diff --git a/go-libp2p-blossomsub/bitmask.go b/go-libp2p-blossomsub/bitmask.go
index d37cc1e..2b8f32e 100644
--- a/go-libp2p-blossomsub/bitmask.go
+++ b/go-libp2p-blossomsub/bitmask.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (t *Bitmask) Subscribe(opts ...SubOpt) (*Subscription, error) {
 
 	if sub.ch == nil {
 		// apply the default size
-		sub.ch = make(chan *Message, 1000)
+		sub.ch = make(chan *Message, 128)
 	}
 
 	out := make(chan *Subscription, 1)
diff --git a/go-libp2p-blossomsub/pubsub.go b/go-libp2p-blossomsub/pubsub.go
index 78d5449..60d91f3 100644
--- a/go-libp2p-blossomsub/pubsub.go
+++ b/go-libp2p-blossomsub/pubsub.go
@@ -260,18 +260,18 @@ func NewPubSub(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, rt PubSubRouter, opts ...Option
 		peerFilter:            DefaultPeerFilter,
 		disc:                  &discover{},
 		maxMessageSize:        DefaultMaxMessageSize,
-		peerOutboundQueueSize: 1000,
+		peerOutboundQueueSize: 128,
 		signID:                h.ID(),
 		signKey:               nil,
 		signPolicy:            StrictSign,
-		incoming:              make(chan *RPC, 1000),
+		incoming:              make(chan *RPC, 128),
 		newPeers:              make(chan struct{}, 1),
 		newPeersPend:          make(map[peer.ID]struct{}),
 		newPeerStream:         make(chan network.Stream),
 		newPeerError:          make(chan peer.ID),
 		peerDead:              make(chan struct{}, 1),
 		peerDeadPend:          make(map[peer.ID]struct{}),
-		deadPeerBackoff:       newBackoff(ctx, 1000, BackoffCleanupInterval, MaxBackoffAttempts),
+		deadPeerBackoff:       newBackoff(ctx, 128, BackoffCleanupInterval, MaxBackoffAttempts),
 		cancelCh:              make(chan *Subscription),
 		getPeers:              make(chan *listPeerReq),
 		addSub:                make(chan *addSubReq),
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ func NewPubSub(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, rt PubSubRouter, opts ...Option
 		addBitmask:            make(chan *addBitmaskReq),
 		rmBitmask:             make(chan *rmBitmaskReq),
 		getBitmasks:           make(chan *bitmaskReq),
-		sendMsg:               make(chan *Message, 1000),
+		sendMsg:               make(chan *Message, 128),
 		addVal:                make(chan *addValReq),
 		rmVal:                 make(chan *rmValReq),
 		eval:                  make(chan func()),
diff --git a/node/app/db_console.go b/node/app/db_console.go
index 65efc19..30ceeaa 100644
--- a/node/app/db_console.go
+++ b/node/app/db_console.go
@@ -887,11 +887,11 @@ func logoVersion(width int) string {
 		out += "                          ''---..              ...---''               ##\n"
 		out += "                                 ''----------''\n"
 		out += " \n"
-		out += "                        Quilibrium Node - v1.4.3 – Sunset\n"
+		out += "                        Quilibrium Node - v1.4.4 – Sunset\n"
 		out += " \n"
 		out += "                                   DB Console\n"
 	} else {
-		out = "Quilibrium Node - v1.4.3 – Sunset - DB Console\n"
+		out = "Quilibrium Node - v1.4.4 – Sunset - DB Console\n"
 	}
 	return out
 }
diff --git a/node/consensus/consensus_engine.go b/node/consensus/consensus_engine.go
index 0ffd94d..b810fef 100644
--- a/node/consensus/consensus_engine.go
+++ b/node/consensus/consensus_engine.go
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ type DataConsensusEngine interface {
 }
 
 func GetMinimumVersionCutoff() time.Time {
-	return time.Date(2024, time.March, 7, 5, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	return time.Date(2024, time.March, 10, 2, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 }
 
 func GetMinimumVersion() []byte {
-	return []byte{0x01, 0x04, 0x03}
+	return []byte{0x01, 0x04, 0x04}
 }
 
 func GetVersion() []byte {
-	return []byte{0x01, 0x04, 0x03}
+	return []byte{0x01, 0x04, 0x04}
 }
diff --git a/node/execution/intrinsics/ceremony/application/ceremony_application_validating.go b/node/execution/intrinsics/ceremony/application/ceremony_application_validating.go
index d1d36e1..a1bd35f 100644
--- a/node/execution/intrinsics/ceremony/application/ceremony_application_validating.go
+++ b/node/execution/intrinsics/ceremony/application/ceremony_application_validating.go
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ import (
 func (a *CeremonyApplication) applyTranscript(
 	transcript *protobufs.CeremonyTranscript,
 ) error {
+	if a.UpdatedTranscript == nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(errors.New("invalid transcript"), "apply transcript")
+	}
 	if len(a.UpdatedTranscript.G1Powers) != len(transcript.G1Powers) {
 		return errors.Wrap(errors.New("invalid g1s"), "apply transcript")
 	}
diff --git a/node/main.go b/node/main.go
index 7e97c3f..88f9def 100644
--- a/node/main.go
+++ b/node/main.go
@@ -523,5 +523,5 @@ func printLogo() {
 
 func printVersion() {
 	fmt.Println(" ")
-	fmt.Println("                       Quilibrium Node - v1.4.3 – Sunset")
+	fmt.Println("                       Quilibrium Node - v1.4.4 – Sunset")
 }
diff --git a/node/p2p/blossomsub.go b/node/p2p/blossomsub.go
index 1b51b9a..7e9257a 100644
--- a/node/p2p/blossomsub.go
+++ b/node/p2p/blossomsub.go
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ var BITMASK_ALL = []byte{
 	0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
 }
 
+// While we iterate through these next phases, we're going to aggressively
+// enforce keeping updated. This will be achieved through announce strings
+// that will vary with each update
+var ANNOUNCE = "quilibrium-1.4.4-sunset-horizon"
+
 func NewBlossomSub(
 	p2pConfig *config.P2PConfig,
 	logger *zap.Logger,
@@ -97,7 +102,7 @@ func NewBlossomSub(
 
 	kademliaDHT := initDHT(ctx, p2pConfig, logger, h)
 	routingDiscovery := routing.NewRoutingDiscovery(kademliaDHT)
-	util.Advertise(ctx, routingDiscovery, string(BITMASK_ALL))
+	util.Advertise(ctx, routingDiscovery, ANNOUNCE)
 
 	go discoverPeers(p2pConfig, ctx, logger, h, routingDiscovery)