diff --git a/beacon_chain/gossip_processing/block_processor.nim b/beacon_chain/gossip_processing/block_processor.nim
index 85b370ce09..45b9dd8dbf 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/gossip_processing/block_processor.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/gossip_processing/block_processor.nim
@@ -236,7 +236,6 @@ proc storeBackfillBlock(
   self.consensusManager.quarantine[].missing.del(signedBlock.root)
   var
     columnsOk = true
-    malformed_cols: HashSet[int]
 
   when signedBlock is gloas.SignedBeaconBlock:
     # For Gloas, we still need to store the columns if they're provided
@@ -252,17 +251,14 @@ proc storeBackfillBlock(
       if columns.len > 0 and kzgCommits.len > 0:
         for i in 0..<columns.len:
           let r = verify_data_column_sidecar_kzg_proofs(columns[i][])
-          if r.isErr:
-            malformed_cols.incl(i)
+          if r.isErr():
             debug "backfill data column validation failed",
               blockRoot = shortLog(signedBlock.root),
               column_sidecar = shortLog(columns[i][]),
               blck = shortLog(signedBlock.message),
               signature = shortLog(signedBlock.signature),
               msg = r.error()
-
-      columnsOk = (dataColumnsOpt.get.lenu64 - malformed_cols.lenu64) >=
-        (self.consensusManager.dag.cfg.NUMBER_OF_COLUMNS div 2)
+          columnsOk = r.isOk()
 
   if not columnsOk:
     return err(VerifierError.Invalid)
@@ -286,9 +282,9 @@ proc storeBackfillBlock(
 
   # Only store data columns after successfully establishing block viability.
   let columns = dataColumnsOpt.valueOr: DataColumnSidecars @[]
+  debug "Inserting columns into database (backfill)",
+    indices = columns.mapIt($it[].index)
   for i in 0..<columns.len:
-    if i in malformed_cols:
-      continue
     self.consensusManager.dag.db.putDataColumnSidecar(columns[i][])
 
   res
@@ -758,6 +754,8 @@ proc storeBlock(
 
   # write data columns now that block has been written
   let data_columns = dataColumnsOpt.valueOr: DataColumnSidecars @[]
+  debug "Inserting columns into database",
+    indices = data_columns.mapIt($it.index)
   for col in data_columns:
     self.consensusManager.dag.db.putDataColumnSidecar(col[])
 
diff --git a/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim b/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim
index 47d7dc55a4..8c308d3e5a 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/nimbus_beacon_node.nim
@@ -427,9 +427,7 @@ proc initFullNode(
         dag.cfg.CUSTODY_REQUIREMENT
     custodyColumns =
       dag.cfg.resolve_columns_from_custody_groups(
-        node.network.nodeId,
-        max(dag.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT.uint64,
-            localCustodyGroups))
+        node.network.nodeId, localCustodyGroups)
 
   var sortedColumns = custodyColumns.toSeq()
   sort(sortedColumns)
@@ -606,8 +604,7 @@ proc initFullNode(
   if node.config.peerdasSupernode:
     node.network.loadCgcnetMetadataAndEnr(dag.cfg.NUMBER_OF_CUSTODY_GROUPS.uint8)
   else:
-    node.network.loadCgcnetMetadataAndEnr(max(dag.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT.uint8,
-                                          dag.cfg.CUSTODY_REQUIREMENT.uint8))
+    node.network.loadCgcnetMetadataAndEnr(dag.cfg.CUSTODY_REQUIREMENT.uint8)
 
   if node.config.lightClientDataServe:
     proc scheduleSendingLightClientUpdates(slot: Slot) =
@@ -1345,7 +1342,7 @@ proc addFuluMessageHandlers(
     targetSubnets = node.readCustodyGroupSubnets()
     custody = node.dag.cfg.get_custody_groups(
       node.network.nodeId,
-      max(node.dag.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT, targetSubnets.uint64))
+      targetSubnets.uint64)
 
   for i in custody:
     let topic = getDataColumnSidecarTopic(forkDigest, i)
@@ -1392,8 +1389,7 @@ proc removeFuluMessageHandlers(node: BeaconNode, forkDigest: ForkDigest) =
   let
     targetSubnets = node.readCustodyGroupSubnets()
     custody = node.dag.cfg.get_custody_groups(
-      node.network.nodeId,
-      max(node.dag.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT, targetSubnets.uint64))
+      node.network.nodeId, targetSubnets.uint64)
 
   for i in custody:
     let topic = getDataColumnSidecarTopic(forkDigest, i)
@@ -1974,11 +1970,10 @@ proc onSlotEnd(node: BeaconNode, slot: Slot) {.async.} =
       # Update CGC and metadata with respect to the new detected validator custody
       let new_vcus = CgcCount node.validatorCustody.newer_column_set.lenu64
 
-      if new_vcus > node.dag.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT.uint8:
+      if new_vcus > node.dag.cfg.CUSTODY_REQUIREMENT.uint8:
         node.network.loadCgcnetMetadataAndEnr(new_vcus)
       else:
-        node.network.loadCgcnetMetadataAndEnr(max(node.dag.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT.uint8,
-                                              node.dag.cfg.CUSTODY_REQUIREMENT.uint8))
+        node.network.loadCgcnetMetadataAndEnr(node.dag.cfg.CUSTODY_REQUIREMENT.uint8)
 
       info "New validator custody count detected",
         custody_columns = node.dataColumnQuarantine.custodyColumns.len
diff --git a/beacon_chain/sync/validator_custody.nim b/beacon_chain/sync/validator_custody.nim
index 182a66d3a5..ddf5430f3e 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/sync/validator_custody.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/sync/validator_custody.nim
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ proc detectNewValidatorCustody*(vcus: ValidatorCustodyRef,
     newer_columns =
       vcus.dag.cfg.resolve_columns_from_custody_groups(
         vcus.network.nodeId,
-        max(vcus.dag.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT.uint64,
+        max(vcus.dag.cfg.CUSTODY_REQUIREMENT.uint64,
         vcustody))
 
   debug "New validator custody count detected",
diff --git a/beacon_chain/validators/message_router.nim b/beacon_chain/validators/message_router.nim
index 4d6931411d..dd4fb34ed6 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/validators/message_router.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/validators/message_router.nim
@@ -178,11 +178,9 @@ proc routeSignedBeaconBlock*(
       # Push only those columns to processor for which we custody
       let
         metadata = router[].network.metadata.custody_group_count
-        samples_per_slot = router[].network.cfg.SAMPLES_PER_SLOT
         custody_columns =
           router[].network.cfg.resolve_columns_from_custody_groups(
-            router[].network.nodeId,
-            max(samples_per_slot, metadata))
+            router[].network.nodeId, metadata)
 
       var final_columns: seq[ref fulu.DataColumnSidecar]
       for dc in dataColumns: