diff --git a/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2.rs b/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2.rs
index ed155bc8..b0710230 100644
--- a/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2.rs
+++ b/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2.rs
@@ -121,14 +121,10 @@ where
     #[cfg(feature = "display")]
     end_timer!(proof_time);
 
-    if let Some((instance_path, proof_path)) = path {
-        write_instances(&instances, instance_path);
-        fs::write(proof_path, &proof).unwrap();
-    }
-
-    debug_assert!({
+    // validate proof before caching
+    assert!({
         let mut transcript_read =
-            PoseidonTranscript::<NativeLoader, &[u8]>::new::<SECURE_MDS>(proof.as_slice());
+            PoseidonTranscript::<NativeLoader, &[u8]>::from_spec(&proof[..], POSEIDON_SPEC.clone());
         VerificationStrategy::<_, V>::finalize(
             verify_proof::<_, V, _, _, _>(
                 params.verifier_params(),
@@ -141,6 +137,11 @@ where
         )
     });
 
+    if let Some((instance_path, proof_path)) = path {
+        write_instances(&instances, instance_path);
+        fs::write(proof_path, &proof).unwrap();
+    }
+
     proof
 }
 
diff --git a/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2/aggregation.rs b/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2/aggregation.rs
index 3bff2060..f361b876 100644
--- a/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2/aggregation.rs
+++ b/snark-verifier-sdk/src/halo2/aggregation.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ use halo2_base::{
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use rand::{rngs::StdRng, SeedableRng};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+#[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+use snark_verifier::util::arithmetic::fe_to_limbs;
 use snark_verifier::{
     loader::{
         self,
@@ -34,7 +36,6 @@ use snark_verifier::{
         kzg::{KzgAccumulator, KzgAsProvingKey, KzgAsVerifyingKey, KzgSuccinctVerifyingKey},
         AccumulationScheme, AccumulationSchemeProver, PolynomialCommitmentScheme,
     },
-    util::arithmetic::fe_to_limbs,
     verifier::SnarkVerifier,
 };
 use std::{