diff --git a/devenv/offchain.go b/devenv/offchain.go
index 15c986696..66040e279 100644
--- a/devenv/offchain.go
+++ b/devenv/offchain.go
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ func (m *CCIP16TON) ConfigureNodes(ctx context.Context, bc *blockchain.Input) (s
 	Enabled = true
 	NetworkName = 'ton-localnet'
 
+	[TON.TransactionManager]
+	CleanupInterval = '5m'
+
 	[[TON.Nodes]]
 	Name = '%s'
 	URL = '%s'`,
@@ -105,9 +108,11 @@ func (m *CCIP16TON) ConfigureNodes(ctx context.Context, bc *blockchain.Input) (s
 	), nil
 }
 
+const defaultNodeFundingTON = "500"
+
 func (m *CCIP16TON) FundNodes(ctx context.Context, cls []*simple_node_set.Input, nodeKeyBundles map[string]clclient.NodeKeysBundle, bc *blockchain.Input, linkAmount, nativeAmount *big.Int) error {
 	l := zerolog.Ctx(ctx)
-	l.Info().Msg("Funding CL nodes with native and LINK")
+	l.Info().Str("amount", defaultNodeFundingTON).Msg("Funding CL nodes with native TON")
 	keys := make([]*address.Address, 0)
 	amounts := make([]tlb.Coins, 0)
 	for _, nk := range nodeKeyBundles {
@@ -116,7 +121,7 @@ func (m *CCIP16TON) FundNodes(ctx context.Context, cls []*simple_node_set.Input,
 			return err
 		}
 		keys = append(keys, address.MustParseAddr(addr))
-		amounts = append(amounts, tlb.MustFromTON(nativeAmount.String()))
+		amounts = append(amounts, tlb.MustFromTON(defaultNodeFundingTON))
 	}
 	client, err := testutils.CreateClient(ctx, bc.Out.Nodes[0].ExternalHTTPUrl)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/relay/chain.go b/pkg/relay/chain.go
index f9e68a5d5..62b43144a 100644
--- a/pkg/relay/chain.go
+++ b/pkg/relay/chain.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/xssnick/tonutils-go/liteclient"
 	"github.com/xssnick/tonutils-go/ton"
 	"github.com/xssnick/tonutils-go/ton/wallet"
 	"github.com/xssnick/tonutils-go/tvm/cell"
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ type chain struct {
 
 	clientCache map[int]*cachedClient
 	cacheMu     sync.RWMutex
+	pool        *liteclient.ConnectionPool
 }
 
 func NewChain(cfg *config.TOMLConfig, opts ChainOpts) (Chain, error) {
@@ -208,7 +210,16 @@ func (c *chain) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 func (c *chain) Close() error {
 	return c.starter.StopOnce("Chain", func() error {
 		c.lggr.Debug("Stopping txm, log poller, and balance monitor")
-		return services.CloseAll(c.txm, c.lp, c.bm)
+		err := services.CloseAll(c.txm, c.lp, c.bm)
+
+		c.cacheMu.Lock()
+		if c.pool != nil {
+			c.pool.Stop()
+			c.pool = nil
+		}
+		c.cacheMu.Unlock()
+
+		return err
 	})
 }
 
@@ -355,8 +366,7 @@ func (c *chain) GetClient(ctx context.Context) (ton.APIClientWrapped, error) {
 		}
 
 		// Build new client, expected URL format: liteserver://publickey@host:port
-		liteServerURL := node.URL.String()
-		connectionPool, cerr := tonchain.CreateLiteserverConnectionPool(ctx, liteServerURL)
+		connectionPool, cerr := c.getOrCreatePool(ctx, i)
 		if cerr != nil {
 			c.lggr.Warnw("failed to get connection pool", "name", node.Name, "ton-url", node.URL, "err", cerr)
 			continue
@@ -440,6 +450,35 @@ func (c *chain) GetSignerWallet(ctx context.Context, client ton.APIClientWrapped
 	return w, nil
 }
 
+// getOrCreatePool returns the long-lived ConnectionPool, creating it on first call.
+// Caller must NOT hold cacheMu — this method locks it internally.
+func (c *chain) getOrCreatePool(ctx context.Context, nodeIndex int) (*liteclient.ConnectionPool, error) {
+	c.cacheMu.RLock()
+	pool := c.pool
+	c.cacheMu.RUnlock()
+	if pool != nil {
+		return pool, nil
+	}
+
+	liteServerURL := c.cfg.Nodes[nodeIndex].URL.String()
+	pool, err := tonchain.CreateLiteserverConnectionPool(ctx, liteServerURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	c.cacheMu.Lock()
+	// Double-check: another goroutine may have created it
+	if c.pool != nil {
+		c.cacheMu.Unlock()
+		pool.Stop() // discard the one we just made
+		return c.pool, nil
+	}
+	c.pool = pool
+	c.cacheMu.Unlock()
+
+	return pool, nil
+}
+
 func (c *chain) evictClient(index int, name string, reason string) {
 	c.cacheMu.Lock()
 	defer c.cacheMu.Unlock()
diff --git a/pkg/ton/tracetracking/message.go b/pkg/ton/tracetracking/message.go
index 00beae1c1..83c8b77bb 100644
--- a/pkg/ton/tracetracking/message.go
+++ b/pkg/ton/tracetracking/message.go
@@ -348,8 +348,14 @@ func (m *ReceivedMessage) WaitForOutgoingMessagesToBeReceived(ctx context.Contex
 
 		receivedMessage, err := waitForMatchingMessage(subCtx, transactionsReceived, sentMessage)
 
-		// Cancel context as soon as we have the result to prevent leaks
+		// Cancel context and drain the channel so the SubscribeOnTransactions goroutine
+		// can unblock from its bare `channel <- tx` send, reach the `workerCtx.Done()`
+		// select, and exit. Without draining, the goroutine leaks forever.
 		cancel()
+		go func() {
+			for range transactionsReceived {
+			}
+		}()
 
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/pkg/txm/txstore.go b/pkg/txm/txstore.go
index 3e049f5c3..12d1b8c06 100644
--- a/pkg/txm/txstore.go
+++ b/pkg/txm/txstore.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package txm
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"math/big"
 	"sort"
 	"sync"
 
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ type UnconfirmedTx struct {
 }
 
 type FinalizedTx struct {
-	ReceivedMessage tracetracking.ReceivedMessage
+	TotalActionFees *big.Int
 	ExitCode        tvm.ExitCode
 	TraceSucceeded  bool
 }
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ func (s *TxStore) MarkFinalized(lt uint64, success bool, exitCode tvm.ExitCode)
 
 	// move transaction to finalized map
 	s.finalizedTxs[lt] = &FinalizedTx{
-		ReceivedMessage: unconfirmedTx.Tx.ReceivedMessage,
+		TotalActionFees: unconfirmedTx.Tx.ReceivedMessage.TotalActionFees,
 		ExitCode:        exitCode,
 		TraceSucceeded:  success,
 	}
@@ -125,7 +126,7 @@ func (s *TxStore) GetTxState(lt uint64) (tracetracking.MsgStatus, bool, tvm.Exit
 
 	if tx, exists := s.finalizedTxs[lt]; exists {
 		// Transaction is finalized (success or failure is indicated separately)
-		totalActionFees := tlb.MustFromNano(tx.ReceivedMessage.TotalActionFees, 9)
+		totalActionFees := tlb.MustFromNano(tx.TotalActionFees, 9)
 		return tracetracking.Finalized, tx.TraceSucceeded, tx.ExitCode, totalActionFees, true
 	}
 
diff --git a/scripts/.core_version b/scripts/.core_version
index 2b3d45999..8e9a8f709 100644
--- a/scripts/.core_version
+++ b/scripts/.core_version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-306cebe992240ebd08cec58adef6a2c3308b91d1
+b7531451e5f0569f5f617982a09a61454eddfe0c
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/run-test.sh b/scripts/e2e/run-test.sh
index aaa70643f..72889e59a 100755
--- a/scripts/e2e/run-test.sh
+++ b/scripts/e2e/run-test.sh
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ setup_contracts "$CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR"
 # verifying gitRef match might be redundant for local workflow.
 verify_plugin_config "$CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR"
 
-build_ton_binary
+# disable LOOP plugin — run TON relayer in-process for profiling
+export CL_TON_CMD=""
 
 # test database URL availability validation
 if [ -z "${CL_DATABASE_URL:-}" ]; then
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ fi
 log_info "=== CCIP Test Execution ==="
 log_info "Using Chainlink Core: $CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR"
 log_info "Using Database URL: $CL_DATABASE_URL"
-log_info "Using TON Binary: $CL_TON_CMD"
+log_info "CL_TON_CMD: '${CL_TON_CMD}' (empty = embedded/in-process)"
 log_info "Test Command: $ARG_TEST_COMMAND"
 
 log_info "Executing Test Command in $CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR: $ARG_TEST_COMMAND"
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/setup-env.sh b/scripts/e2e/setup-env.sh
index de4935486..8a3d418a8 100755
--- a/scripts/e2e/setup-env.sh
+++ b/scripts/e2e/setup-env.sh
@@ -112,11 +112,11 @@ replace_ton_modules() {
       go mod tidy
     fi
   done
-  
+
   # scan for go.mod files that use chainlink-ton
   find "$CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR" -name "go.mod" -type f -print0 | while IFS= read -r -d '' gomod; do
     dir=$(dirname "$gomod")
-    
+
     # check if any chainlink-ton modules are used
     needs_update=false
     for mod in "${!MODULES_TON[@]}"; do
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ replace_ton_modules() {
         break
       fi
     done
-    
+
     if [ "$needs_update" = true ]; then
       log_info "  Updating ${dir#$CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR/}"
-      
+
       pushd "$dir" > /dev/null
       for mod in "${!MODULES_TON[@]}"; do
         if grep -q "$mod" go.mod; then
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ replace_ton_modules() {
       popd > /dev/null
     fi
   done
-  
+
   go run github.com/jmank88/gomods@v0.1.6 tidy
   log_info "Module replacements complete"
 }
@@ -188,9 +188,8 @@ validate_core_version "$CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR"
 # This allows testing with previous contract versions without rebuilding
 setup_contracts "$CHAINLINK_CORE_DIR"
 
-# TODO: Revisit to check if this is needed. we already have nix build for chainlink-ton.
-# but the point is building the binary for every test run in local dev env
-build_ton_binary
+# disable LOOP plugin — run TON relayer in-process for profiling
+export CL_TON_CMD=""
 
 setup_postgres