diff --git a/.github/actions/librocksdb/action.yaml b/.github/actions/librocksdb/action.yaml
index 5411bbc9859..8bb32f9fae1 100644
--- a/.github/actions/librocksdb/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/actions/librocksdb/action.yaml
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ name: "librocksdb"
 description: "Build and install librocksdb"
 inputs:
   version:
-    description: RocksDB version, eg. "9.9.3"
+    description: RocksDB version, eg. "11.8.1"
     required: false
-    default: "9.9.3"
+    default: "11.8.1"
   force:
     description: Force rebuild
     required: false
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 61598d1da85..d9997eaa125 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -525,26 +525,6 @@ version = "0.6.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "230c5f1ca6a325a32553f8640d31ac9b49f2411e901e427570154868b46da4f7"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "bincode"
-version = "2.0.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "36eaf5d7b090263e8150820482d5d93cd964a81e4019913c972f4edcc6edb740"
-dependencies = [
- "bincode_derive",
- "serde",
- "unty",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "bincode_derive"
-version = "2.0.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "bf95709a440f45e986983918d0e8a1f30a9b1df04918fc828670606804ac3c09"
-dependencies = [
- "virtue 0.0.18",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "bindgen"
 version = "0.65.1"
@@ -577,7 +557,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags 2.13.0",
  "cexpr",
  "clang-sys",
- "itertools 0.10.5",
+ "itertools 0.13.0",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "regex",
@@ -1230,7 +1210,7 @@ version = "3.1.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "faf9468729b8cbcea668e36183cb69d317348c2e08e994829fb56ebfdfbaac34"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1663,18 +1643,18 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "dash-network"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
- "bincode_derive",
  "cbindgen 0.29.4",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode-derive",
  "serde",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "dash-network-seeds"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
  "dash-network",
 ]
@@ -1769,7 +1749,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "dash-spv"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "chrono",
@@ -1798,13 +1778,11 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "dashcore"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64-compat",
  "bech32 0.9.1",
- "bincode",
- "bincode_derive",
  "bitvec",
  "blake3",
  "blsful",
@@ -1812,6 +1790,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "dashcore-private",
  "dashcore_hashes",
  "ed25519-dalek",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode-derive",
  "hex",
  "hex_lit",
  "rustversion",
@@ -1824,12 +1804,12 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "dashcore-private"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "dashcore-rpc"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
  "dashcore-rpc-json",
  "hex",
@@ -1842,10 +1822,10 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "dashcore-rpc-json"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "dashcore",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "key-wallet",
  "serde",
@@ -1857,10 +1837,10 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "dashcore_hashes"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "dashcore-private",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "rs-x11-hash",
  "serde",
 ]
@@ -2118,7 +2098,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "base64 0.22.1",
  "bech32 0.11.1",
- "bincode",
  "bs58",
  "byteorder",
  "chrono",
@@ -2133,6 +2112,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "dpp-json-convertible-derive",
  "env_logger",
  "getrandom 0.2.17",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-commitment-tree",
  "hex",
  "indexmap 2.14.0",
@@ -2184,7 +2164,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "arc-swap",
  "assert_matches",
  "base64 0.22.1",
- "bincode",
  "bs58",
  "byteorder",
  "chrono",
@@ -2194,6 +2173,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "dpp",
  "enum-map",
  "grovedb",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-costs",
  "grovedb-epoch-based-storage-flags",
  "grovedb-path",
@@ -2226,7 +2206,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "arc-swap",
  "assert_matches",
  "async-trait",
- "bincode",
  "blake3",
  "bls-signatures",
  "chrono",
@@ -2245,6 +2224,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "drive-proof-verifier",
  "envy",
  "file-rotate",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-commitment-tree",
  "grovedb-path",
  "grovedb-storage",
@@ -2285,12 +2265,12 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "drive-proof-verifier"
 version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "dapi-grpc",
  "dash-context-provider",
  "derive_more 1.0.0",
  "dpp",
  "drive",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "indexmap 2.14.0",
  "platform-serialization",
@@ -2497,7 +2477,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "39cab71617ae0d63f51a36d69f866391735b51691dbda63cf6f96d042b63efeb"
 dependencies = [
  "libc",
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2927,7 +2907,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "git-state"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "glob"
@@ -2976,13 +2956,13 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "axum 0.8.9",
- "bincode",
- "bincode_derive",
  "blake3",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode-derive",
  "grovedb-bulk-append-tree",
  "grovedb-commitment-tree",
  "grovedb-costs",
@@ -3013,13 +2993,33 @@ dependencies = [
  "zip-extensions",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "grovedb-bincode"
+version = "2.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ce912028682ecc5870a5ad609ea456b76b0bf4ec1ba1eb649400b64ff73a7782"
+dependencies = [
+ "grovedb-bincode-derive",
+ "serde",
+ "unty",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "grovedb-bincode-derive"
+version = "2.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9eaff4e961dcb3e7e55c34c8c6982249036e5aaa19e55f6dab94ebcd4896b03a"
+dependencies = [
+ "virtue 0.0.18",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-bulk-append-tree"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "blake3",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-costs",
  "grovedb-dense-fixed-sized-merkle-tree",
  "grovedb-merkle-mountain-range",
@@ -3033,8 +3033,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-commitment-tree"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "blake3",
  "grovedb-bulk-append-tree",
@@ -3050,8 +3050,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-costs"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "integer-encoding",
  "intmap",
@@ -3060,11 +3060,11 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-dense-fixed-sized-merkle-tree"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "blake3",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-costs",
  "grovedb-query",
  "grovedb-storage",
@@ -3074,11 +3074,11 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-element"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
- "bincode_derive",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode-derive",
  "grovedb-path",
  "grovedb-query",
  "grovedb-version",
@@ -3090,8 +3090,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-epoch-based-storage-flags"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "grovedb-costs",
  "hex",
@@ -3102,15 +3102,15 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-merk"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
- "bincode_derive",
  "blake3",
  "byteorder",
  "colored",
  "ed",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode-derive",
  "grovedb-costs",
  "grovedb-element",
  "grovedb-path",
@@ -3128,11 +3128,11 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-merkle-mountain-range"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "blake3",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-costs",
  "grovedb-storage",
  "grovedb-version",
@@ -3141,16 +3141,16 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-path"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "hex",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-private-document-store"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "blake3",
  "grovedb-bulk-append-tree",
@@ -3162,12 +3162,12 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-query"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "byteorder",
  "ed",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-costs",
  "grovedb-storage",
  "hex",
@@ -3178,8 +3178,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-storage"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "blake3",
  "grovedb-costs",
@@ -3197,8 +3197,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-version"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
  "versioned-feature-core",
@@ -3206,8 +3206,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedb-visualize"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "hex",
  "itertools 0.14.0",
@@ -3215,8 +3215,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "grovedbg-types"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e#6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e"
+version = "6.0.0"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb?rev=6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f#6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f"
 dependencies = [
  "serde",
  "serde_with 3.21.0",
@@ -3632,7 +3632,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "percent-encoding",
  "pin-project-lite",
- "socket2 0.5.10",
+ "socket2 0.6.4",
  "system-configuration",
  "tokio",
  "tower-service",
@@ -3883,7 +3883,7 @@ checksum = "3640c1c38b8e4e43584d8df18be5fc6b0aa314ce6ebf51b53313d4306cca8e46"
 dependencies = [
  "hermit-abi",
  "libc",
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -4139,13 +4139,11 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "key-wallet"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
  "aes",
  "async-trait",
  "base58ck",
- "bincode",
- "bincode_derive",
  "bip39",
  "bitflags 2.13.0",
  "bs58",
@@ -4153,6 +4151,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "dashcore-private",
  "dashcore_hashes",
  "getrandom 0.2.17",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode-derive",
  "hex",
  "rand 0.8.6",
  "scrypt",
@@ -4168,7 +4168,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "key-wallet-ffi"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
  "cbindgen 0.29.4",
  "dash-network",
@@ -4184,11 +4184,11 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "key-wallet-manager"
 version = "0.45.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722#697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722"
+source = "git+https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore?rev=e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15#e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
- "bincode",
  "dashcore",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "key-wallet",
  "rayon",
  "serde",
@@ -4278,8 +4278,9 @@ checksum = "b6d2cec3eae94f9f509c767b45932f1ada8350c4bdb85af2fcab4a3c14807981"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "librocksdb-sys"
-version = "0.18.0+10.7.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/QuantumExplorer/rust-rocksdb.git?rev=52772eea7bcd214d1d07d80aa538b1d24e5015b7#52772eea7bcd214d1d07d80aa538b1d24e5015b7"
+version = "0.19.0+11.8.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4f45e86edad8e88efe97dbf384b4e48e1ff0f111eabf154c7b09d7a1e5fb573c"
 dependencies = [
  "bindgen 0.72.1",
  "bzip2-sys",
@@ -4287,6 +4288,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "libz-sys",
  "lz4-sys",
+ "rustflags",
  "zstd-sys",
 ]
 
@@ -4706,7 +4708,7 @@ version = "0.50.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7957b9740744892f114936ab4a57b3f487491bbeafaf8083688b16841a4240e5"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -5184,7 +5186,7 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "platform-serialization"
 version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "platform-version",
 ]
 
@@ -5203,9 +5205,9 @@ name = "platform-value"
 version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.22.1",
- "bincode",
  "bs58",
  "ciborium",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "indexmap 2.14.0",
  "platform-serialization",
@@ -5229,7 +5231,7 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "platform-version"
 version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "grovedb-version",
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
  "versioned-feature-core",
@@ -5290,13 +5292,13 @@ version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-trait",
- "bincode",
  "bs58",
  "cbindgen 0.27.0",
  "dash-network",
  "dash-sdk",
  "dashcore",
  "dpp",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "key-wallet",
  "lazy_static",
@@ -5319,7 +5321,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "apple-native-keyring-store",
  "argon2",
  "assert_cmd",
- "bincode",
  "chacha20poly1305",
  "chrono",
  "clap",
@@ -5330,6 +5331,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "fd-lock",
  "filetime",
  "getrandom 0.2.17",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "humantime",
  "key-wallet",
@@ -5599,8 +5601,8 @@ version = "0.14.4"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "03da047801ff44bb6a4d407d4860c05fd70bb81714e6b2f3812603d5b145b042"
 dependencies = [
- "heck 0.4.1",
- "itertools 0.10.5",
+ "heck 0.5.0",
+ "itertools 0.14.0",
  "log",
  "multimap",
  "petgraph",
@@ -5621,7 +5623,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "8a56d757972c98b346a9b766e3f02746cde6dd1cd1d1d563472929fdd74bec4d"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
- "itertools 0.10.5",
+ "itertools 0.14.0",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "syn 2.0.117",
@@ -5634,7 +5636,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b570b25f7617e43d59005d0990ccb79e950a423952cea19671b7a876da390adf"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
- "itertools 0.10.5",
+ "itertools 0.14.0",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "syn 2.0.117",
@@ -5770,7 +5772,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "quinn-udp",
  "rustc-hash 2.1.2",
  "rustls",
- "socket2 0.5.10",
+ "socket2 0.6.4",
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
  "tokio",
  "tracing",
@@ -5808,7 +5810,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "cfg_aliases",
  "libc",
  "once_cell",
- "socket2 0.5.10",
+ "socket2 0.6.4",
  "tracing",
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]
@@ -6308,8 +6310,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rocksdb"
-version = "0.24.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/QuantumExplorer/rust-rocksdb.git?rev=52772eea7bcd214d1d07d80aa538b1d24e5015b7#52772eea7bcd214d1d07d80aa538b1d24e5015b7"
+version = "0.25.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d8d90add70d1d420ee487bce4a1449880a8d147451c6051b2ee5f8354553dcbf"
 dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "librocksdb-sys",
@@ -6439,7 +6442,6 @@ name = "rs-sdk-ffi"
 version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
- "bincode",
  "bs58",
  "cbindgen 0.27.0",
  "dash-async",
@@ -6450,6 +6452,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "env_logger",
  "envy",
  "getrandom 0.2.17",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "key-wallet",
  "libc",
@@ -6608,6 +6611,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "semver",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rustflags"
+version = "0.1.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a39e0e9135d7a7208ee80aa4e3e4b88f0f5ad7be92153ed70686c38a03db2e63"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rustix"
 version = "0.38.44"
@@ -6631,7 +6640,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "errno",
  "libc",
  "linux-raw-sys 0.12.1",
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -6690,7 +6699,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "security-framework",
  "security-framework-sys",
  "webpki-root-certs",
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -7240,8 +7249,8 @@ version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "base64 0.22.1",
- "bincode",
  "dpp",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "tracing",
  "zeroize",
@@ -7375,9 +7384,9 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "strategy-tests"
 version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode",
  "dpp",
  "drive",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "platform-version",
  "rand 0.8.6",
@@ -7541,7 +7550,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "getrandom 0.4.2",
  "once_cell",
  "rustix 1.1.4",
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -8754,8 +8763,8 @@ version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-trait",
- "bincode",
  "dpp",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "itertools 0.13.0",
  "js-sys",
@@ -8778,9 +8787,9 @@ version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-trait",
- "bincode",
  "dpp",
  "dpp-json-convertible-derive",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "js-sys",
  "serde",
@@ -8796,12 +8805,12 @@ name = "wasm-drive-verify"
 version = "4.2.0-dev.8"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.22.1",
- "bincode",
  "bs58",
  "ciborium",
  "console_error_panic_hook",
  "dpp",
  "drive",
+ "grovedb-bincode",
  "hex",
  "indexmap 2.14.0",
  "js-sys",
@@ -8987,7 +8996,7 @@ version = "0.1.11"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c2a7b1c03c876122aa43f3020e6c3c3ee5c05081c9a00739faf7503aeba10d22"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 16cb05e44aa..8fb367a6361 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -53,14 +53,15 @@ members = [
 ]
 
 [workspace.dependencies]
-dashcore = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
-dash-network-seeds = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
-dash-spv = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
-key-wallet = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
-key-wallet-ffi = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
-key-wallet-manager = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
-dash-network = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
-dashcore-rpc = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "697bfb7251123e5ad12848631b819668119ef722" }
+bincode = { package = "grovedb-bincode", version = "=2.1.0" }
+dashcore = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
+dash-network-seeds = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
+dash-spv = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
+key-wallet = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
+key-wallet-ffi = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
+key-wallet-manager = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
+dash-network = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
+dashcore-rpc = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rust-dashcore", rev = "e4208c90786a6854bd498315bcb571ef24182c15" }
 tokio-metrics = "0.5"
 
 # Size-tuned profile for the iOS `rs-unified-sdk-ffi` staticlib, which
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 846150203f7..13a762334ce 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ ONBUILD ARG CARGO_BUILD_PROFILE=dev
 
 RUN --mount=type=secret,id=AWS <<EOS
 set -ex -o pipefail
-git clone https://github.com/facebook/rocksdb.git -b v10.4.2 --depth 1 .
+git clone https://github.com/facebook/rocksdb.git -b v11.8.1 --depth 1 .
 source /root/env
 
 make -j$(nproc) static_lib
diff --git a/packages/rs-dpp/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-dpp/Cargo.toml
index 70470f53d25..b1a6d6a8c61 100644
--- a/packages/rs-dpp/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-dpp/Cargo.toml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ lazy_static = { version = "1.4" }
 # IEEE correctly rounded, so log/exp/pow stay bit-identical across targets either way.
 libm = { version = "=0.2.16", default-features = false }
 num_enum = "0.7"
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 rand = { version = "0.8.5", features = ["small_rng"] }
 regex = { version = "1.10.4" }
 serde = { version = "1.0.219", features = ["derive"] }
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ strum = { version = "0.26", features = ["derive"] }
 json-schema-compatibility-validator = { path = '../rs-json-schema-compatibility-validator', optional = true }
 once_cell = "1.19.0"
 tracing = { version = "0.1.41" }
-grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e", optional = true }
+grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f", optional = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 tokio = { version = "1.40", features = ["full"] }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive-abci/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-drive-abci/Cargo.toml
index 843fb9caee3..dccf7521b5c 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive-abci/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-drive-abci/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ license = "MIT"
 
 [dependencies]
 arc-swap = "1.7.0"
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 ciborium = { version = "0.2.2" }
 chrono = "0.4.35"
 serde = { version = "1.0.219", features = ["derive"] }
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ derive_more = { version = "1.0", features = ["from", "deref", "deref_mut"] }
 async-trait = "0.1.77"
 console-subscriber = { version = "0.4", optional = true }
 bls-signatures = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/bls-signatures", rev = "0842b17583888e8f46c252a4ee84cdfd58e0546f", optional = true }
-grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
+grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
 nonempty = "0.11"
 # Shielded-pool snapshot needs raw RocksDB SstFileWriter + ingest_external_file_cf
 # bindings, and blake3 for the snapshot-file checksum.
-rocksdb = { git = "https://github.com/QuantumExplorer/rust-rocksdb.git", rev = "52772eea7bcd214d1d07d80aa538b1d24e5015b7" }
+rocksdb = "0.25.0"
 blake3 = "1.5"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ dpp = { path = "../rs-dpp", default-features = false, features = [
 drive = { path = "../rs-drive", features = ["fixtures-and-mocks"] }
 drive-proof-verifier = { path = "../rs-drive-proof-verifier" }
 strategy-tests = { path = "../strategy-tests" }
-grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e", features = ["client"] }
+grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f", features = ["client"] }
 assert_matches = "1.5.0"
 drive-abci = { path = ".", features = ["testing-config", "mocks", "shielded_test_data"] }
 bls-signatures = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/bls-signatures", rev = "0842b17583888e8f46c252a4ee84cdfd58e0546f" }
@@ -117,13 +117,13 @@ dash-platform-macros = { path = "../rs-dash-platform-macros" }
 libc = "0.2"
 
 # For tests of grovedb verify
-rocksdb = { git = "https://github.com/QuantumExplorer/rust-rocksdb.git", rev = "52772eea7bcd214d1d07d80aa538b1d24e5015b7" }
+rocksdb = "0.25.0"
 integer-encoding = { version = "4.0.0" }
 
 # For dump_only_default_and_aux_cfs_under_shielded_subtree_prefix — same
 # subtree-prefix algorithm grovedb uses internally.
-grovedb-path = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
-grovedb-storage = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
+grovedb-path = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
+grovedb-storage = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
 
 [features]
 default = ["bls-signatures"]
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/dpns.rs b/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/dpns.rs
index 3ed94b01192..ac0956c6916 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/dpns.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/dpns.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,21 @@ mod dpns_tests {
     async fn test_dpns_contract_references_with_no_contested_unique_index() {
         run_dpns_contract_references_with_no_contested_unique_index_at_protocol_version(
             PlatformVersion::latest().protocol_version,
-            6_010_380,
+            // v14: GroveDB V4 writes through the Merk node it retains from
+            // reading the old value, billing one fewer seek than the V3 path
+            6_006_380,
+        )
+        .await;
+    }
+
+    /// PROTOCOL_VERSION_13: fee predating every v14 change on this path,
+    /// including GroveDB V4's write through the retained old-value node
+    /// (v13 stays on GroveDB V3). Pinned so v13 chain history stays
+    /// bit-for-bit reproducible.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_dpns_contract_references_with_no_contested_unique_index_protocol_version_13() {
+        run_dpns_contract_references_with_no_contested_unique_index_at_protocol_version(
+            13, 6_010_380,
         )
         .await;
     }
@@ -34,7 +48,7 @@ mod dpns_tests {
     /// trigger context's add_operation never called on v0). Pinned so
     /// v11 chain history stays bit-for-bit reproducible.
     ///
-    /// Delta vs PV12: 6_010_380 - 5_978_080 = 32_300 credits = T1 + T2
+    /// Delta at PV12 (6_010_380): 6_010_380 - 5_978_080 = 32_300 credits = T1 + T2
     /// query costs across 3 subdomain creates (~10,767 per transition,
     /// or ~5,383 per query).
     #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/replacement.rs b/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/replacement.rs
index 5b9c07a62c0..8e8ca006643 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/replacement.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/batch/tests/document/replacement.rs
@@ -498,8 +498,10 @@ mod replacement_tests {
     async fn test_document_replace_on_document_type_that_is_mutable() {
         run_document_replace_on_document_type_that_is_mutable_at_protocol_version(
             PlatformVersion::latest().protocol_version,
-            // v14: replaced documents carry the contract-version stamp
-            1433220,
+            // v14: replaced documents carry the contract-version stamp, and
+            // GroveDB V4 writes through the Merk node it retains from reading
+            // the old value, billing slightly fewer reads than the V3 path
+            1428320,
         )
         .await;
     }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/masternode_vote/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/masternode_vote/mod.rs
index 3707d37c101..de0ad97a00d 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/masternode_vote/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive-abci/src/execution/validation/state_transition/state_transitions/masternode_vote/mod.rs
@@ -3007,6 +3007,19 @@ mod tests {
 
                 let index_name = "parentNameAndLabel".to_string();
 
+                // The verifier has to walk the proof the way the request asked
+                // for it, as the SDK's proof verifier does when it mirrors the
+                // request: grovedb refuses a layer proof read in the other
+                // direction.
+                let verifier_start_at = start_at_identifier_info.as_ref().map(|info| {
+                    let start_identifier: [u8; 32] = info
+                        .start_identifier
+                        .clone()
+                        .try_into()
+                        .expect("expected a 32 byte start identifier");
+                    (start_identifier, info.start_identifier_included)
+                });
+
                 let query_validation_result = platform
                     .query_contested_resource_voters_for_identity(
                         GetContestedResourceVotersForIdentityRequest {
@@ -3063,9 +3076,9 @@ mod tests {
                         },
                         contestant_id: contender_id,
                         offset: None,
-                        limit: None,
-                        start_at: None,
-                        order_ascending: true,
+                        limit: count.map(|count| count as u16),
+                        start_at: verifier_start_at,
+                        order_ascending,
                     };
 
                 let (_, voters) = resolved_contested_document_vote_poll_drive_query
@@ -3477,6 +3490,53 @@ mod tests {
                 assert_eq!(voters_3, voters_3_desc);
 
                 assert_eq!(voters_3.len(), 8);
+
+                // Paged proved requests: a limit smaller than the 50 available
+                // voters and a cursor, inclusive and exclusive, in both
+                // directions. `voters_1` is the full ascending sequence, so each
+                // page must equal the matching slice of it, and the verifier
+                // must run with the request's own order, count and cursor for
+                // the proof to verify at all.
+                let cursor = |index: usize, included: bool| {
+                    Some(
+                        get_contested_resource_voters_for_identity_request_v0::StartAtIdentifierInfo {
+                            start_identifier: voters_1[index].to_vec(),
+                            start_identifier_included: included,
+                        },
+                    )
+                };
+                let page = |count: u32, order_ascending: bool, start_at| {
+                    get_proved_contestant_votes(
+                        &platform,
+                        &platform_state,
+                        dpns_contract.as_ref(),
+                        contender_1.id(),
+                        "quantum",
+                        Some(count),
+                        order_ascending,
+                        start_at,
+                        platform_version,
+                    )
+                };
+
+                assert_eq!(page(10, true, cursor(9, true)), voters_1[9..19].to_vec());
+                assert_eq!(page(10, true, cursor(9, false)), voters_1[10..20].to_vec());
+
+                let descending_from_40_inclusive: Vec<Identifier> =
+                    voters_1[31..=40].iter().rev().copied().collect();
+                assert_eq!(
+                    page(10, false, cursor(40, true)),
+                    descending_from_40_inclusive
+                );
+                let descending_from_40_exclusive: Vec<Identifier> =
+                    voters_1[30..=39].iter().rev().copied().collect();
+                assert_eq!(
+                    page(10, false, cursor(40, false)),
+                    descending_from_40_exclusive
+                );
+
+                // A short final page: the limit exceeds what remains.
+                assert_eq!(page(10, true, cursor(45, false)), voters_1[46..50].to_vec());
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive-proof-verifier/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-drive-proof-verifier/Cargo.toml
index d0246c9a8eb..fe5705e4b1f 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive-proof-verifier/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-drive-proof-verifier/Cargo.toml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ dpp = { path = "../rs-dpp", features = [
 dash-context-provider = { path = "../rs-context-provider", features = [
   "mocks",
 ] }
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 platform-serialization-derive = { path = "../rs-platform-serialization-derive", optional = true }
 platform-serialization = { path = "../rs-platform-serialization" }
 tenderdash-abci = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/rs-tenderdash-abci", tag = "v1.5.1", features = [
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-drive/Cargo.toml
index fcbb004cc3d..b73a0ebaec5 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ license = "MIT"
 resolver = "2"
 
 [dependencies]
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 platform-version = { path = "../rs-platform-version" }
 # used to convert integers to bytes, needed in verifier
 integer-encoding = { version = "4.0.0" }
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ enum-map = { version = "2.0.3", optional = true }
 intmap = { version = "3.0.1", features = ["serde"], optional = true }
 chrono = { version = "0.4.35", optional = true }
 itertools = { version = "0.13", optional = true }
-grovedb = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e", optional = true, default-features = false }
-grovedb-costs = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e", optional = true }
-grovedb-path = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
-grovedb-query = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
-grovedb-storage = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e", optional = true }
-grovedb-version = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
-grovedb-epoch-based-storage-flags = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
+grovedb = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f", optional = true, default-features = false }
+grovedb-costs = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f", optional = true }
+grovedb-path = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
+grovedb-query = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
+grovedb-storage = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f", optional = true }
+grovedb-version = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
+grovedb-epoch-based-storage-flags = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 criterion = "0.5"
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/add_to_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/add_to_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs
index 33b1740e104..16096317bc7 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/add_to_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/add_to_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ impl Drive {
             path_holding_total_credits_vec,
             TOTAL_SYSTEM_CREDITS_STORAGE_KEY.to_vec(),
             Item(new_total.encode_var_vec(), None),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(replace_op));
         Ok(drive_operations)
     }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/remove_from_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/remove_from_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs
index 8bdb989d21f..d6cc791db2f 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/remove_from_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/balances/remove_from_system_credits_operations/v0/mod.rs
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ impl Drive {
             path_holding_total_credits_vec,
             TOTAL_SYSTEM_CREDITS_STORAGE_KEY.to_vec(),
             Item(new_total.encode_var_vec(), None),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(replace_op));
         Ok(drive_operations)
     }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/contract/update/update_keywords/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/contract/update/update_keywords/v0/mod.rs
index 15a847c7e8a..0f93b9d4381 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/contract/update/update_keywords/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/contract/update/update_keywords/v0/mod.rs
@@ -596,7 +596,10 @@ mod tests {
             .fold((0, 0), |(deletes, inserts), operation| match operation {
                 LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(op) if op.path.to_path() == group_path => {
                     match op.op {
-                        GroveOp::Delete | GroveOp::DeleteTree(..) => (deletes + 1, inserts),
+                        GroveOp::DeleteDontCheckForBackwardsReferences
+                        | GroveOp::DeleteTreeDontCheckForBackwardsReferences(..) => {
+                            (deletes + 1, inserts)
+                        }
                         _ => (deletes, inserts + 1),
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/credit_distribution_pools/add_epoch_final_info_operation/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/credit_distribution_pools/add_epoch_final_info_operation/v0/mod.rs
index 212ca01d11e..a2128f3f8ca 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/credit_distribution_pools/add_epoch_final_info_operation/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/credit_distribution_pools/add_epoch_final_info_operation/v0/mod.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ impl Drive {
             epoch_tree_path,
             epoch_key_constants::KEY_FINISHED_EPOCH_INFO.to_vec(),
             Element::new_item(serialized),
-        ))
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references())
     }
 }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/operations_factory.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/operations_factory.rs
index a3396005212..c030fb1ff43 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/operations_factory.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/epochs/operations_factory.rs
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             KEY_PROTOCOL_VERSION.to_vec(),
             Element::Item(protocol_version.to_be_bytes().to_vec(), None),
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which updates the epoch start time.
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             KEY_START_TIME.to_vec(),
             Element::Item(time_ms.to_be_bytes().to_vec(), None),
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which updates the epoch start block height.
@@ -212,6 +214,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             KEY_START_BLOCK_HEIGHT.to_vec(),
             Element::Item(start_block_height.to_be_bytes().to_vec(), None),
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which updates the epoch start block core height.
@@ -224,6 +227,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             KEY_START_BLOCK_CORE_HEIGHT.to_vec(),
             Element::Item(start_block_core_height.to_be_bytes().to_vec(), None),
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which updates the epoch fee multiplier.
@@ -233,6 +237,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             KEY_FEE_MULTIPLIER.to_vec(),
             Element::Item(multiplier_permille.to_be_bytes().to_vec(), None),
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which updates the epoch processing credits for distribution.
@@ -244,12 +249,14 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             self.get_path_vec(),
             KEY_POOL_PROCESSING_FEES.to_vec(),
             Element::new_sum_item(processing_fee.to_signed()?),
-        ))
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references())
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which deletes the epoch processing credits for distribution tree.
     fn delete_processing_credits_for_distribution_operation(&self) -> QualifiedGroveDbOp {
         QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_op(self.get_path_vec(), KEY_POOL_PROCESSING_FEES.to_vec())
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which updates the epoch storage credits for distribution.
@@ -261,12 +268,14 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             self.get_path_vec(),
             KEY_POOL_STORAGE_FEES.to_vec(),
             Element::new_sum_item(storage_fee.to_signed()?),
-        ))
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references())
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which deletes the epoch storage credits for distribution tree.
     fn delete_storage_credits_for_distribution_operation(&self) -> QualifiedGroveDbOp {
         QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_op(self.get_path_vec(), KEY_POOL_STORAGE_FEES.to_vec())
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which updates the given epoch proposer's block count.
@@ -280,6 +289,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             proposer_pro_tx_hash.to_vec(),
             Element::Item(block_count.to_be_bytes().to_vec(), None),
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which inserts an empty tree into the epoch proposers path.
@@ -289,6 +299,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             KEY_PROPOSERS.to_vec(),
             Element::empty_tree(),
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Returns a groveDB op which deletes the epoch proposers tree.
@@ -299,6 +310,7 @@ impl EpochOperations for Epoch {
             TreeType::NormalTree,
             SubelementsDeletionBehavior::DeleteChildren,
         )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
     }
 
     /// Adds a groveDB op to the batch which deletes the given epoch proposers from the proposers tree.
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/mod.rs
index 0d8e3f29726..7af05d8b402 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/mod.rs
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ mod tests {
                     Epoch::new(i as EpochIndex).unwrap().get_path_vec()
                 );
 
-                let GroveOp::InsertOrReplace {
+                let GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                     element: Element::SumItem(credits, _),
                 } = operation.op
                 else {
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ mod tests {
             let updated_credits: Vec<_> = batch
                 .into_iter()
                 .map(|operation| {
-                    let GroveOp::InsertOrReplace {
+                    let GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                         element: Element::SumItem(credits, _),
                     } = operation.op
                     else {
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/operations.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/operations.rs
index 9aad69bf5b4..62e42a99d2d 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/operations.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/operations.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ pub fn update_storage_fee_distribution_pool_operation(
         pools_vec_path(),
         KEY_STORAGE_FEE_POOL.to_vec(),
         Element::new_sum_item(storage_fee.to_signed()?),
-    ))
+    )
+    .dont_check_for_backwards_references())
 }
 
 #[cfg(feature = "server")]
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ pub fn update_unpaid_epoch_index_operation(epoch_index: EpochIndex) -> Qualified
         KEY_UNPAID_EPOCH_INDEX.to_vec(),
         Element::new_item(epoch_index.to_be_bytes().to_vec()),
     )
+    .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/pending_epoch_refunds/methods/add_delete_pending_epoch_refunds_except_specified/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/pending_epoch_refunds/methods/add_delete_pending_epoch_refunds_except_specified/v0/mod.rs
index ed2b1a5d8e3..fcb4223f946 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/pending_epoch_refunds/methods/add_delete_pending_epoch_refunds_except_specified/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/credit_pools/pending_epoch_refunds/methods/add_delete_pending_epoch_refunds_except_specified/v0/mod.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,10 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(batch.len(), expected_pending_refunds.len());
 
         for operation in batch.into_iter() {
-            assert!(matches!(operation.op, GroveOp::Delete));
+            assert!(matches!(
+                operation.op,
+                GroveOp::DeleteDontCheckForBackwardsReferences
+            ));
 
             assert_eq!(operation.path.to_path(), pending_epoch_refunds_path_vec());
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/identity/balance/update.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/identity/balance/update.rs
index 83d8278467b..d2dca9e0f2a 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/identity/balance/update.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/identity/balance/update.rs
@@ -600,14 +600,14 @@ mod tests {
                     _,
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(refund_amount, None),
                         },
                         ..
                     }),
                     ..,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(other_refund_amount, None),
                         },
                         ..
@@ -696,13 +696,13 @@ mod tests {
                     _,
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(refund_amount, None),
                         },
                     ..
                     }),
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::Item(debt_bytes, None),
                         },
                         ..
@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ mod tests {
                     _,
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::Item(debt_bytes, None),
                         },
                         ..
@@ -826,7 +826,7 @@ mod tests {
             assert!(matches!(
                 drive_operations[..],
                 [_, LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                    op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                    op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                         element: Element::SumItem(balance, None),
                     },
                     ..
@@ -885,13 +885,13 @@ mod tests {
                 [
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(balance, None),
                         },
                         ..
                     }),
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::Item(debt_bytes, None),
                         },
                         ..
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
index e4602733a57..f1a4f9b02d4 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
@@ -67,12 +67,14 @@ impl Drive {
                 specialized_balance_id.to_vec(),
                 Element::new_sum_item(new_total as i64),
             )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
         } else {
             QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
                 path_holding_total_credits_vec,
                 specialized_balance_id.to_vec(),
                 Element::new_sum_item(new_total as i64),
             )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
         };
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(op));
         Ok(drive_operations)
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs
index a65eb8f7564..0a49cc213d4 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/add_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs
@@ -78,12 +78,14 @@ impl Drive {
                 specialized_balance_id.to_vec(),
                 Element::new_sum_item(new_total as i64),
             )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
         } else {
             QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
                 path_holding_total_credits_vec,
                 specialized_balance_id.to_vec(),
                 Element::new_sum_item(new_total as i64),
             )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references()
         };
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(op));
         Ok(drive_operations)
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
index ef3a75fc580..bffbe462439 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ impl Drive {
             path_holding_total_credits_vec,
             specialized_balance_id.to_vec(),
             Element::new_sum_item(new_total as i64),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(replace_op));
         Ok(drive_operations)
     }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs
index c043e83d78c..c7c21ebc7e9 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/deduct_from_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v1/mod.rs
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ impl Drive {
             path_holding_total_credits_vec,
             specialized_balance_id.to_vec(),
             Element::new_sum_item(new_total as i64),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(replace_op));
         Ok(drive_operations)
     }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/empty_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/empty_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
index b971adc53c2..1b748f43cf0 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/empty_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/empty_prefunded_specialized_balance_operations/v0/mod.rs
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ impl Drive {
         let delete_op = QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_op(
             path_holding_total_credits_vec,
             specialized_balance_id.to_vec(),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(delete_op));
         Ok((previous_credits_in_specialized_balance, drive_operations))
     }
@@ -101,7 +102,13 @@ mod tests {
     fn has_delete_op(ops: &[crate::fees::op::LowLevelDriveOperation]) -> bool {
         ops.iter().any(|op| match op {
             GroveOperation(qualified) => {
-                matches!(qualified.op, GroveOp::Delete | GroveOp::DeleteTree { .. })
+                matches!(
+                    qualified.op,
+                    GroveOp::Delete
+                        | GroveOp::DeleteDontCheckForBackwardsReferences
+                        | GroveOp::DeleteTree { .. }
+                        | GroveOp::DeleteTreeDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { .. }
+                )
             }
             _ => false,
         })
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/fetch/single_balance/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/fetch/single_balance/v0/mod.rs
index a8811774b07..c02d03e5f60 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/fetch/single_balance/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/prefunded_specialized_balances/fetch/single_balance/v0/mod.rs
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ mod tests {
             prefunded_specialized_balances_for_voting_path_vec(),
             id.to_vec(),
             Element::new_sum_item(-42),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         drive
             .grove_apply_batch(
                 crate::util::batch::GroveDbOpBatch::from_operations(vec![op]),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/shielded/update_total_balance/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/shielded/update_total_balance/v0/mod.rs
index b7fcc8814ca..278447e5991 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/shielded/update_total_balance/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/shielded/update_total_balance/v0/mod.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ impl Drive {
                 pool_path,
                 vec![SHIELDED_TOTAL_BALANCE_KEY],
                 Element::new_sum_item(balance_i64),
-            ),
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
         )])
     }
 }
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/balance/update.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/balance/update.rs
index df479eb6200..cae7c826817 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/balance/update.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/balance/update.rs
@@ -619,14 +619,14 @@ mod tests {
                     _,
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(refund_amount, None),
                         },
                         ..
                     }),
                     ..,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(other_refund_amount, None),
                         },
                         ..
@@ -715,13 +715,13 @@ mod tests {
                     _,
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(refund_amount, None),
                         },
                     ..
                     }),
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::Item(debt_bytes, None),
                         },
                         ..
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ mod tests {
                     _,
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::Item(debt_bytes, None),
                         },
                         ..
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ mod tests {
             assert!(matches!(
                 drive_operations[..],
                 [_, LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                    op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                    op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                         element: Element::SumItem(balance, None),
                     },
                     ..
@@ -904,13 +904,13 @@ mod tests {
                 [
                     _,
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::SumItem(balance, None),
                         },
                         ..
                     }),
                     LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grovedb::batch::QualifiedGroveDbOp {
-                        op: GroveOp::Replace {
+                        op: GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences {
                             element: Element::Item(debt_bytes, None),
                         },
                         ..
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/direct_purchase/set_direct_purchase_price/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/direct_purchase/set_direct_purchase_price/v0/mod.rs
index 9c05f3bcd29..0905d940dbf 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/direct_purchase/set_direct_purchase_price/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/direct_purchase/set_direct_purchase_price/v0/mod.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ impl Drive {
             ));
         } else {
             drive_operations.push(LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
-                QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_op(direct_selling_path, token_id.to_vec()),
+                QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_op(direct_selling_path, token_id.to_vec())
+                    .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
             ));
         }
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/add_to_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/add_to_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs
index dd5626a67b6..eb74f24d56d 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/add_to_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/add_to_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ impl Drive {
                     path_holding_total_token_supply_vec,
                     token_id.to_vec(),
                     SumItem(new_total, None),
-                );
+                )
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
                 drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(replace_op));
                 new_total as u64 - total_token_supply_in_platform
             } else if allow_first_mint {
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/remove_from_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/remove_from_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs
index 6efdc122fd6..4b5cda29f51 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/remove_from_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/drive/tokens/system/remove_from_token_total_supply/v0/mod.rs
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ impl Drive {
             path_holding_total_token_supply_vec,
             token_id.to_vec(),
             SumItem(new_total as i64, None),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(replace_op));
 
         Ok(drive_operations)
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/fees/op.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/fees/op.rs
index 7e55a751bd4..97cde2a1921 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/fees/op.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/fees/op.rs
@@ -1382,7 +1382,10 @@ impl LowLevelDriveOperation {
         key: Vec<u8>,
         element: Element,
     ) -> Self {
-        GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(path, key, element))
+        GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(path, key, element)
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Sets `GroveOperation` for replacement of an element at the given path and key
@@ -1391,7 +1394,10 @@ impl LowLevelDriveOperation {
         key: Vec<u8>,
         element: Element,
     ) -> Self {
-        GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::replace_op(path, key, element))
+        GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::replace_op(path, key, element)
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Sets `GroveOperation` for patching of an element at the given path and key
@@ -1402,12 +1408,10 @@ impl LowLevelDriveOperation {
         element: Element,
         change_in_bytes: i32,
     ) -> Self {
-        GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::patch_op(
-            path,
-            key,
-            element,
-            change_in_bytes,
-        ))
+        GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::patch_op(path, key, element, change_in_bytes)
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Sets `GroveOperation` for inserting an element at an unknown estimated path and key
@@ -1416,7 +1420,10 @@ impl LowLevelDriveOperation {
         key: KeyInfo,
         element: Element,
     ) -> Self {
-        GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_estimated_op(path, key, element))
+        GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_estimated_op(path, key, element)
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Sets `GroveOperation` for replacement of an element at an unknown estimated path and key
@@ -1425,7 +1432,10 @@ impl LowLevelDriveOperation {
         key: KeyInfo,
         element: Element,
     ) -> Self {
-        GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::replace_estimated_op(path, key, element))
+        GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::replace_estimated_op(path, key, element)
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Sets `GroveOperation` for refresh of a reference at the given path and key
@@ -2440,7 +2450,8 @@ mod tests {
 
         match op {
             LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grove_op) => match grove_op.op {
-                GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element } => assert!(
+                GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element }
+                | GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element } => assert!(
                     matches!(element, Element::ProvableSumTree(..)),
                     "expected ProvableSumTree element, got: {:?}",
                     element
@@ -2525,7 +2536,10 @@ mod tests {
             });
             let element = match op {
                 LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grove_op) => match grove_op.op {
-                    GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element } => element,
+                    GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element }
+                    | GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element } => {
+                        element
+                    }
                     other => panic!("expected InsertOrReplace, got {other:?}"),
                 },
                 other => panic!("expected GroveOperation, got {other:?}"),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/query/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/query/mod.rs
index 27c23346f06..a5f8662d2c2 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/query/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/query/mod.rs
@@ -2042,23 +2042,73 @@ impl<'a> DriveDocumentQuery<'a> {
                 &platform_version.drive.grove_version,
             )
             .map_err(Error::from)?;
-            merged.query.limit = limit.map(|a| a.saturating_add(1));
-            // The merged root must be walked ascending regardless of the
-            // page's `orderBy` direction: the `limit + 1` above reserves
-            // one result slot for the cursor document, and the prover
-            // spends the budget in root traversal order. Ascending, the
-            // cursor branch (key `[0]`) is visited first and takes its
-            // reserved slot; descending, the index branch sorts first,
-            // consumes the whole budget mid-timeline, and the prover then
-            // omits the cursor subtree's lower layer — an unverifiable
-            // proof (the verifier extracts the cursor document from the
-            // proof before rebuilding the main query). Only this
-            // synthesized root flips: each input's own query lands intact
-            // inside a subquery branch, keeping in-branch result order.
-            // The verifier never rebuilds the merged query — it runs the
-            // cursor and main queries as separate subset queries — so the
-            // root's direction is not client-visible.
-            merged.query.query.left_to_right = true;
+            // Where the merge lands decides how the two queries combine. An
+            // index-ordered page lives under its index tree while the cursor
+            // lookup lives under the primary-key tree, so the merge synthesizes
+            // a root one level above both with each query in its own branch.
+            // A `$id`-ordered page addresses the primary-key tree directly: the
+            // cursor lookup shares that path (or, for a history-keeping type,
+            // sits one level below it), so the merge point is the page query's
+            // own root layer and the merged query IS that layer.
+            let cursor_on_page_layer = merged.path == main_path_query.path;
+            // The cursor's key on that shared layer: the cursor query's own key
+            // when both paths coincide, otherwise the path component the cursor
+            // query descends through.
+            let cursor_key_on_page_layer: Option<&[u8]> = if !cursor_on_page_layer {
+                None
+            } else if let Some(component) = start_at_path_query.path.get(merged.path.len()) {
+                Some(component.as_slice())
+            } else {
+                match start_at_path_query.query.query.items.as_slice() {
+                    [QueryItem::Key(cursor_key)] => Some(cursor_key.as_slice()),
+                    _ => None,
+                }
+            };
+            // On a shared layer the cursor row is already one of the page's
+            // rows whenever the page's own items cover it (an inclusive
+            // `startAt` on a range, or an `in` list that names the cursor). It
+            // then needs no reserved slot: reserving one would make the layer
+            // return `limit + 1` rows matching the page query, which the
+            // verifier rejects as more data than its limit.
+            let cursor_row_in_page = cursor_key_on_page_layer.is_some_and(|cursor_key| {
+                main_path_query
+                    .query
+                    .query
+                    .items
+                    .iter()
+                    .any(|item| item.contains(cursor_key))
+            });
+            merged.query.limit = limit.map(|a| {
+                if cursor_row_in_page {
+                    a
+                } else {
+                    a.saturating_add(1)
+                }
+            });
+            if !cursor_on_page_layer {
+                // A synthesized root must be walked ascending regardless of
+                // the page's `orderBy` direction: the `limit + 1` above
+                // reserves one result slot for the cursor document, and the
+                // prover spends the budget in root traversal order. Ascending,
+                // the cursor branch (key `[0]`) is visited first and takes its
+                // reserved slot; descending, the index branch sorts first,
+                // consumes the whole budget mid-timeline, and the prover then
+                // omits the cursor subtree's lower layer — an unverifiable
+                // proof (the verifier extracts the cursor document from the
+                // proof before rebuilding the main query). Only this
+                // synthesized root flips: each input's own query lands intact
+                // inside a subquery branch, keeping in-branch result order.
+                // The verifier never rebuilds the merged query — it runs the
+                // cursor and main queries as separate subset queries — so the
+                // root's direction is not client-visible.
+                //
+                // A shared layer has no synthesized root to flip: the merged
+                // query IS the page query's own layer, which the verifier
+                // walks in the requested direction, and the cursor row sits at
+                // the page's boundary, so the requested direction reaches it
+                // first anyway.
+                merged.query.query.left_to_right = true;
+            }
             Ok(merged)
         } else {
             Ok(main_path_query)
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/batch/grovedb_op_batch/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/batch/grovedb_op_batch/mod.rs
index 7e0c7e9ec8a..de7a8cc8eb6 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/batch/grovedb_op_batch/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/batch/grovedb_op_batch/mod.rs
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for GroveDbOpBatch {
             writeln!(f, "   Key: {}", key_string)?;
             match &op.op {
                 GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element }
+                | GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element }
                 | GroveOp::InsertWithKnownToNotAlreadyExist { element }
                 | GroveOp::InsertIfNotExists { element, .. } => {
                     let flags = element.get_flags();
@@ -536,12 +537,10 @@ impl GroveDbOpBatchV0Methods for GroveDbOpBatch {
 
     /// Adds an `Insert` operation with an empty tree at the specified path and key to a list of GroveDB ops.
     fn add_insert_empty_tree(&mut self, path: Vec<Vec<u8>>, key: Vec<u8>) {
-        self.operations
-            .push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-                path,
-                key,
-                Element::empty_tree(),
-            ))
+        self.operations.push(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(path, key, Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Adds an `Insert` operation with an empty tree with storage flags to a list of GroveDB ops.
@@ -551,24 +550,24 @@ impl GroveDbOpBatchV0Methods for GroveDbOpBatch {
         key: Vec<u8>,
         storage_flags: &Option<Cow<StorageFlags>>,
     ) {
-        self.operations
-            .push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
+        self.operations.push(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
                 path,
                 key,
                 Element::empty_tree_with_flags(
                     StorageFlags::map_borrowed_cow_to_some_element_flags(storage_flags),
                 ),
-            ))
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Adds an `Insert` operation with an empty sum tree at the specified path and key to a list of GroveDB ops.
     fn add_insert_empty_sum_tree(&mut self, path: Vec<Vec<u8>>, key: Vec<u8>) {
-        self.operations
-            .push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-                path,
-                key,
-                Element::empty_sum_tree(),
-            ))
+        self.operations.push(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(path, key, Element::empty_sum_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Adds an `Insert` operation with an empty sum tree with storage flags to a list of GroveDB ops.
@@ -578,38 +577,45 @@ impl GroveDbOpBatchV0Methods for GroveDbOpBatch {
         key: Vec<u8>,
         storage_flags: &Option<Cow<StorageFlags>>,
     ) {
-        self.operations
-            .push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
+        self.operations.push(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
                 path,
                 key,
                 Element::empty_sum_tree_with_flags(
                     StorageFlags::map_borrowed_cow_to_some_element_flags(storage_flags),
                 ),
-            ))
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Adds a `Delete` operation to a list of GroveDB ops.
     fn add_delete(&mut self, path: Vec<Vec<u8>>, key: Vec<u8>) {
         self.operations
-            .push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_op(path, key))
+            .push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_op(path, key).dont_check_for_backwards_references())
     }
 
     /// Adds a `Delete` tree operation to a list of GroveDB ops.
     /// Uses `DontCheckWithNoCleanup` because callers (e.g. `batch_delete_up_tree_while_empty`)
     /// have already verified the tree is empty.
     fn add_delete_tree(&mut self, path: Vec<Vec<u8>>, key: Vec<u8>, tree_type: TreeType) {
-        self.operations.push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_tree_op(
-            path,
-            key,
-            tree_type,
-            SubelementsDeletionBehavior::DontCheckWithNoCleanup,
-        ))
+        self.operations.push(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::delete_tree_op(
+                path,
+                key,
+                tree_type,
+                SubelementsDeletionBehavior::DontCheckWithNoCleanup,
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Adds an `Insert` operation with an element to a list of GroveDB ops.
     fn add_insert(&mut self, path: Vec<Vec<u8>>, key: Vec<u8>, element: Element) {
-        self.operations
-            .push(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(path, key, element))
+        self.operations.push(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(path, key, element)
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Verify consistency of operations
@@ -707,10 +713,13 @@ impl GroveDbOpBatchV0Methods for GroveDbOpBatch {
             let op = if matches!(
                 op,
                 &GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { .. }
+                    | &GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { .. }
                     | &GroveOp::InsertWithKnownToNotAlreadyExist { .. }
                     | &GroveOp::InsertIfNotExists { .. }
                     | &GroveOp::Replace { .. }
+                    | &GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { .. }
                     | &GroveOp::Patch { .. }
+                    | &GroveOp::PatchDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { .. }
             ) {
                 self.operations.remove(index).op
             } else {
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete/v0/mod.rs
index a1b7680314f..067766ccd8a 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete/v0/mod.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::util::grove_operations::{push_drive_operation_result, BatchDeleteAppl
 use grovedb::batch::key_info::KeyInfo;
 use grovedb::batch::KeyInfoPath;
 use grovedb::operations::delete::DeleteOptions;
+use grovedb::BackwardsReferences;
 use grovedb::{GroveDb, TransactionArg};
 use grovedb_path::SubtreePath;
 use grovedb_storage::rocksdb_storage::RocksDbStorage;
@@ -23,6 +24,9 @@ impl Drive {
         drive_version: &DriveVersion,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let options = DeleteOptions {
+            // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks the
+            // claim for free from the value it reads for the write.
+            backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
             allow_deleting_non_empty_trees: false,
             deleting_non_empty_trees_returns_error: true,
             base_root_storage_is_free: true,
@@ -66,6 +70,7 @@ impl Drive {
                 true,
                 0,
                 (estimated_key_size, estimated_value_size),
+                BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                 &drive_version.grove_version,
             )
             .map(|r| r.map(Some)),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs
index 01952b937a0..3a3530aeadb 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use grovedb::batch::key_info::KeyInfo;
 use grovedb::batch::KeyInfoPath;
 use grovedb::operations::delete::DeleteOptions;
 use grovedb::query_result_type::QueryResultType;
+use grovedb::BackwardsReferences;
 use grovedb::{GroveDb, PathQuery, TransactionArg};
 use grovedb_storage::rocksdb_storage::RocksDbStorage;
 use platform_version::version::drive_versions::DriveVersion;
@@ -80,6 +81,9 @@ impl Drive {
             let current_batch_operations =
                 LowLevelDriveOperation::grovedb_operations_batch(drive_operations);
             let options = DeleteOptions {
+                // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks the
+                // claim for free from the value it reads for the write.
+                backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                 allow_deleting_non_empty_trees: false,
                 deleting_non_empty_trees_returns_error: true,
                 base_root_storage_is_free: true,
@@ -98,6 +102,7 @@ impl Drive {
                     true,
                     0,
                     (estimated_key_size, estimated_value_size),
+                    BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                     &drive_version.grove_version,
                 )
                 .map(|r| r.map(Some)),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_up_tree_while_empty/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_up_tree_while_empty/v0/mod.rs
index d292aae1fdd..4f9f189b82a 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_up_tree_while_empty/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_delete_up_tree_while_empty/v0/mod.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::util::grove_operations::{push_drive_operation_result, BatchDeleteUpTr
 use grovedb::batch::key_info::KeyInfo;
 use grovedb::batch::KeyInfoPath;
 use grovedb::operations::delete::DeleteUpTreeOptions;
-use grovedb::{GroveDb, TransactionArg};
+use grovedb::{BackwardsReferences, GroveDb, TransactionArg};
 use grovedb_storage::rocksdb_storage::RocksDbStorage;
 use platform_version::version::drive_versions::DriveVersion;
 
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ impl Drive {
                 stop_path_height,
                 true,
                 estimated_layer_info,
+                BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                 &drive_version.grove_version,
             ),
             BatchDeleteUpTreeApplyType::StatefulBatchDelete {
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@ impl Drive {
                     base_root_storage_is_free: true,
                     validate_tree_at_path_exists: false,
                     stop_path_height,
+                    // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks
+                    // the claim for free from the value it reads for each delete.
+                    backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                 };
                 self.grove.delete_operations_for_delete_up_tree_while_empty(
                     path.to_path_refs().as_slice().into(),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_empty_tree_if_not_exists/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_empty_tree_if_not_exists/v0/mod.rs
index 4e425c7296c..ed457b4cda9 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_empty_tree_if_not_exists/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_empty_tree_if_not_exists/v0/mod.rs
@@ -114,7 +114,11 @@ impl Drive {
                         } else if let GroveOperation(grove_op) = previous_drive_operation {
                             if grove_op.key == Some(KeyInfo::KnownKey(key.to_vec()))
                                 && grove_op.path == path
-                                && matches!(grove_op.op, GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _))
+                                && matches!(
+                                    grove_op.op,
+                                    GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _)
+                                        | GroveOp::DeleteTreeDontCheckForBackwardsReferences(_, _)
+                                )
                             {
                                 found = true;
                                 existing_operations.remove(i);
@@ -177,7 +181,11 @@ impl Drive {
                         } else if let GroveOperation(grove_op) = previous_drive_operation {
                             if grove_op.key == Some(KeyInfo::KnownKey(key.to_vec()))
                                 && grove_op.path == path
-                                && matches!(grove_op.op, GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _))
+                                && matches!(
+                                    grove_op.op,
+                                    GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _)
+                                        | GroveOp::DeleteTreeDontCheckForBackwardsReferences(_, _)
+                                )
                             {
                                 found = true;
                                 existing_operations.remove(i);
@@ -238,7 +246,11 @@ impl Drive {
                         } else if let GroveOperation(grove_op) = previous_drive_operation {
                             if grove_op.key == Some(KeyInfo::KnownKey(key.to_vec()))
                                 && grove_op.path == path
-                                && matches!(grove_op.op, GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _))
+                                && matches!(
+                                    grove_op.op,
+                                    GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _)
+                                        | GroveOp::DeleteTreeDontCheckForBackwardsReferences(_, _)
+                                )
                             {
                                 found = true;
                                 existing_operations.remove(i);
@@ -299,7 +311,11 @@ impl Drive {
                         } else if let GroveOperation(grove_op) = previous_drive_operation {
                             if grove_op.key == Some(KeyInfo::KnownKey(key.to_vec()))
                                 && grove_op.path == path
-                                && matches!(grove_op.op, GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _))
+                                && matches!(
+                                    grove_op.op,
+                                    GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _)
+                                        | GroveOp::DeleteTreeDontCheckForBackwardsReferences(_, _)
+                                )
                             {
                                 found = true;
                                 existing_operations.remove(i);
@@ -718,7 +734,7 @@ mod tests {
 
             let element = match ops.pop().expect("one operation must be pushed") {
                 LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grove_op) => match grove_op.op {
-                    GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element } => element,
+                    GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element } => element,
                     other => panic!("{description}: expected InsertOrReplace, got {other:?}"),
                 },
                 other => panic!("{description}: expected GroveOperation, got {other:?}"),
@@ -746,7 +762,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(inserted);
         let element = match ops.pop().expect("one operation must be pushed") {
             LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grove_op) => match grove_op.op {
-                GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element } => element,
+                GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element } => element,
                 other => panic!("expected InsertOrReplace, got {other:?}"),
             },
             other => panic!("expected GroveOperation, got {other:?}"),
@@ -807,7 +823,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(inserted);
         let element = match ops.pop().expect("one operation must be pushed") {
             LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grove_op) => match grove_op.op {
-                GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element } => element,
+                GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element } => element,
                 other => panic!("expected InsertOrReplace, got {other:?}"),
             },
             other => panic!("expected GroveOperation, got {other:?}"),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_sum_item_or_add_to_if_already_exists/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_sum_item_or_add_to_if_already_exists/v0/mod.rs
index e20dc882e83..8c5b6c3cf09 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_sum_item_or_add_to_if_already_exists/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_insert_sum_item_or_add_to_if_already_exists/v0/mod.rs
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ mod tests {
         let insert_op = &ops[1];
         match insert_op {
             LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grove_op) => match &grove_op.op {
-                GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element } => {
+                GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element } => {
                     assert_eq!(
                         *element,
                         Element::new_sum_item(15),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move/v0/mod.rs
index 3b4c7025471..5666c01da7a 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move/v0/mod.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use crate::util::grove_operations::{push_drive_operation_result, BatchMoveApplyT
 use grovedb::batch::key_info::KeyInfo;
 use grovedb::batch::{KeyInfoPath, QualifiedGroveDbOp};
 use grovedb::operations::delete::DeleteOptions;
+use grovedb::BackwardsReferences;
 use grovedb::{Element, GroveDb, TransactionArg};
 use grovedb_epoch_based_storage_flags::StorageFlags;
 use grovedb_path::SubtreePath;
@@ -60,6 +61,9 @@ impl Drive {
         // ── 2. Build the delete op ──────────────────────────────────────────
         let current_batch = LowLevelDriveOperation::grovedb_operations_batch(drive_operations);
         let delete_opts = DeleteOptions {
+            // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks the
+            // claim for free from the value it reads for the write.
+            backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
             allow_deleting_non_empty_trees: false,
             deleting_non_empty_trees_returns_error: true,
             base_root_storage_is_free: true,
@@ -80,6 +84,7 @@ impl Drive {
                 true,
                 0,
                 (estimated_key_size, estimated_value_size),
+                BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                 &drive_version.grove_version,
             )
             .map(|r| r.map(Some)),
@@ -103,11 +108,10 @@ impl Drive {
             }
 
             drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(delete_op));
-            drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-                to_path,
-                key.to_vec(),
-                element,
-            )));
+            drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(
+                QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(to_path, key.to_vec(), element)
+                    .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+            ));
         }
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs
index b65b3ccb69e..28206996cd8 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_move_items_in_path_query/v0/mod.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use grovedb::batch::key_info::KeyInfo;
 use grovedb::batch::{KeyInfoPath, QualifiedGroveDbOp};
 use grovedb::operations::delete::DeleteOptions;
 use grovedb::query_result_type::QueryResultType;
+use grovedb::BackwardsReferences;
 use grovedb::{GroveDb, PathQuery, TransactionArg};
 use grovedb_epoch_based_storage_flags::StorageFlags;
 use grovedb_storage::rocksdb_storage::RocksDbStorage;
@@ -86,6 +87,9 @@ impl Drive {
             let current_batch_operations =
                 LowLevelDriveOperation::grovedb_operations_batch(drive_operations);
             let options = DeleteOptions {
+                // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks the
+                // claim for free from the value it reads for the write.
+                backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                 allow_deleting_non_empty_trees: false,
                 deleting_non_empty_trees_returns_error: true,
                 base_root_storage_is_free: true,
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@ impl Drive {
                     true,
                     0,
                     (estimated_key_size, estimated_value_size),
+                    BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                     &drive_version.grove_version,
                 )
                 .map(|r| r.map(Some)),
@@ -132,11 +137,10 @@ impl Drive {
                 // Add the delete operation to the batch of drive operations
                 drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(delete_operation));
                 // Adds the insert operation to the batch of drive operations
-                drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-                    new_path.clone(),
-                    key,
-                    element,
-                )));
+                drive_operations.push(GroveOperation(
+                    QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(new_path.clone(), key, element)
+                        .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+                ));
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_remove_raw/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_remove_raw/v0/mod.rs
index 9da64b2262c..264ccf70e2e 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_remove_raw/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_remove_raw/v0/mod.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use dpp::version::drive_versions::DriveVersion;
 use grovedb::batch::key_info::KeyInfo;
 use grovedb::batch::{GroveOp, KeyInfoPath};
 use grovedb::operations::delete::DeleteOptions;
+use grovedb::BackwardsReferences;
 use grovedb::{Element, GroveDb, TransactionArg};
 use grovedb_path::SubtreePath;
 use grovedb_storage::rocksdb_storage::RocksDbStorage;
@@ -29,6 +30,9 @@ impl Drive {
         let mut current_batch_operations =
             LowLevelDriveOperation::grovedb_operations_batch(drive_operations);
         let options = DeleteOptions {
+            // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks the
+            // claim for free from the value it reads for the write.
+            backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
             allow_deleting_non_empty_trees: false,
             deleting_non_empty_trees_returns_error: true,
             base_root_storage_is_free: true,
@@ -37,15 +41,28 @@ impl Drive {
 
         let needs_removal_from_state =
             match current_batch_operations.remove_if_insert(path.to_vec(), key) {
-                Some(GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element })
-                | Some(GroveOp::Replace { element })
-                | Some(GroveOp::Patch { element, .. }) => return Ok(Some(element)),
+                Some(
+                    GroveOp::InsertOrReplace { element }
+                    | GroveOp::InsertOrReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element },
+                )
+                | Some(
+                    GroveOp::Replace { element }
+                    | GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element },
+                )
+                | Some(
+                    GroveOp::Patch { element, .. }
+                    | GroveOp::PatchDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { element, .. },
+                ) => return Ok(Some(element)),
                 Some(GroveOp::InsertTreeWithRootHash { .. }) => {
                     return Err(Error::Drive(DriveError::CorruptedCodeExecution(
                         "we should not be seeing internal grovedb operations",
                     )));
                 }
-                Some(GroveOp::Delete) | Some(GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _)) => false,
+                Some(GroveOp::Delete | GroveOp::DeleteDontCheckForBackwardsReferences)
+                | Some(
+                    GroveOp::DeleteTree(_, _)
+                    | GroveOp::DeleteTreeDontCheckForBackwardsReferences(_, _),
+                ) => false,
                 _ => true,
             };
 
@@ -79,6 +96,7 @@ impl Drive {
                     true,
                     0,
                     (estimated_key_size, estimated_value_size),
+                    BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
                     &drive_version.grove_version,
                 )
                 .map(|r| r.map(Some)),
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_replace/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_replace/v0/mod.rs
index fc23b3f3d39..61898b6214d 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_replace/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/batch_replace/v0/mod.rs
@@ -71,7 +71,10 @@ mod tests {
         match &ops[0] {
             LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(grove_op) => {
                 assert!(
-                    matches!(grove_op.op, GroveOp::Replace { .. }),
+                    matches!(
+                        grove_op.op,
+                        GroveOp::ReplaceDontCheckForBackwardsReferences { .. }
+                    ),
                     "Expected GroveOp::Replace, got {:?}",
                     grove_op.op
                 );
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_clear/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_clear/v0/mod.rs
index 41588184c93..8a9491d035c 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_clear/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_clear/v0/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use crate::drive::Drive;
 use crate::error::Error;
 use grovedb::operations::delete::ClearOptions;
+use grovedb::BackwardsReferences;
 use grovedb::TransactionArg;
 use grovedb_path::SubtreePath;
 use platform_version::version::drive_versions::DriveVersion;
@@ -14,6 +15,9 @@ impl Drive {
         drive_version: &DriveVersion,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let options = ClearOptions {
+            // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks the
+            // claim for free from the value it reads for the write.
+            backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
             check_for_subtrees: false,
             allow_deleting_subtrees: false,
             trying_to_clear_with_subtrees_returns_error: false,
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_delete/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_delete/v0/mod.rs
index d5e0c2ab1e2..0a7f29f2a07 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_delete/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/grove_operations/grove_delete/v0/mod.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use crate::error::Error;
 use crate::fees::op::LowLevelDriveOperation;
 use crate::util::grove_operations::push_drive_operation_result;
 use grovedb::operations::delete::DeleteOptions;
+use grovedb::BackwardsReferences;
 use grovedb::TransactionArg;
 use grovedb_path::SubtreePath;
 use platform_version::version::drive_versions::DriveVersion;
@@ -18,6 +19,9 @@ impl Drive {
         drive_version: &DriveVersion,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let options = DeleteOptions {
+            // Drive stores no backward-reference participants; GroveDB checks the
+            // claim for free from the value it reads for the write.
+            backwards_references: BackwardsReferences::DontCheck,
             allow_deleting_non_empty_trees: false,
             deleting_non_empty_trees_returns_error: true,
             base_root_storage_is_free: true,
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/operations/tests.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/operations/tests.rs
index 1dc9d637052..ecad1957d63 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/util/operations/tests.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/util/operations/tests.rs
@@ -92,17 +92,19 @@ fn apply_batch_low_level_mixed_ops_applies_grove_and_preserves_leftovers() {
     // of guessing paths, we build grove ops against an already-existing
     // subtree by inserting at a *newly created* subtree first.
     let batch_ops = vec![
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![],
-            vec![0xfe],
-            Element::empty_tree(),
-        )),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![], vec![0xfe], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
         function_op(),
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![vec![0xfe]],
-            vec![0x01],
-            Element::new_item(vec![1, 2, 3]),
-        )),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
+                vec![vec![0xfe]],
+                vec![0x01],
+                Element::new_item(vec![1, 2, 3]),
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
     ];
     let mut drive_operations: Vec<LowLevelDriveOperation> = vec![];
 
@@ -145,16 +147,18 @@ fn apply_batch_low_level_actually_persists_grove_inserts() {
     let platform_version = PlatformVersion::latest();
 
     let batch_ops = vec![
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![],
-            vec![0xfd],
-            Element::empty_tree(),
-        )),
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![vec![0xfd]],
-            b"hello".to_vec(),
-            Element::new_item(b"world".to_vec()),
-        )),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![], vec![0xfd], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
+                vec![vec![0xfd]],
+                b"hello".to_vec(),
+                Element::new_item(b"world".to_vec()),
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
     ];
     let mut drive_operations: Vec<LowLevelDriveOperation> = vec![];
 
@@ -280,16 +284,18 @@ fn rollback_transaction_v0_discards_uncommitted_changes() {
 
     // Build ops inside the transaction.
     let batch_ops = vec![
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![],
-            vec![0xfb],
-            Element::empty_tree(),
-        )),
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![vec![0xfb]],
-            b"k".to_vec(),
-            Element::new_item(b"v".to_vec()),
-        )),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![], vec![0xfb], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
+                vec![vec![0xfb]],
+                b"k".to_vec(),
+                Element::new_item(b"v".to_vec()),
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
     ];
     let mut drive_operations: Vec<LowLevelDriveOperation> = vec![];
     drive
@@ -323,7 +329,8 @@ fn rollback_transaction_v0_discards_uncommitted_changes() {
             vec![vec![0xfb]],
             b"k2".to_vec(),
             Element::new_item(b"v2".to_vec()),
-        ),
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
     )];
     let mut drive_operations: Vec<LowLevelDriveOperation> = vec![];
     let res = drive.apply_batch_low_level_drive_operations_v0(
@@ -387,16 +394,18 @@ fn public_apply_batch_low_level_drive_operations_routes_through_v0() {
     let platform_version = PlatformVersion::latest();
 
     let batch_ops = vec![
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![],
-            vec![0xfa],
-            Element::empty_tree(),
-        )),
-        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
-            vec![vec![0xfa]],
-            b"x".to_vec(),
-            Element::new_item(b"y".to_vec()),
-        )),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![], vec![0xfa], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
+        LowLevelDriveOperation::GroveOperation(
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(
+                vec![vec![0xfa]],
+                b"x".to_vec(),
+                Element::new_item(b"y".to_vec()),
+            )
+            .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+        ),
     ];
     let mut drive_operations: Vec<LowLevelDriveOperation> = vec![];
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/document/verify_start_at_document_in_proof/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/document/verify_start_at_document_in_proof/v0/mod.rs
index 301afe65148..d22ff197018 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/document/verify_start_at_document_in_proof/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/document/verify_start_at_document_in_proof/v0/mod.rs
@@ -43,10 +43,25 @@ impl DriveDocumentQuery<'_> {
         self.validate_in_clause_shape(platform_version)?;
         let (start_at_document_path, start_at_document_key) =
             self.start_at_document_path_and_key(&document_id);
-        let path_query = PathQuery::new_single_key(
+        let mut path_query = PathQuery::new_single_key(
             start_at_document_path.clone(),
             start_at_document_key.clone(),
         );
+        if is_proof_subset {
+            // Inside a page proof this one-key lookup is merged with the main
+            // query, and grovedb's merge needs every input to walk the same
+            // way, so the prover emits the cursor layer in the page's
+            // `orderBy` direction (see `construct_path_query_operations`).
+            // A V1 layer proof only verifies in the op family of the
+            // direction it is read in, so read it the same way here. A single
+            // key decodes identically either way; this only selects the op
+            // family, and the direction never depends on the cursor document.
+            path_query.query.query.left_to_right = self
+                .construct_path_query(None, platform_version)?
+                .query
+                .query
+                .left_to_right;
+        }
         let (root_hash, mut proved_key_values) = if is_proof_subset {
             GroveDb::verify_subset_query(proof, &path_query, &platform_version.drive.grove_version)?
         } else {
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/shielded/verify_shielded_pool_state/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/shielded/verify_shielded_pool_state/v0/mod.rs
index c9028c29db3..0a1f202f7f7 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/shielded/verify_shielded_pool_state/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/shielded/verify_shielded_pool_state/v0/mod.rs
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ mod tests {
             pool_path.clone(),
             vec![SHIELDED_TOTAL_BALANCE_KEY],
             Element::new_sum_item(balance as i64),
-        );
+        )
+        .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
 
         drive
             .grove_apply_batch(
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/system/verify_elements/v0/mod.rs b/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/system/verify_elements/v0/mod.rs
index c03c15b4176..46dba77a198 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/system/verify_elements/v0/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/src/verify/system/verify_elements/v0/mod.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ impl Drive {
         keys: Vec<Vec<u8>>,
         platform_version: &PlatformVersion,
     ) -> Result<(RootHash, BTreeMap<Vec<u8>, Option<Element>>), Error> {
-        let mut query = Query::new();
+        // Match prove_elements_v0: Query::default() emits a right-to-left proof.
+        // GroveDB verifies that the proof operation family matches this direction.
+        let mut query = Query::new_with_direction(false);
         query.insert_keys(keys);
         let path_query = PathQuery::new(path, SizedQuery::new(query, None, None));
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/tests/drive_storage_ops_coverage.rs b/packages/rs-drive/tests/drive_storage_ops_coverage.rs
index 25ea15b592e..6403e728fec 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/tests/drive_storage_ops_coverage.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/tests/drive_storage_ops_coverage.rs
@@ -968,7 +968,8 @@ mod grovedb_op_batch_tests {
     fn push_increases_len() {
         let mut batch = GroveDbOpBatch::new();
         let op =
-            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![1]], vec![2], Element::empty_tree());
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![1]], vec![2], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references();
         batch.push(op);
         assert_eq!(batch.len(), 1);
         assert!(!batch.is_empty());
@@ -977,8 +978,10 @@ mod grovedb_op_batch_tests {
     #[test]
     fn from_operations() {
         let ops = vec![
-            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![1]], vec![2], Element::empty_tree()),
-            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![3]], vec![4], Element::empty_tree()),
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![1]], vec![2], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![3]], vec![4], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
         ];
         let batch = GroveDbOpBatch::from_operations(ops);
         assert_eq!(batch.len(), 2);
@@ -1002,8 +1005,10 @@ mod grovedb_op_batch_tests {
     fn extend_adds_operations() {
         let mut batch = GroveDbOpBatch::new();
         let ops = vec![
-            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![1]], vec![2], Element::empty_tree()),
-            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![3]], vec![4], Element::empty_tree()),
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![1]], vec![2], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
+            QualifiedGroveDbOp::insert_or_replace_op(vec![vec![3]], vec![4], Element::empty_tree())
+                .dont_check_for_backwards_references(),
         ];
         batch.extend(ops);
         assert_eq!(batch.len(), 2);
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests.rs b/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests.rs
index de895e70f2e..59d47298a03 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests.rs
@@ -8167,6 +8167,97 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[cfg(all(feature = "server", feature = "verify"))]
+    #[test]
+    fn test_proved_primary_key_cursor_pages_in_both_directions() {
+        // A `$id`-ordered page with a cursor merges the cursor lookup and the
+        // page query at the same path: the primary-key tree. The merge then has
+        // no synthesized root above the page query, so the document layer must
+        // keep the requested direction in the proof; the verifier reads both
+        // the cursor lookup and the page in that direction, and GroveDB refuses
+        // a V1 layer proof read in the other op family.
+        use dpp::document::DocumentV0Getters;
+        use dpp::prelude::Identifier;
+        use platform_value::string_encoding::Encoding;
+
+        let platform_version = PlatformVersion::latest();
+        let (drive, contract) = setup_family_tests(10, 73509, platform_version);
+        let person_document_type = contract
+            .document_type_for_name("person")
+            .expect("contract should have a person document type");
+        let root_hash = drive
+            .grove
+            .root_hash(None, &platform_version.drive.grove_version)
+            .unwrap()
+            .expect("there is always a root hash");
+
+        let ids_of = |results: &[Vec<u8>]| -> Vec<Identifier> {
+            results
+                .iter()
+                .map(|bytes| {
+                    Document::from_bytes(bytes, person_document_type, platform_version)
+                        .expect("we should be able to deserialize the document")
+                        .id()
+                })
+                .collect()
+        };
+        let build = |query_value: serde_json::Value| {
+            let cbor = cbor_serializer::serializable_value_to_cbor(&query_value, None)
+                .expect("expected to serialize to cbor");
+            DriveDocumentQuery::from_cbor(
+                cbor.as_slice(),
+                &contract,
+                person_document_type,
+                &drive.config,
+                platform_version,
+            )
+            .expect("query should be built")
+        };
+
+        let (all_results, _, _) = build(json!({
+            "limit": 100,
+            "orderBy": [["$id", "asc"]],
+        }))
+        .execute_raw_results_no_proof(&drive, None, None, platform_version)
+        .expect("query should be executed");
+        let ascending_ids = ids_of(&all_results);
+        assert_eq!(ascending_ids.len(), 10);
+
+        for (ascending, included) in [(true, true), (true, false), (false, true), (false, false)] {
+            let ordered: Vec<Identifier> = if ascending {
+                ascending_ids.clone()
+            } else {
+                ascending_ids.iter().rev().cloned().collect()
+            };
+            let cursor = ordered[3];
+            let expected: Vec<Identifier> = if included {
+                ordered[3..6].to_vec()
+            } else {
+                ordered[4..7].to_vec()
+            };
+            let cursor_key = if included { "startAt" } else { "startAfter" };
+            let case = format!(
+                "orderBy $id {} with {cursor_key}",
+                if ascending { "asc" } else { "desc" }
+            );
+
+            let query = build(json!({
+                cursor_key: cursor.to_string(Encoding::Base58),
+                "limit": 3,
+                "orderBy": [["$id", if ascending { "asc" } else { "desc" }]],
+            }));
+            let (results, _, _) = query
+                .execute_raw_results_no_proof(&drive, None, None, platform_version)
+                .expect("query should be executed");
+            assert_eq!(ids_of(&results), expected, "{case}: unproved page");
+
+            let (proof_root_hash, proof_results, _) = query
+                .execute_with_proof_only_get_elements(&drive, None, None, platform_version)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("{case}: proved page should verify: {e}"));
+            assert_eq!(root_hash, proof_root_hash, "{case}: proof root hash");
+            assert_eq!(results, proof_results, "{case}: proved page");
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_proved_desc_range_continuation_page_includes_cursor_document() {
         // Issue #4540: a continuation page over a non-unique
diff --git a/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests_history.rs b/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests_history.rs
index a92fad69c74..604658a97f0 100644
--- a/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests_history.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-drive/tests/query_tests_history.rs
@@ -256,6 +256,98 @@ fn test_setup() {
     setup(10, Some(range_inserts), 73509, platform_version);
 }
 
+#[cfg(all(feature = "server", feature = "verify"))]
+#[test]
+fn test_proved_primary_key_cursor_pages_over_history_in_both_directions() {
+    // The history-keeping twin of the primary-key cursor test in
+    // query_tests.rs. Here the cursor lookup lands one level below the page
+    // query (`.../0/<id>` with key `[0]`), so the merge point is the page
+    // query's own root layer: the document-id layer must keep the requested
+    // direction in the proof and the cursor must not claim a second slot.
+    use dpp::document::DocumentV0Getters;
+    use dpp::platform_value::string_encoding::Encoding;
+    use dpp::prelude::Identifier;
+    use drive::query::DriveDocumentQuery;
+
+    let platform_version = PlatformVersion::latest();
+    let (drive, contract) = setup(10, None, 73509, platform_version);
+    let person_document_type = contract
+        .document_type_for_name("person")
+        .expect("contract should have a person document type");
+    let root_hash = drive
+        .grove
+        .root_hash(None, &platform_version.drive.grove_version)
+        .unwrap()
+        .expect("there is always a root hash");
+
+    let ids_of = |results: &[Vec<u8>]| -> Vec<Identifier> {
+        results
+            .iter()
+            .map(|bytes| {
+                Document::from_bytes(bytes, person_document_type, platform_version)
+                    .expect("we should be able to deserialize the document")
+                    .id()
+            })
+            .collect()
+    };
+    let build = |query_value: serde_json::Value| {
+        let cbor = cbor_serializer::serializable_value_to_cbor(&query_value, None)
+            .expect("expected to serialize to cbor");
+        DriveDocumentQuery::from_cbor(
+            cbor.as_slice(),
+            &contract,
+            person_document_type,
+            &drive.config,
+            platform_version,
+        )
+        .expect("query should be built")
+    };
+
+    let (all_results, _, _) = build(json!({
+        "limit": 100,
+        "orderBy": [["$id", "asc"]],
+    }))
+    .execute_raw_results_no_proof(&drive, None, None, platform_version)
+    .expect("query should be executed");
+    let ascending_ids = ids_of(&all_results);
+    assert_eq!(ascending_ids.len(), 10);
+
+    for (ascending, included) in [(true, true), (true, false), (false, true), (false, false)] {
+        let ordered: Vec<Identifier> = if ascending {
+            ascending_ids.clone()
+        } else {
+            ascending_ids.iter().rev().cloned().collect()
+        };
+        let cursor = ordered[3];
+        let expected: Vec<Identifier> = if included {
+            ordered[3..6].to_vec()
+        } else {
+            ordered[4..7].to_vec()
+        };
+        let cursor_key = if included { "startAt" } else { "startAfter" };
+        let case = format!(
+            "history orderBy $id {} with {cursor_key}",
+            if ascending { "asc" } else { "desc" }
+        );
+
+        let query = build(json!({
+            cursor_key: cursor.to_string(Encoding::Base58),
+            "limit": 3,
+            "orderBy": [["$id", if ascending { "asc" } else { "desc" }]],
+        }));
+        let (results, _, _) = query
+            .execute_raw_results_no_proof(&drive, None, None, platform_version)
+            .expect("query should be executed");
+        assert_eq!(ids_of(&results), expected, "{case}: unproved page");
+
+        let (proof_root_hash, proof_results, _) = query
+            .execute_with_proof_only_get_elements(&drive, None, None, platform_version)
+            .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("{case}: proved page should verify: {e}"));
+        assert_eq!(root_hash, proof_root_hash, "{case}: proof root hash");
+        assert_eq!(results, proof_results, "{case}: proved page");
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(feature = "server")]
 #[test]
 fn test_query_historical_first_platform_version() {
diff --git a/packages/rs-platform-serialization/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-platform-serialization/Cargo.toml
index 7f83bc4226e..d55316ffc6e 100644
--- a/packages/rs-platform-serialization/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-platform-serialization/Cargo.toml
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ rust-version.workspace = true
 license = "MIT"
 
 [dependencies]
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 platform-version = { path = "../rs-platform-version" }
diff --git a/packages/rs-platform-value/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-platform-value/Cargo.toml
index fda79d9f595..73cfd8fb8a9 100644
--- a/packages/rs-platform-value/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-platform-value/Cargo.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ rust-version.workspace = true
 license = "MIT"
 
 [dependencies]
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 ciborium = { version = "0.2.2", optional = true }
 thiserror = "2.0.12"
 bs58 = "0.5.1"
diff --git a/packages/rs-platform-version/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-platform-version/Cargo.toml
index 363b9490c19..94951daa007 100644
--- a/packages/rs-platform-version/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-platform-version/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ license = "MIT"
 
 [dependencies]
 thiserror = { version = "2.0.12" }
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1" }
+bincode = { workspace = true }
 versioned-feature-core = "1.0.0"
-grovedb-version = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e" }
+grovedb-version = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f" }
 
 [features]
 mock-versions = []
diff --git a/packages/rs-platform-wallet-ffi/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-platform-wallet-ffi/Cargo.toml
index 9b8f9d279b1..83cd3fbb4cd 100644
--- a/packages/rs-platform-wallet-ffi/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-platform-wallet-ffi/Cargo.toml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ async-trait = "0.1"
 
 # Bincode used to serialize RootExtendedPubKey / ExtendedPubKey across
 # FFI for watch-only restore. Same version pinned elsewhere in workspace.
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1" }
+bincode = { workspace = true }
 
 # Hex used for error diagnostics that include a wallet_id.
 hex = "0.4"
diff --git a/packages/rs-platform-wallet-storage/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-platform-wallet-storage/Cargo.toml
index 87fc5a7977a..63e7491e009 100644
--- a/packages/rs-platform-wallet-storage/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-platform-wallet-storage/Cargo.toml
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ time = { version = "=0.3.49", features = ["parsing"], optional = true }
 # (which derives bincode 2 `Encode`/`Decode`) and decode
 # `dpp::AssetLockProof` from the asset-lock blob column. Exact-pinned to
 # the lock-resolved version to match the crate's `=`-pin discipline.
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", optional = true }
+bincode = { workspace = true, optional = true, features = ["serde"] }
 tempfile = { version = "3", optional = true }
 chrono = { version = "0.4", default-features = false, features = [
     "clock",
diff --git a/packages/rs-platform-wallet/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-platform-wallet/Cargo.toml
index f71439ea73d..f4e5d000787 100644
--- a/packages/rs-platform-wallet/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-platform-wallet/Cargo.toml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ zeroize = "1"
 log = "0.4"
 
 # Shielded pool (optional, behind `shielded` feature)
-grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e", optional = true }
+grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f", optional = true }
 # Direct `rusqlite` access so `FileBackedShieldedStore::open_path` can set
 # WAL + synchronous=NORMAL pragmas before handing the connection to
 # `ClientPersistentCommitmentTree`. Version locked to match the rev grovedb
diff --git a/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/Cargo.toml
index e603e523b9d..a25212abc97 100644
--- a/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/Cargo.toml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ dash-network = { workspace = true, features = ["ffi"] }
 # FFI and serialization
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1.0"
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 
 # Async runtime
 tokio = { version = "1.41", features = ["rt-multi-thread", "macros", "sync", "time"] }
diff --git a/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/system/queries/path_elements.rs b/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/system/queries/path_elements.rs
index 96466024445..93eaa248b66 100644
--- a/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/system/queries/path_elements.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/system/queries/path_elements.rs
@@ -156,19 +156,29 @@ fn get_path_elements(
 /// `NonCounted` and `NotSummed` are transparent wrappers around another
 /// element; we render them as `non_counted(<inner>)` / `not_summed(<inner>)`
 /// so that the wrapped element's value is still visible to the caller.
+/// Backward-reference metadata does not change the rendered payload; the
+/// `type` field identifies the variants that support it.
 fn format_element_data(element: &Element) -> String {
     match element {
-        Element::Item(data, _) => hex::encode(data),
+        Element::Item(data, _) | Element::ItemWithBackwardsReferences(data, _, _) => {
+            hex::encode(data)
+        }
         Element::Reference(reference, _, _) => format!("{:?}", reference),
+        Element::BidirectionalReference(reference, _) => {
+            format!("{:?}", reference.forward_reference_path)
+        }
         Element::Tree(_, _) => "tree".to_string(),
         Element::SumTree(_, _, _) => "sum_tree".to_string(),
-        Element::SumItem(value, _) => format!("sum_item:{}", value),
+        Element::SumItem(value, _) | Element::SumItemWithBackwardsReferences(value, _, _) => {
+            format!("sum_item:{}", value)
+        }
         Element::BigSumTree(_, value, _) => format!("big_sum_tree:{}", value),
         Element::CountTree(_, count, _) => format!("count_tree:{}", count),
         Element::CountSumTree(_, count, sum, _) => {
             format!("count_sum_tree:{}:{}", count, sum)
         }
-        Element::ItemWithSumItem(data, sum, _) => {
+        Element::ItemWithSumItem(data, sum, _)
+        | Element::ItemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences(data, sum, _, _) => {
             format!("item_with_sum_item:{}:{}", hex::encode(data), sum)
         }
         Element::ReferenceWithSumItem(reference, _, sum, _) => {
@@ -218,6 +228,16 @@ fn format_element_type(element: &Element) -> String {
     match element {
         Element::Item(_, _) => "item".to_string(),
         Element::Reference(_, _, _) => "reference".to_string(),
+        Element::BidirectionalReference(_, _) => "bidirectional_reference".to_string(),
+        Element::ItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _) => {
+            "item_with_backwards_references".to_string()
+        }
+        Element::SumItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _) => {
+            "sum_item_with_backwards_references".to_string()
+        }
+        Element::ItemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _, _) => {
+            "item_with_sum_item_with_backwards_references".to_string()
+        }
         Element::Tree(_, _) => "tree".to_string(),
         Element::SumTree(_, _, _) => "sum_tree".to_string(),
         Element::SumItem(_, _) => "sum_item".to_string(),
@@ -257,6 +277,49 @@ fn format_element_type(element: &Element) -> String {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
     use crate::test_utils::test_utils::create_mock_sdk_handle;
+    use dash_sdk::drive::grovedb::element::reference_path::ReferencePathType;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn should_preserve_payload_rendering_for_backward_reference_variants() {
+        let path = ReferencePathType::SiblingReference(b"target".to_vec());
+        let cases = [
+            (
+                Element::new_bidirectional_reference_with_options(
+                    path.clone(),
+                    Some(4),
+                    true,
+                    None,
+                ),
+                Element::Reference(path, Some(4), None),
+                "bidirectional_reference",
+            ),
+            (
+                Element::ItemWithBackwardsReferences(vec![0, 255], Default::default(), None),
+                Element::Item(vec![0, 255], None),
+                "item_with_backwards_references",
+            ),
+            (
+                Element::SumItemWithBackwardsReferences(-42, Default::default(), None),
+                Element::SumItem(-42, None),
+                "sum_item_with_backwards_references",
+            ),
+            (
+                Element::ItemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences(
+                    vec![0, 255],
+                    -42,
+                    Default::default(),
+                    None,
+                ),
+                Element::ItemWithSumItem(vec![0, 255], -42, None),
+                "item_with_sum_item_with_backwards_references",
+            ),
+        ];
+
+        for (element, base, expected_type) in cases {
+            assert_eq!(format_element_data(&element), format_element_data(&base));
+            assert_eq!(format_element_type(&element), expected_type);
+        }
+    }
 
     #[test]
     fn test_get_path_elements_null_handle() {
diff --git a/packages/rs-sdk/Cargo.toml b/packages/rs-sdk/Cargo.toml
index 3a142158e1b..a307441b67a 100644
--- a/packages/rs-sdk/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/rs-sdk/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ drive = { path = "../rs-drive", default-features = false, features = [
 ] }
 
 drive-proof-verifier = { path = "../rs-drive-proof-verifier", default-features = false }
-grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6fc7e1e82de27a56c3428c0d5dd15b5f6a0ea23e", features = [
+grovedb-commitment-tree = { git = "https://github.com/dashpay/grovedb", rev = "6816457d2b2df98653f286bf9a374f236a17748f", features = [
   "client",
   "sqlite",
 ], optional = true }
diff --git a/packages/simple-signer/Cargo.toml b/packages/simple-signer/Cargo.toml
index b95f827d797..089fae064ff 100644
--- a/packages/simple-signer/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/simple-signer/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ dpp = { path = "../rs-dpp", default-features = false, features = [
     "ed25519-dalek",
 ] }
 async-trait = { version = "0.1.79" }
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 base64 = { version = "0.22.1" }
 hex = { version = "0.4.3" }
 tracing = "0.1.41"
diff --git a/packages/strategy-tests/Cargo.toml b/packages/strategy-tests/Cargo.toml
index 5e7b2b71a1b..06a052a4f10 100644
--- a/packages/strategy-tests/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/strategy-tests/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ license = "MIT"
 
 [dependencies]
 tracing = "0.1.41"
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 drive = { path = "../rs-drive", default-features = false, features = [
   "verify",
 ] }
diff --git a/packages/wasm-dpp/Cargo.toml b/packages/wasm-dpp/Cargo.toml
index 859c8474525..23864d7e170 100644
--- a/packages/wasm-dpp/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/wasm-dpp/Cargo.toml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ anyhow = { version = "1.0.75" }
 # required, cargo-machete false positive
 wasm-bindgen-futures = "0.4.58"
 async-trait = "0.1.59"
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1" }
+bincode = { workspace = true }
 
 [package.metadata.cargo-machete]
 ignored = ["wasm-bindgen-futures"]
diff --git a/packages/wasm-dpp2/Cargo.toml b/packages/wasm-dpp2/Cargo.toml
index 7af47f47f09..d405cffcacb 100644
--- a/packages/wasm-dpp2/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/wasm-dpp2/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ crate-type = ["cdylib", "lib"]
 # TODO: Consider to use talc allocator
 #talc = { version = "=4.4.2", default-features = false, features = ["lock_api"] }
 async-trait = { version = "0.1.79" }
-bincode = "=2.0.1"
+bincode = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 wasm-bindgen = { version = "=0.2.108", default-features = false, features = [
   "serde-serialize",
 ] }
diff --git a/packages/wasm-drive-verify/Cargo.toml b/packages/wasm-drive-verify/Cargo.toml
index 9868a27466b..ae145a41b8f 100644
--- a/packages/wasm-drive-verify/Cargo.toml
+++ b/packages/wasm-drive-verify/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ dpp = { path = "../rs-dpp", default-features = false, features = [
   "platform-value-json",
 ] }
 
-bincode = { version = "=2.0.1" }
+bincode = { workspace = true }
 wasm-bindgen = { version = "=0.2.108" }
 serde = { version = "1.0.193", default-features = false, features = [
   "alloc",
diff --git a/packages/wasm-sdk/src/queries/system.rs b/packages/wasm-sdk/src/queries/system.rs
index 1051361908f..0f068698282 100644
--- a/packages/wasm-sdk/src/queries/system.rs
+++ b/packages/wasm-sdk/src/queries/system.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ export type GroveElementType =
   | "provableCountTree"
   | "itemWithSumItem"
   | "referenceWithSumItem"
+  | "bidirectionalReference"
+  | "itemWithBackwardsReferences"
+  | "sumItemWithBackwardsReferences"
+  | "itemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences"
   | "provableCountSumTree"
   | "provableCountProvableSumTree"
   | "provableSumTree"
@@ -857,8 +861,10 @@ fn set_js_property(object: &Object, property: &str, value: &JsValue) -> Result<(
 
 fn element_value_bytes(element: &Element) -> Option<Vec<u8>> {
     match element {
-        Element::Item(bytes, _) => Some(bytes.clone()),
-        Element::ItemWithSumItem(bytes, _, _) => Some(bytes.clone()),
+        Element::Item(bytes, _)
+        | Element::ItemWithBackwardsReferences(bytes, _, _)
+        | Element::ItemWithSumItem(bytes, _, _)
+        | Element::ItemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences(bytes, _, _, _) => Some(bytes.clone()),
         Element::NonCounted(inner)
         | Element::NotSummed(inner)
         | Element::NotCountedOrSummed(inner) => element_value_bytes(inner),
@@ -868,7 +874,9 @@ fn element_value_bytes(element: &Element) -> Option<Vec<u8>> {
 
 fn element_sum(element: &Element) -> Option<i128> {
     match element {
-        Element::SumItem(sum, _) => Some(*sum as i128),
+        Element::SumItem(sum, _)
+        | Element::SumItemWithBackwardsReferences(sum, _, _)
+        | Element::ItemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, sum, _, _) => Some(*sum as i128),
         Element::SumTree(_, sum, _) => Some(*sum as i128),
         Element::BigSumTree(_, sum, _) => Some(*sum),
         Element::CountSumTree(_, _, sum, _) => Some(*sum as i128),
@@ -901,16 +909,21 @@ fn element_reference_target(
 ) -> (Option<Vec<Vec<u8>>>, Option<String>) {
     match element {
         Element::Reference(reference_path, _, _)
-        | Element::ReferenceWithSumItem(reference_path, _, _, _) => {
-            match path_from_reference_path_type(reference_path.clone(), parent_path, Some(key)) {
-                Ok(target) => (Some(target), None),
-                Err(error) => {
-                    let message = error.to_string();
-                    tracing::warn!("failed to resolve GroveDB reference target: {}", message);
-                    (None, Some(message))
-                }
+        | Element::ReferenceWithSumItem(reference_path, _, _, _)
+        | Element::BidirectionalReference(
+            dash_sdk::drive::grovedb::element::BidirectionalReference {
+                forward_reference_path: reference_path,
+                ..
+            },
+            _,
+        ) => match path_from_reference_path_type(reference_path.clone(), parent_path, Some(key)) {
+            Ok(target) => (Some(target), None),
+            Err(error) => {
+                let message = error.to_string();
+                tracing::warn!("failed to resolve GroveDB reference target: {}", message);
+                (None, Some(message))
             }
-        }
+        },
         Element::NonCounted(inner)
         | Element::NotSummed(inner)
         | Element::NotCountedOrSummed(inner) => element_reference_target(inner, parent_path, key),
@@ -920,6 +933,12 @@ fn element_reference_target(
 
 fn element_type_name(element: &Element) -> &'static str {
     match element {
+        Element::BidirectionalReference(_, _) => "bidirectionalReference",
+        Element::ItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _) => "itemWithBackwardsReferences",
+        Element::SumItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _) => "sumItemWithBackwardsReferences",
+        Element::ItemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _, _) => {
+            "itemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences"
+        }
         Element::Item(_, _) => "item",
         Element::Reference(_, _, _) => "reference",
         Element::Tree(_, _) => "tree",
@@ -953,6 +972,11 @@ fn element_type_name(element: &Element) -> &'static str {
 
 fn non_counted_element_type_name(element: &Element) -> &'static str {
     match element {
+        // GroveDB rejects aggregation wrappers around these variants.
+        Element::BidirectionalReference(_, _)
+        | Element::ItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _)
+        | Element::SumItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _)
+        | Element::ItemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences(_, _, _, _) => element_type_name(element),
         Element::Item(_, _) => "nonCountedItem",
         Element::Reference(_, _, _) => "nonCountedReference",
         Element::Tree(_, _) => "nonCountedTree",
@@ -1734,6 +1758,35 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
     use dash_sdk::drive::grovedb::element::reference_path::ReferencePathType;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn should_render_bidirectional_elements_without_losing_payloads() {
+        let item = Element::new_item_allowing_bidirectional_references(vec![1, 2]);
+        let sum = Element::new_sum_item_allowing_bidirectional_references(-3);
+        let combined =
+            Element::new_item_with_sum_item_allowing_bidirectional_references(vec![4, 5], 6);
+        let reference = Element::new_bidirectional_reference(ReferencePathType::SiblingReference(
+            b"target".to_vec(),
+        ));
+        let union = typescript_element_type_union();
+        for (element, name) in [
+            (&item, "itemWithBackwardsReferences"),
+            (&sum, "sumItemWithBackwardsReferences"),
+            (&combined, "itemWithSumItemWithBackwardsReferences"),
+            (&reference, "bidirectionalReference"),
+        ] {
+            assert_eq!(element_type_name(element), name);
+            assert!(union.contains(&format!("\"{name}\"")));
+        }
+        assert_eq!(element_value_bytes(&item), Some(vec![1, 2]));
+        assert_eq!(element_sum(&sum), Some(-3));
+        assert_eq!(element_value_bytes(&combined), Some(vec![4, 5]));
+        assert_eq!(element_sum(&combined), Some(6));
+        assert_eq!(
+            element_reference_target(&reference, &[b"parent".to_vec()], b"source"),
+            (Some(vec![b"parent".to_vec(), b"target".to_vec()]), None),
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn should_decode_raw_bytes_without_utf8_expansion() {
         let input = [0x80, 0xff];