diff --git a/nitro-bridge-setup/README.md b/nitro-bridge-setup/README.md
index 345fce1..beb7674 100644
--- a/nitro-bridge-setup/README.md
+++ b/nitro-bridge-setup/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ The following commands have to be executed in the [`nitro-bridge-setup`](./) dir
   # This account should have tokens for funding Nitro channels
   nitro_chain_pk: ""
 
+  # Specifies the block number to start looking for nitro adjudicator events
+  nitro_chain_start_block: ""
+
   # Custom L2 token to be deployed
   token_name: "LaconicNetworkToken"
   token_symbol: "LNT"
diff --git a/nitro-bridge-setup/bridge-vars.example.yml b/nitro-bridge-setup/bridge-vars.example.yml
index bf55c4e..a7a906b 100644
--- a/nitro-bridge-setup/bridge-vars.example.yml
+++ b/nitro-bridge-setup/bridge-vars.example.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 nitro_chain_url: ""
 nitro_chain_pk: ""
+nitro_chain_start_block: 0
 nitro_sc_pk: ""
 na_address: ""
 vpa_address: ""
diff --git a/nitro-bridge-setup/templates/specs/bridge-nitro-spec.yml.j2 b/nitro-bridge-setup/templates/specs/bridge-nitro-spec.yml.j2
index 58eaff2..ffdf553 100644
--- a/nitro-bridge-setup/templates/specs/bridge-nitro-spec.yml.j2
+++ b/nitro-bridge-setup/templates/specs/bridge-nitro-spec.yml.j2
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ deploy-to: compose
 config:
   NITRO_CHAIN_URL: {{ nitro_chain_url }}
   NITRO_CHAIN_PK: {{ nitro_chain_pk }}
+  NITRO_CHAIN_START_BLOCK: {{ nitro_chain_start_block }}
   NITRO_SC_PK: {{ nitro_sc_pk }}
   NA_ADDRESS: "{{ na_address }}"
   VPA_ADDRESS: "{{ vpa_address }}"
diff --git a/nitro-contracts-setup/deploy-contracts.yml b/nitro-contracts-setup/deploy-contracts.yml
index e68caaa..e8b4385 100644
--- a/nitro-contracts-setup/deploy-contracts.yml
+++ b/nitro-contracts-setup/deploy-contracts.yml
@@ -100,3 +100,11 @@
       register: asset_address
     - debug:
         msg: "ASSET_ADDRESS: {{ asset_address.stdout }}"
+
+    - name: Export NITRO_CHAIN_START_BLOCK
+      shell: laconic-so deployment --dir nitro-contracts-deployment exec nitro-contracts "jq '.receipt.blockNumber' /app/deployment/hardhat-deployments/geth/NitroAdjudicator.json"
+      args:
+        chdir: "{{ nitro_directory }}"
+      register: nitro_chain_start_block
+    - debug:
+        msg: "NITRO_CHAIN_START_BLOCK: {{ nitro_chain_start_block.stdout }}"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/nitro-nodes-setup/README.md b/nitro-nodes-setup/README.md
index fd2de53..2c3f37b 100644
--- a/nitro-nodes-setup/README.md
+++ b/nitro-nodes-setup/README.md
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ The following commands have to be executed in [`nitro-nodes-setup`](./) director
   # Private key of the account on chain that is used for funding channels in Nitro node
   nitro_chain_pk: ""
 
+  # Specifies the block number to start looking for nitro adjudicator events
+  nitro_chain_start_block: ""
+
   # Contract address of NitroAdjudicator
   na_address: ""
 
diff --git a/nitro-nodes-setup/nitro-vars.example.yml b/nitro-nodes-setup/nitro-vars.example.yml
index 1ff9bc9..cf6c589 100644
--- a/nitro-nodes-setup/nitro-vars.example.yml
+++ b/nitro-nodes-setup/nitro-vars.example.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 nitro_chain_url: ""
 nitro_sc_pk: ""
 nitro_chain_pk: ""
+nitro_chain_start_block: 0
 na_address: ""
 vpa_address: ""
 ca_address: ""
diff --git a/nitro-nodes-setup/templates/configs/l1-nitro-config.env.j2 b/nitro-nodes-setup/templates/configs/l1-nitro-config.env.j2
index e8cd934..a875f68 100644
--- a/nitro-nodes-setup/templates/configs/l1-nitro-config.env.j2
+++ b/nitro-nodes-setup/templates/configs/l1-nitro-config.env.j2
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ VPA_ADDRESS="{{ vpa_address }}"
 CA_ADDRESS="{{ ca_address }}"
 NITRO_BOOTPEERS={{ nitro_l1_bridge_multiaddr }}
 NITRO_EXT_MULTIADDR={{ nitro_l1_ext_multiaddr }}
+NITRO_CHAIN_START_BLOCK: {{ nitro_chain_start_block }}