diff --git a/app/middleware/middleware.go b/app/middleware/middleware.go
index 430496be3..76eb7ccbe 100644
--- a/app/middleware/middleware.go
+++ b/app/middleware/middleware.go
@@ -76,9 +76,7 @@ func (md MD) CheckTx(ctx context.Context, req tx.Request, checkReq tx.RequestChe
 	// 	return tx.Response{}, tx.ResponseCheckTx{}, sdkerrors.Wrapf(sdkerrors.ErrUnknownRequest, "invalid transaction type: %T", reqTx)
 	// }
 
-	anteHandler = md.cosmosMiddleware
-
-	return anteHandler.CheckTx(ctx, req, checkReq)
+	return md.cosmosMiddleware.CheckTx(ctx, req, checkReq)
 }
 
 // DeliverTx implements tx.Handler
@@ -107,8 +105,7 @@ func (md MD) DeliverTx(ctx context.Context, req tx.Request) (tx.Response, error)
 		}
 	}
 
-	anteHandler = md.cosmosMiddleware
-	return anteHandler.DeliverTx(ctx, req)
+	return md.cosmosMiddleware.DeliverTx(ctx, req)
 }
 
 // SimulateTx implements tx.Handler
@@ -137,8 +134,7 @@ func (md MD) SimulateTx(ctx context.Context, req tx.Request) (tx.Response, error
 		}
 	}
 
-	anteHandler = md.cosmosMiddleware
-	return anteHandler.SimulateTx(ctx, req)
+	return md.cosmosMiddleware.SimulateTx(ctx, req)
 }
 
 var _ authante.SignatureVerificationGasConsumer = DefaultSigVerificationGasConsumer
diff --git a/app/middleware/options.go b/app/middleware/options.go
index b67a966a2..fd1ed2a4c 100644
--- a/app/middleware/options.go
+++ b/app/middleware/options.go
@@ -80,11 +80,8 @@ func newEthAuthMiddleware(options HandlerOptions) (tx.Handler, error) {
 }
 
 func newCosmosAuthMiddleware(options HandlerOptions) (tx.Handler, error) {
-
 	return authmiddleware.ComposeMiddlewares(
 		authmiddleware.NewRunMsgsTxHandler(options.MsgServiceRouter, options.LegacyRouter),
-		// reject MsgEthereumTxs
-		NewRejectMessagesDecorator(),
 		authmiddleware.NewTxDecoderMiddleware(options.TxDecoder),
 		// Set a new GasMeter on sdk.Context.
 		//
@@ -130,8 +127,6 @@ func newCosmosAnteHandlerEip712(options HandlerOptions) (tx.Handler, error) {
 
 	return authmiddleware.ComposeMiddlewares(
 		authmiddleware.NewRunMsgsTxHandler(options.MsgServiceRouter, options.LegacyRouter),
-		// reject MsgEthereumTxs
-		NewRejectMessagesDecorator(),
 		authmiddleware.NewTxDecoderMiddleware(options.TxDecoder),
 		// Set a new GasMeter on sdk.Context.
 		//
diff --git a/app/middleware/reject.go b/app/middleware/reject.go
index e59e92c33..4a57792fb 100644
--- a/app/middleware/reject.go
+++ b/app/middleware/reject.go
@@ -36,16 +36,37 @@ func (rmd RejectMessagesDecorator) CheckTx(ctx context.Context, req tx.Request,
 			)
 		}
 	}
+
 	return rmd.next.CheckTx(ctx, req, checkReq)
 }
 
 // DeliverTx implements tx.Handler
 func (rmd RejectMessagesDecorator) DeliverTx(ctx context.Context, req tx.Request) (tx.Response, error) {
+	reqTx := req.Tx
+	for _, msg := range reqTx.GetMsgs() {
+		if _, ok := msg.(*evmtypes.MsgEthereumTx); ok {
+			return tx.Response{}, sdkerrors.Wrapf(
+				sdkerrors.ErrInvalidType,
+				"MsgEthereumTx needs to be contained within a tx with 'ExtensionOptionsEthereumTx' option",
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
 	return rmd.next.DeliverTx(ctx, req)
 }
 
 // SimulateTx implements tx.Handler
 func (rmd RejectMessagesDecorator) SimulateTx(ctx context.Context, req tx.Request) (tx.Response, error) {
+	reqTx := req.Tx
+	for _, msg := range reqTx.GetMsgs() {
+		if _, ok := msg.(*evmtypes.MsgEthereumTx); ok {
+			return tx.Response{}, sdkerrors.Wrapf(
+				sdkerrors.ErrInvalidType,
+				"MsgEthereumTx needs to be contained within a tx with 'ExtensionOptionsEthereumTx' option",
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
 	return rmd.next.SimulateTx(ctx, req)
 }
 
diff --git a/server/util.go b/server/util.go
index b0ca1d8f5..3f01ff828 100644
--- a/server/util.go
+++ b/server/util.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package server
 
 import (
 	"net/http"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/improbable-eng/grpc-web/go/grpcweb"
@@ -42,31 +43,32 @@ func AddCommands(rootCmd *cobra.Command, defaultNodeHome string, appCreator type
 }
 
 func ConnectTmWS(tmRPCAddr, tmEndpoint string, logger tmlog.Logger) *rpcclient.WSClient {
-	// tmWsClient, err := rpcclient.NewWS(tmRPCAddr, tmEndpoint,
-	// 	rpcclient.MaxReconnectAttempts(256),
-	// 	rpcclient.ReadWait(120*time.Second),
-	// 	rpcclient.WriteWait(120*time.Second),
-	// 	rpcclient.PingPeriod(50*time.Second),
-	// 	rpcclient.OnReconnect(func() {
-	// 		logger.Debug("EVM RPC reconnects to Tendermint WS", "address", tmRPCAddr+tmEndpoint)
-	// 	}),
-	// )
+	tmWsClient, err := rpcclient.NewWSWithOptions(tmRPCAddr, tmEndpoint, rpcclient.WSOptions{
+		MaxReconnectAttempts: 256, // first: 2 sec, last: 17 min.
+		WriteWait:            120 * time.Second,
+		ReadWait:             120 * time.Second,
+		PingPeriod:           50 * time.Second,
+	})
 
-	// if err != nil {
-	// 	logger.Error(
-	// 		"Tendermint WS client could not be created",
-	// 		"address", tmRPCAddr+tmEndpoint,
-	// 		"error", err,
-	// 	)
-	// } else if err := tmWsClient.OnStart(); err != nil {
-	// 	logger.Error(
-	// 		"Tendermint WS client could not start",
-	// 		"address", tmRPCAddr+tmEndpoint,
-	// 		"error", err,
-	// 	)
-	// }
+	tmWsClient.OnReconnect(func() {
+		logger.Debug("EVM RPC reconnects to Tendermint WS", "address", tmRPCAddr+tmEndpoint)
+	})
 
-	return nil
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Error(
+			"Tendermint WS client could not be created",
+			"address", tmRPCAddr+tmEndpoint,
+			"error", err,
+		)
+	} else if err := tmWsClient.Start(); err != nil {
+		logger.Error(
+			"Tendermint WS client could not start",
+			"address", tmRPCAddr+tmEndpoint,
+			"error", err,
+		)
+	}
+
+	return tmWsClient
 }
 
 func MountGRPCWebServices(