diff --git a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController+XPC.mm b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController+XPC.mm
index 1cd02e24648867..87ce5560381cca 100644
--- a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController+XPC.mm
+++ b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController+XPC.mm
@@ -34,13 +34,7 @@
 static NSSet * GetXPCAllowedClasses()
 {
     static NSSet * const sXPCAllowedClasses = [NSSet setWithArray:@[
-        [NSString class],
-        [NSNumber class],
-        [NSData class],
-        [NSArray class],
-        [NSDictionary class],
-        [NSError class],
-        [NSDate class],
+        [NSString class], [NSNumber class], [NSData class], [NSArray class], [NSDictionary class], [NSError class]
     ]];
     return sXPCAllowedClasses;
 }
diff --git a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController_XPC.h b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController_XPC.h
index 87218b1f391a66..c891c10d726791 100644
--- a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController_XPC.h
+++ b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDeviceController_XPC.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ MTR_TESTABLE
 - (id)initWithUniqueIdentifier:(NSUUID *)UUID machServiceName:(NSString *)machServiceName options:(NSXPCConnectionOptions)options
 #endif
 
-    @property(nullable, atomic, retain, readwrite)NSXPCConnection * xpcConnection;
+    @property(atomic, retain, readwrite)NSXPCConnection * xpcConnection;
 
 @end
 
diff --git a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDevice_Internal.h b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDevice_Internal.h
index d0661b2590e9cd..2eebddfb6c9077 100644
--- a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDevice_Internal.h
+++ b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRDevice_Internal.h
@@ -224,10 +224,6 @@ static NSString * const sLastInitialSubscribeLatencyKey = @"lastInitialSubscribe
 // Concrete to XPC internal state property dictionary keys
 static NSString * const kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyKeyVendorID = @"MTRDeviceInternalStateKeyVendorID";
 static NSString * const kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyKeyProductID = @"MTRDeviceInternalStateKeyProductID";
-static NSString * const kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyNetworkFeatures = @"MTRDeviceInternalPropertyNetworkFeatures";
-static NSString * const kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyDeviceState = @"MTRDeviceInternalPropertyDeviceState";
-static NSString * const kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyLastSubscriptionAttemptWait = @"kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyLastSubscriptionAttemptWait";
-static NSString * const kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyMostRecentReportTime = @"MTRDeviceInternalPropertyMostRecentReportTime";
-static NSString * const kMTRDeviceInternalPropertyLastSubscriptionFailureTime = @"MTRDeviceInternalPropertyLastSubscriptionFailureTime";
+// TODO:  more internal properties
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_END
diff --git a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCClientProtocol.h b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCClientProtocol.h
index cfa59db8a73303..b26b6d88849193 100644
--- a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCClientProtocol.h	
+++ b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCClientProtocol.h	
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ MTR_NEWLY_AVAILABLE
 - (oneway void)deviceBecameActive:(NSNumber *)nodeID;
 - (oneway void)deviceCachePrimed:(NSNumber *)nodeID;
 - (oneway void)deviceConfigurationChanged:(NSNumber *)nodeID;
+
+@optional
+// temporarily optional to avoid lockstep needs
 - (oneway void)device:(NSNumber *)nodeID internalStateUpdated:(NSDictionary *)dictionary;
 @end
 
diff --git a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCServerProtocol.h b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCServerProtocol.h
index bd7d0e6df0e99c..c95263f740961b 100644
--- a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCServerProtocol.h	
+++ b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/XPC Protocol/MTRXPCServerProtocol.h	
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ MTR_NEWLY_AVAILABLE
 // - (oneway void)deviceController:(NSUUID *)controller removeServerEndpoint:(MTRServerEndpoint *)endpoint;
 
 - (oneway void)deviceController:(NSUUID *)controller shutdownDeviceController:(NSUUID *)controller;
+
+@optional
+// register / unregister temporarily optional to avoid lockstep needs
 - (oneway void)deviceController:(NSUUID *)controller registerNodeID:(NSNumber *)nodeID;
 - (oneway void)deviceController:(NSUUID *)controller unregisterNodeID:(NSNumber *)nodeID;