diff --git a/client/src/lib.rs b/client/src/lib.rs
index 9f20f8f71..80b112ff5 100644
--- a/client/src/lib.rs
+++ b/client/src/lib.rs
@@ -56,6 +56,18 @@ impl SequencerClient {
             .context("subscribing to Espresso headers")
     }
 
+    /// Subscribe to a stream of Block Headers
+    pub async fn subscribe_blocks(
+        &self,
+        height: u64,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<Connection<Header, Unsupported, ClientError, SequencerApiVersion>> {
+        self.0
+            .socket(&format!("availability/stream/blocks/{height}"))
+            .subscribe()
+            .await
+            .context("subscribing to Espresso Blocks")
+    }
+
     /// Get the balance for a given account at a given block height, defaulting to current balance.
     pub async fn get_espresso_balance(
         &self,
diff --git a/process-compose.yaml b/process-compose.yaml
index bf0a95b44..825c13aa5 100644
--- a/process-compose.yaml
+++ b/process-compose.yaml
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ processes:
       success_threshold: 1
       failure_threshold: 100
     availability:
-      restart: "exit_on_failure"
+      restart: exit_on_failure
 
   state-relay-server:
     command: state-relay-server
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ processes:
         condition: process_completed
     availability:
       exit_on_skipped: true
+      restart: exit_on_failure
 
     readiness_probe:
       http_get:
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ processes:
         path: /healthcheck
       failure_threshold: 100
     availability:
-      exit_on_skipped: true
+      restart: exit_on_failure
 
   sequencer2:
     command: sequencer -- http -- catchup -- status
@@ -263,6 +264,7 @@ processes:
       failure_threshold: 100
     availability:
       exit_on_skipped: true
+      restart: exit_on_failure
 
   sequencer3:
     command: sequencer -- http -- catchup -- status
@@ -310,6 +312,7 @@ processes:
       failure_threshold: 100
     availability:
       exit_on_skipped: true
+      restart: exit_on_failure
 
   sequencer4:
     command: sequencer -- http -- catchup -- status
@@ -353,6 +356,7 @@ processes:
       failure_threshold: 100
     availability:
       exit_on_skipped: true
+      restart: exit_on_failure
 
   node_validator:
     command: RUST_LOG=debug node-metrics --
diff --git a/tests/smoke.rs b/tests/smoke.rs
index c16557421..ef8e78504 100644
--- a/tests/smoke.rs
+++ b/tests/smoke.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 use crate::common::TestConfig;
 use anyhow::Result;
-use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
-use tokio::time::sleep;
+use futures::StreamExt;
+use std::time::Instant;
+
+/// We allow for no change in state across this many iterations.
+const MAX_STATE_NOT_INCREMENTING: u8 = 1;
+/// We allow for no new transactions across this many iterations.
+const MAX_TXNS_NOT_INCREMENTING: u8 = 3;
 
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
 async fn test_smoke() -> Result<()> {
@@ -13,13 +18,18 @@ async fn test_smoke() -> Result<()> {
     println!("Waiting on readiness");
     let _ = testing.readiness().await?;
 
-    let mut initial = testing.test_state().await;
+    let initial = testing.test_state().await;
     println!("Initial State:{}", initial);
 
-    let mut i = 1;
-    loop {
-        sleep(Duration::from_secs(1)).await;
+    let mut sub = testing
+        .espresso
+        .subscribe_blocks(initial.block_height.unwrap())
+        .await?;
 
+    let mut last = initial.clone();
+    let mut state_retries = 0;
+    let mut txn_retries = 0;
+    while (sub.next().await).is_some() {
         let new = testing.test_state().await;
         println!("New State:{}", new);
 
@@ -37,20 +47,35 @@ async fn test_smoke() -> Result<()> {
         // test that we progress EXPECTED_BLOCK_HEIGHT blocks from where we started
         if new.block_height.unwrap() >= testing.expected_block_height() + testing.initial_height {
             println!("Reached {} block(s)!", testing.expected_block_height());
+            if new.txn_count - initial.txn_count < 1 {
+                panic!("Did not receive transactions");
+            }
             break;
         }
 
-        if i % 5 == 0 {
-            if new <= initial {
-                panic!("Chain state not incrementing");
+        if new <= last {
+            if state_retries > MAX_STATE_NOT_INCREMENTING {
+                panic!("Chain state did not increment.");
             }
+            state_retries += 1;
+            println!("Chain state did not increment, trying again.");
+        } else {
+            // If state is incrementing reset the counter.
+            state_retries = 0;
+        }
 
-            if new.txn_count <= initial.txn_count {
-                panic!("Transactions not incrementing");
+        if new.txn_count <= last.txn_count {
+            if txn_retries >= MAX_TXNS_NOT_INCREMENTING {
+                panic!("No new transactions.");
             }
-            initial = new;
+            txn_retries += 1;
+            println!("Transactions did not increment, trying again.");
+        } else {
+            // If transactions are incrementing reset the counter.
+            txn_retries = 0;
         }
-        i += 1;
+
+        last = new;
     }
     Ok(())
 }