diff --git a/.github/workflows/post-merge-run.yml b/.github/workflows/post-merge-run.yml
index c1f6ebe..36c4d74 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/post-merge-run.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/post-merge-run.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ jobs:
           brew install docker-buildx
       - name: Test jq is installed
         run: jq --help
+      - name: Install jwt and add to path
+        run: cargo install jwt-cli && export PATH=$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH
       # Vectors are already generated, but this serves as a test
       - name: Generate vectors
         run: bash ./scripts/generate_test_vectors_nethermind.sh
diff --git a/scripts/apply_test_vectors.sh b/scripts/apply_test_vectors.sh
index 972e966..115b4b0 100755
--- a/scripts/apply_test_vectors.sh
+++ b/scripts/apply_test_vectors.sh
@@ -66,6 +66,15 @@ function apply_block_file() {
     http://localhost:8546 \
   )
   echo engine_forkchoiceUpdatedV1 set new block as head RESPONSE $RESPONSE
+
+
+  PAYLOAD_STATUS=$(echo $RESPONSE | jq --raw-output '.result.payloadStatus.status')
+  echo PAYLOAD_STATUS: $PAYLOAD_STATUS
+  # If the status is not "VALID", exit the script with a non-zero code to make CI fail
+  if [ "$PAYLOAD_STATUS" != "VALID" ]; then
+    echo "Error: Payload status is $PAYLOAD_STATUS, failing CI."
+    exit 1
+  fi
 }
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/generate_test_vectors.sh b/scripts/generate_test_vectors.sh
index 0a37782..7853d91 100755
--- a/scripts/generate_test_vectors.sh
+++ b/scripts/generate_test_vectors.sh
@@ -24,14 +24,28 @@ until curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     sleep 2
 done
 
-BLOCK_COUNTER=0
+echo "EL is available"
+
+declare -i BLOCK_COUNTER=0
 
 function make_block() {
-  ((BLOCK_COUNTER++))
+  # increment block counter
+  BLOCK_COUNTER=$((BLOCK_COUNTER + 1))
+
+  echo "Making block $BLOCK_COUNTER"
 
   HEAD_BLOCK=$(curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-    --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_getBlockByNumber","params":["latest", false],"id":1}' \
-    http://localhost:8545)
+    --data "{
+      \"jsonrpc\":\"2.0\",
+      \"method\":\"eth_getBlockByNumber\",
+      \"params\":[
+        \"latest\",
+        false
+      ],
+      \"id\":1
+    }" \
+    http://localhost:8545 \
+  )
 
   # --raw-output remove the double quotes
   HEAD_BLOCK_HASH=$(echo $HEAD_BLOCK | jq --raw-output '.result.hash')
diff --git a/scripts/run_reth.sh b/scripts/run_reth.sh
index e141973..a99a3ca 100755
--- a/scripts/run_reth.sh
+++ b/scripts/run_reth.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 #
 # reth genesis from https://github.com/ethpandaops/ethereum-genesis-generator/blob/a4b6733ea9d47b2b2ec497f5212f0265b83fb601/apps/el-gen/genesis_geth.py#L34
 
+# if TMPDIR is empty, use /tmp
+TMPDIR=${TMPDIR:-/tmp}
+
 DATA_DIR=$TMPDIR/reth_test
 # Ensure no data from previous tests
 rm -rf $DATA_DIR