datahaven-xyz/datahaven · error · Error

InvalidSyncCommitteeMerkleProof

InvalidSyncCommitteeMerkleProof

Error message

InvalidSyncCommitteeMerkleProof

What it means

The Merkle proof in `update.current_sync_committee_branch` fails to prove that the current sync committee root is part of the beacon state at `update.header.state_root`. `process_checkpoint_update` computes the sync committee's generalized index (fork-version dependent) and runs `verify_merkle_branch`; a mismatch between the leaf, branch, or state root raises this error. It means the update's header and sync committee data are inconsistent or the proof was built incorrectly.

Solutions

1. Regenerate `current_sync_committee_branch` from a consensus client using the correct `current_sync_committee` generalized index for the fork active at `update.header.slot`.
2. Verify `update.header.state_root` matches the header you are proving against (same slot, same chain).
3. Confirm the fork-version mapping in `T::ForkVersions` includes the fork at the header slot and returns the right gindex.
4. Check that the update was fetched from the intended beacon chain (correct network/genesis fork digest).

Example fix

// before
 let branch = proof_for_slot(header.slot, GeneralizedIndex::CURRENT_SYNC_COMMITTEE_LEGACY);
// after
 let gindex = current_sync_committee_gindex_at_slot(header.slot, &fork_versions);
 let branch = consensus_client.get_merkle_branch(gindex, header.slot);

const ok = verifyMerkleBranch(syncCommitteeRoot, update.currentSyncCommitteeBranch, subtreeIndex(gindex), generalizedIndexLength(gindex), update.header.stateRoot);
if (!ok) throw new Error('sync committee proof invalid');

try { await submit(update); } catch (e) { if (e.includes('InvalidSyncCommitteeMerkleProof')) { refetchUpdate(); } else throw e; }

When it happens

Trigger: Submitting an `Update` via `submit` where `current_sync_committee_branch` does not verify against `update.header.state_root` using the sync-committee generalized index for the header's fork version (wrong branch length/order, wrong leaf, or state_root from a different slot).

Common situations: Relayer built the proof with the wrong fork spec (e.g. Altair vs Deneb gindex), submitted an update whose header belongs to a different chain/fork, truncated or reordered the branch, or relayed a stale committee with a newer header.

Understand the failure class

Background: Checksum mismatch errors: "checksum verification failed", "digest mismatch", "expected vs actual checksum" — what they mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 41 libraries.

Related errors

• InvalidBlockRootsRootMerkleProof
• InvalidHeaderMerkleProof
• InvalidExecutionHeaderProof
• InvalidAncestryMerkleProof
• InvalidUpdateSlot

AI-assisted analysis of datahaven-xyz/datahaven@edcb13dbbc (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/aab6c4bcbf263a5c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at operator/pallets/ethereum-client/src/lib.rs:264

    impl<T: Config> Pallet<T> {
        /// Forces a finalized beacon header checkpoint update. The current sync committee,
        /// with a header attesting to the current sync committee, should be provided.
        /// An `block_roots` proof should also be provided. This is used for ancestry proofs
        /// for execution header updates.
        pub(crate) fn process_checkpoint_update(update: &CheckpointUpdate) -> DispatchResult {
            let sync_committee_root = update
                .current_sync_committee
                .hash_tree_root()
                .map_err(|_| Error::<T>::SyncCommitteeHashTreeRootFailed)?;

            let fork_versions = T::ForkVersions::get();
            let sync_committee_gindex = Self::current_sync_committee_gindex_at_slot(
                update.header.slot,
                fork_versions.clone(),
            );
            // Verifies the sync committee in the Beacon state.
            ensure!(
                verify_merkle_branch(
                    sync_committee_root,
                    &update.current_sync_committee_branch,
                    subtree_index(sync_committee_gindex),
                    generalized_index_length(sync_committee_gindex),
                    update.header.state_root
                ),
                Error::<T>::InvalidSyncCommitteeMerkleProof
            );

            let header_root: H256 = update
                .header
                .hash_tree_root()
                .map_err(|_| Error::<T>::HeaderHashTreeRootFailed)?;

            // This is used for ancestry proofs in ExecutionHeader updates. This verifies the
            // BeaconState: the beacon state root is the tree root; the `block_roots` hash is the
            // tree leaf.

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