diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 9d05d8cee2..b36cafd8aa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ jobs:
       NETWORK: datil-dev
       DEBUG: true
       MAX_ATTEMPTS: 3
+      CHUNK_SIZE: 9
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v2
@@ -55,4 +56,4 @@ jobs:
         run: yarn build:dev
       - name: Run End to End Tests
         if: steps.build.outputs.exit_code == 0
-        run: yarn test:local --filter=testUseEoaSessionSigsToExecuteJsSigning,testUseEoaSessionSigsToPkpSign,testUsePkpSessionSigsToExecuteJsSigning,testUsePkpSessionSigsToPkpSign,testUseValidLitActionCodeGeneratedSessionSigsToPkpSign,testUseValidLitActionCodeGeneratedSessionSigsToExecuteJsSigning,testDelegatingCapacityCreditsNFTToAnotherWalletToExecuteJs,testEthAuthSigToEncryptDecryptString,testExecuteJsSignAndCombineEcdsa,testExecutJsDecryptAndCombine,testExecuteJsBroadcastAndCollect  --exclude=Parallel
+        run: yarn test:local --filter=testUseEoaSessionSigsToExecuteJsSigning,testUseEoaSessionSigsToPkpSign,testUsePkpSessionSigsToExecuteJsSigning,testUsePkpSessionSigsToPkpSign,testUseValidLitActionCodeGeneratedSessionSigsToPkpSign,testUseValidLitActionCodeGeneratedSessionSigsToExecuteJsSigning,testDelegatingCapacityCreditsNFTToAnotherWalletToExecuteJs,testEthAuthSigToEncryptDecryptString,testExecuteJsSignAndCombineEcdsa,testExecutJsDecryptAndCombine,testExecuteJsBroadcastAndCollect --exclude=Parallel
diff --git a/packages/constants/src/lib/constants/constants.ts b/packages/constants/src/lib/constants/constants.ts
index f5ab3ff489..22f74f7859 100644
--- a/packages/constants/src/lib/constants/constants.ts
+++ b/packages/constants/src/lib/constants/constants.ts
@@ -789,8 +789,8 @@ export const METAMASK_CHAIN_INFO_BY_NETWORK: Record<
   localhost: metamaskChainInfo.yellowstone,
 };
 
-const HTTP = 'http://';
-const HTTPS = 'https://';
+export const HTTP = 'http://';
+export const HTTPS = 'https://';
 
 /**
  * Mapping of network values to corresponding http protocol.
@@ -804,8 +804,9 @@ export const HTTP_BY_NETWORK: Record<
   habanero: HTTPS,
   'datil-dev': HTTPS,
   'datil-test': HTTPS,
-  custom: HTTP,
-  localhost: HTTP,
+  internalDev: HTTPS,
+  custom: HTTP, // default, can be changed by config
+  localhost: HTTP, // default, can be changed by config
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/contracts-sdk/src/lib/contracts-sdk.ts b/packages/contracts-sdk/src/lib/contracts-sdk.ts
index 76df1a1530..42263170de 100644
--- a/packages/contracts-sdk/src/lib/contracts-sdk.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts-sdk/src/lib/contracts-sdk.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ import {
   HTTP_BY_NETWORK,
   CENTRALISATION_BY_NETWORK,
   LIT_NETWORK,
+  HTTP,
+  HTTPS,
 } from '@lit-protocol/constants';
 import { LogManager, Logger } from '@lit-protocol/logger';
 import { computeAddress } from 'ethers/lib/utils';
@@ -888,7 +890,8 @@ export class LitContracts {
   public static getValidators = async (
     network: LIT_NETWORKS_KEYS,
     context?: LitContractContext | LitContractResolverContext,
-    rpcUrl?: string
+    rpcUrl?: string,
+    nodeProtocol?: typeof HTTP | typeof HTTPS | null
   ): Promise<string[]> => {
     const contract = await LitContracts.getStakingContract(
       network,
@@ -941,13 +944,24 @@ export class LitContracts {
     });
 
     const networks = activeValidatorStructs.map((item: ValidatorStruct) => {
-      const protocol = HTTP_BY_NETWORK[network];
       const centralisation = CENTRALISATION_BY_NETWORK[network];
-      const ip = intToIP(item.ip);
-      const port = item.port;
 
+      // Convert the integer IP to a string format
+      const ip = intToIP(item.ip);
+      let port = item.port;
+
+      // Determine the protocol to use based on various conditions
+      const protocol =
+        // If nodeProtocol is defined, use it
+        nodeProtocol ||
+        // If port is 443, use HTTPS, otherwise use network-specific HTTP
+        (port === 443 ? HTTPS : HTTP_BY_NETWORK[network]) ||
+        // Fallback to HTTP if no other conditions are met
+        HTTP;
+
+      // Check for specific conditions in centralised networks
       if (centralisation === 'centralised') {
-        // -- validate if it's cayenne AND port range is 8470 - 8479, if not, throw error
+        // Validate if it's cayenne AND port range is 8470 - 8479, if not, throw error
         if (
           network === LIT_NETWORK.Cayenne &&
           !port.toString().startsWith('8')
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/lit-core.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/lit-core.ts
index 9ddc414639..0ad8e06fb5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/lit-core.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/lit-core.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import {
   RPC_URL_BY_NETWORK,
   StakingStates,
   version,
+  HTTP,
+  HTTPS,
 } from '@lit-protocol/constants';
 import { LitContracts } from '@lit-protocol/contracts-sdk';
 import {
@@ -99,6 +101,8 @@ export type LitNodeClientConfigWithDefaults = Required<
     Pick<LitNodeClientConfig, 'storageProvider' | 'contractContext' | 'rpcUrl'>
   > & {
     bootstrapUrls: string[];
+  } & {
+    nodeProtocol?: typeof HTTP | typeof HTTPS | null;
   };
 
 // On epoch change, we wait this many seconds for the nodes to update to the new epoch before using the new epoch #
@@ -131,6 +135,7 @@ export class LitCore {
     litNetwork: 'cayenne', // Default to cayenne network. will be replaced by custom config.
     minNodeCount: 2, // Default value, should be replaced
     bootstrapUrls: [], // Default value, should be replaced
+    nodeProtocol: null,
   };
   connectedNodes = new Set<string>();
   serverKeys: Record<string, JsonHandshakeResponse> = {};
@@ -234,7 +239,8 @@ export class LitCore {
       LitContracts.getValidators(
         this.config.litNetwork,
         this.config.contractContext,
-        this.config.rpcUrl
+        this.config.rpcUrl,
+        this.config.nodeProtocol
       ),
     ]);