diff --git a/libraries/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.cpp b/libraries/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.cpp
index 93642aebf7..ca43590ab9 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.cpp
@@ -140,8 +140,6 @@ valid_quorum_certificate pending_quorum_certificate::to_valid_quorum_certificate
 
    valid_quorum_certificate valid_qc;
 
-   valid_qc._proposal_id = _proposal_id;
-   valid_qc._proposal_digest = _proposal_digest;
    if( _state == state_t::strong ) {
       valid_qc._strong_votes = _strong_votes._bitset;
       valid_qc._sig          = _strong_votes._sig;
@@ -155,41 +153,15 @@ valid_quorum_certificate pending_quorum_certificate::to_valid_quorum_certificate
    return valid_qc;
 }
 
-// ================== begin compatibility functions =======================
-// these are present just to make the tests still work. will be removed.
-// these assume *only* strong votes.
-quorum_certificate_message pending_quorum_certificate::to_msg() const {
-   return {.proposal_id    = _proposal_id,
-           .strong_votes   = bitset_to_vector(_strong_votes._bitset),
-           .active_agg_sig = _strong_votes._sig};
-}
-
-std::string pending_quorum_certificate::get_votes_string() const {
-   return std::string("strong(\"") + bitset_to_string(_strong_votes._bitset) + "\", weak(\"" +
-          bitset_to_string(_weak_votes._bitset) + "\"";
-}
-// ================== end compatibility functions =======================
-
 valid_quorum_certificate::valid_quorum_certificate(
-   const fc::sha256& proposal_id, const std::vector<uint8_t>& proposal_digest,
    const std::vector<uint32_t>& strong_votes, // bitset encoding, following canonical order
    const std::vector<uint32_t>& weak_votes,   // bitset encoding, following canonical order
    const bls_signature&         sig)
-   : _proposal_id(proposal_id)
-   , _proposal_digest(proposal_digest)
-   , _sig(sig) {
+   : _sig(sig) {
    if (!strong_votes.empty())
       _strong_votes = vector_to_bitset(strong_votes);
    if (!weak_votes.empty())
       _weak_votes = vector_to_bitset(weak_votes);
 }
 
-quorum_certificate_message valid_quorum_certificate::to_msg() const {
-   return {
-      .proposal_id    = _proposal_id,
-      .strong_votes   = _strong_votes ? bitset_to_vector(*_strong_votes) : std::vector<uint32_t>{1, 0},
-      .active_agg_sig = _sig
-   };
-}
-
 } // namespace eosio::chain
diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.hpp
index e2003fa313..2650260b9d 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/eosio/chain/hotstuff/hotstuff.hpp
@@ -107,9 +107,7 @@ namespace eosio::chain {
    // -------------------- valid_quorum_certificate -------------------------------------------------
    class valid_quorum_certificate {
    public:
-      valid_quorum_certificate(const fc::sha256& proposal_id,
-                               const std::vector<uint8_t>& proposal_digest,
-                               const std::vector<uint32_t>& strong_votes, //bitset encoding, following canonical order
+      valid_quorum_certificate(const std::vector<uint32_t>& strong_votes, //bitset encoding, following canonical order
                                const std::vector<uint32_t>& weak_votes,   //bitset encoding, following canonical order
                                const bls_signature& sig);
 
@@ -119,16 +117,7 @@ namespace eosio::chain {
       bool is_weak()   const { return !!_weak_votes; }
       bool is_strong() const { return !_weak_votes; }
 
-      // ================== begin compatibility functions =======================
-      // these are present just to make the tests still work. will be removed.
-      // these assume *only* strong votes.
-      quorum_certificate_message to_msg() const;
-      const fc::sha256&          get_proposal_id() const { return _proposal_id; }
-      // ================== end compatibility functions =======================
-
       friend struct fc::reflector<valid_quorum_certificate>;
-      fc::sha256               _proposal_id;     // [todo] remove
-      std::vector<uint8_t>     _proposal_digest; // [todo] remove
       std::optional<hs_bitset> _strong_votes;
       std::optional<hs_bitset> _weak_votes;
       bls_signature            _sig;
@@ -174,28 +163,18 @@ namespace eosio::chain {
 
       // thread safe
       std::pair<vote_status, bool> add_vote(bool strong,
-                                            const std::vector<uint8_t>&proposal_digest,
+                                            const std::vector<uint8_t>& proposal_digest,
                                             size_t index,
-                                            const bls_public_key&pubkey,
-                                            const bls_signature&sig,
+                                            const bls_public_key& pubkey,
+                                            const bls_signature& sig,
                                             uint64_t weight);
 
       state_t state()  const { std::lock_guard g(*_mtx); return _state; };
       valid_quorum_certificate to_valid_quorum_certificate() const;
 
-      // ================== begin compatibility functions =======================
-      // these are present just to make the tests still work. will be removed.
-      // these assume *only* strong votes.
-      quorum_certificate_message to_msg() const;
-      const fc::sha256&          get_proposal_id() const { return _proposal_id; }
-      std::string                get_votes_string() const;
-      // ================== end compatibility functions =======================
-
    private:
       friend struct fc::reflector<pending_quorum_certificate>;
       friend class qc_chain;
-      fc::sha256           _proposal_id;     // only used in to_msg(). Remove eventually
-      std::vector<uint8_t> _proposal_digest;
       std::unique_ptr<std::mutex> _mtx;
       uint64_t             _quorum {0};
       uint64_t             _max_weak_sum_before_weak_final {0}; // max weak sum before becoming weak_final
@@ -228,5 +207,7 @@ FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::vote_message, (proposal_id)(strong)(finalizer_key)(sig)
 FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::hs_proposal_message, (proposal_id)(block_id)(parent_id)(final_on_qc)(justify)(phase_counter));
 FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::hs_new_view_message, (high_qc));
 FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::hs_message, (msg));
-FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::valid_quorum_certificate, (_proposal_id)(_proposal_digest)(_strong_votes)(_weak_votes)(_sig));
+FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::valid_quorum_certificate, (_strong_votes)(_weak_votes)(_sig));
+FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::pending_quorum_certificate, (_quorum)(_max_weak_sum_before_weak_final)(_state)(_strong_sum)(_weak_sum)(_weak_votes)(_strong_votes));
+FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::pending_quorum_certificate::votes_t, (_bitset)(_sig));
 FC_REFLECT(eosio::chain::quorum_certificate, (block_num)(qc));
diff --git a/unittests/block_state_tests.cpp b/unittests/block_state_tests.cpp
index dfe074afa4..2092e63b78 100644
--- a/unittests/block_state_tests.cpp
+++ b/unittests/block_state_tests.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       agg_sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({agg_sig, sig_2});
 
       // create a valid_quorum_certificate
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, agg_sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, agg_sig);
 
       BOOST_REQUIRE_NO_THROW( bsp->verify_qc(qc) );
    }
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       agg_sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({agg_sig, strong_sig});
       agg_sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({agg_sig, weak_sig});
 
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), agg_sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), agg_sig);
       BOOST_REQUIRE_NO_THROW( bsp->verify_qc(qc) );
    }
 
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       }
 
       // create a valid_quorum_certificate
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, agg_sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, agg_sig);
 
       BOOST_REQUIRE_NO_THROW( bsp->verify_qc(qc) );
    }
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       }
 
       // create a valid_quorum_certificate
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, {}, bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), agg_sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), agg_sig);
 
       BOOST_REQUIRE_NO_THROW( bsp->verify_qc(qc) );
    }
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       agg_sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({agg_sig, sig_2});
 
       // create a valid_quorum_certificate
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, agg_sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, agg_sig);
 
       BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION( bsp->verify_qc(qc), block_validate_exception, eosio::testing::fc_exception_message_starts_with("strong quorum is not met") );
    }
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       agg_sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({agg_sig, sig_2});
 
       // create a valid_quorum_certificate
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, {}, bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), agg_sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), agg_sig);
 
       BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION( bsp->verify_qc(qc), block_validate_exception, eosio::testing::fc_exception_message_starts_with("weak quorum is not met") );
    }
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({sig, sig_2});
 
       // create a valid_quorum_certificate
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, sig);
 
       BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION( bsp->verify_qc(qc), block_validate_exception, eosio::testing::fc_exception_message_is("signature validation failed") );
    }
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({sig, sig_2});
 
       // create a valid_quorum_certificate
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), {}, sig);
 
       BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION( bsp->verify_qc(qc), block_validate_exception, eosio::testing::fc_exception_message_is("signature validation failed") );
    }
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({sig, strong_sig});
       sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({sig, weak_sig});
 
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), sig);
       BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION( bsp->verify_qc(qc), block_validate_exception, eosio::testing::fc_exception_message_is("signature validation failed") );
    }
 
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(verify_qc_test) try {
       sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({sig, strong_sig});
       sig = fc::crypto::blslib::aggregate({sig, weak_sig});
 
-      valid_quorum_certificate qc({}, {}, bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), sig);
+      valid_quorum_certificate qc(bitset_to_vector(strong_votes), bitset_to_vector(weak_votes), sig);
       BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION( bsp->verify_qc(qc), block_validate_exception, eosio::testing::fc_exception_message_is("signature validation failed") );
    }
 } FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW();