] != 0 )
-          {
-              if ( (IS_STAKED_NOTARY= updateStakedNotary()) > -1 )
-              {
-                  IS_KOMODO_NOTARY = 0;
-                  fprintf(stderr, "Staked Notary Protection Active! NotaryID.%d RADD.%s ERA.%d\n",IS_STAKED_NOTARY,NOTARY_ADDRESS.c_str(),era);
-              }
-          }
-          didera++;
-      }
-  }
-  lasttimestamp = timestamp;
   return(era);
 };
 
@@ -205,7 +180,6 @@ int8_t numStakedNotaries(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t era) {
 
     if ( ChainName[0] == 0 )
     {
-        pthread_mutex_init(&staked_mutex,NULL);
         if ( ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL[0] == 0 )
             strcpy(ChainName,"KMD");
         else
@@ -215,35 +189,22 @@ int8_t numStakedNotaries(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t era) {
     if ( era != 0 ) {
       switch (era) {
         case 1:
-          if ( didstaked1 == 0 || NOTARYADDRS[0][0] == 0 )
+          if ( didstaked1 == 0 )
           {
               for (i=0; i<num_notaries_STAKED1; i++) {
                   decode_hex(staked_pubkeys1[i],33,(char *)notaries_STAKED1[i][1]);
-#ifdef SERVER
-                  pthread_mutex_lock(&staked_mutex);
-                  pubkey2addr((char *)NOTARYADDRS[i],(uint8_t *)staked_pubkeys1[i]);
-                  NUM_NOTARIES = num_notaries_STAKED1;
-                  pthread_mutex_unlock(&staked_mutex);
-#endif
               }
               didstaked1 = 1;
               printf("%s is a STAKED chain in era 1 \n",ChainName);
           }
-
           memcpy(pubkeys,staked_pubkeys1,num_notaries_STAKED1 * 33);
           retval = num_notaries_STAKED1;
           break;
         case 2:
-          if ( didstaked2 == 0 || NOTARYADDRS[0][0] == 0 )
+          if ( didstaked2 == 0 )
           {
               for (i=0; i<num_notaries_STAKED2; i++) {
                   decode_hex(staked_pubkeys2[i],33,(char *)notaries_STAKED2[i][1]);
-#ifdef SERVER
-                  pthread_mutex_lock(&staked_mutex);
-                  pubkey2addr((char *)NOTARYADDRS[i],(uint8_t *)staked_pubkeys2[i]);
-                  NUM_NOTARIES = num_notaries_STAKED2;
-                  pthread_mutex_unlock(&staked_mutex);
-#endif
               }
               didstaked2 = 1;
               printf("%s is a STAKED chain in era 2 \n",ChainName);
@@ -252,16 +213,10 @@ int8_t numStakedNotaries(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t era) {
           retval = num_notaries_STAKED2;
           break;
         case 3:
-          if ( didstaked3 == 0 || NOTARYADDRS[0][0] == 0 )
+          if ( didstaked3 == 0 )
           {
               for (i=0; i<num_notaries_STAKED3; i++) {
                   decode_hex(staked_pubkeys3[i],33,(char *)notaries_STAKED3[i][1]);
-#ifdef SERVER
-                  pthread_mutex_lock(&staked_mutex);
-                  pubkey2addr((char *)NOTARYADDRS[i],(uint8_t *)staked_pubkeys3[i]);
-                  NUM_NOTARIES = num_notaries_STAKED3;
-                  pthread_mutex_unlock(&staked_mutex);
-#endif
               }
               didstaked3 = 1;
               printf("%s is a STAKED chain in era 3 \n",ChainName);
@@ -270,16 +225,10 @@ int8_t numStakedNotaries(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t era) {
           retval = num_notaries_STAKED3;
           break;
         case 4:
-          if ( didstaked4 == 0 || NOTARYADDRS[0][0] == 0 )
+          if ( didstaked4 == 0 )
           {
               for (i=0; i<num_notaries_STAKED4; i++) {
                   decode_hex(staked_pubkeys4[i],33,(char *)notaries_STAKED4[i][1]);
-#ifdef SERVER
-                  pthread_mutex_lock(&staked_mutex);
-                  pubkey2addr((char *)NOTARYADDRS[i],(uint8_t *)staked_pubkeys4[i]);
-                  NUM_NOTARIES = num_notaries_STAKED4;
-                  pthread_mutex_unlock(&staked_mutex);
-#endif
               }
               didstaked4 = 1;
               printf("%s is a STAKED chain in era 4 \n",ChainName);
@@ -291,18 +240,41 @@ int8_t numStakedNotaries(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t era) {
     }
     else
     {
-        // era is zero so we need to null out the notary address's and pubkeys.
-        pthread_mutex_lock(&staked_mutex);
-        memset(NOTARYADDRS,0,sizeof(NOTARYADDRS));
-        NUM_NOTARIES = 0;
+        // era is zero so we need to null out the pubkeys.
         memset(pubkeys,0,64 * 33);
-        pthread_mutex_unlock(&staked_mutex);
         printf("%s is a STAKED chain and is in an ERA GAP.\n",ASSETCHAINS_SYMBOL);
         return(64);
     }
     return(retval);
 }
 
+void UpdateNotaryAddrs(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t numNotaries) {
+    static int didinit;
+    if ( didinit == 0 ) {
+        pthread_mutex_init(&staked_mutex,NULL);
+    }
+    if ( pubkeys[0][0] == 0 )
+    {
+        // null pubkeys, era 0.
+#ifdef SERVER
+        pthread_mutex_lock(&staked_mutex);
+        memset(NOTARYADDRS,0,sizeof(NOTARYADDRS));
+        NUM_NOTARIES = 0;
+        pthread_mutex_unlock(&staked_mutex);
+#endif
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // staked era is set.
+#ifdef SERVER
+        pthread_mutex_lock(&staked_mutex);
+        pubkey2addr((char *)NOTARYADDRS[i],(uint8_t *)pubkeys[i]);
+        NUM_NOTARIES = numNotaries;
+        pthread_mutex_unlock(&staked_mutex);
+#endif
+    }
+}
+
 int8_t ScanStakedArray(const char *notaries_chosen[][2],int num_notaries,char *Raddress,std::string &notaryname) {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < num_notaries; i++) {
         //fprintf(stderr, "address [%ld]: %s\n",i,NOTARYADDRS[i]);
diff --git a/src/notaries_staked.h b/src/notaries_staked.h
index a4e381a45..5a63861d7 100644
--- a/src/notaries_staked.h
+++ b/src/notaries_staked.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ int STAKED_era(int timestamp);
 int8_t updateStakedNotary();
 int8_t numStakedNotaries(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t era);
 int8_t StakedNotaryID(std::string &notaryname, char *Raddress);
+void UpdateNotaryAddrs(uint8_t pubkeys[64][33],int8_t numNotaries);
 int8_t ScanStakedArray(const char *notaries_chosen[][2],int num_notaries,char *Raddress,std::string &notaryname);
 
 CrosschainAuthority Choose_auth_STAKED(int chosen_era);