diff --git a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/initiator.rs b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/initiator.rs
index f3996abe2a..d789aef201 100644
--- a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/initiator.rs
+++ b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/initiator.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub struct Initiator {
     e: Keypair,
     // upstream pub key
     #[allow(unused)]
-    pk: XOnlyPublicKey,
+    responder_authority_pk: Option<XOnlyPublicKey>,
     c1: Option<GenericCipher>,
     c2: Option<GenericCipher>,
 }
@@ -96,10 +96,14 @@ impl Initiator {
     pub fn from_raw_k(key: [u8; 32]) -> Result<Box<Self>, Error> {
         let pk =
             secp256k1::XOnlyPublicKey::from_slice(&key).map_err(|_| Error::InvalidRawPublicKey)?;
-        Ok(Self::new(pk))
+        Ok(Self::new(Some(pk)))
     }
 
-    pub fn new(pk: XOnlyPublicKey) -> Box<Self> {
+    pub fn without_pk() -> Result<Box<Self>, Error> {
+        Ok(Self::new(None))
+    }
+
+    pub fn new(pk: Option<XOnlyPublicKey>) -> Box<Self> {
         let mut self_ = Self {
             handshake_cipher: None,
             k: None,
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ impl Initiator {
             ck: [0; 32],
             h: [0; 32],
             e: Self::generate_key(),
-            pk,
+            responder_authority_pk: pk,
             c1: None,
             c2: None,
         };
@@ -226,7 +230,7 @@ impl Initiator {
             .0
             .serialize();
         let rs_pk_xonly = XOnlyPublicKey::from_slice(&rs_pub_key).unwrap();
-        if signature_message.verify(&rs_pk_xonly) {
+        if signature_message.verify(&rs_pk_xonly, &self.responder_authority_pk) {
             let (temp_k1, temp_k2) = Self::hkdf_2(self.get_ck(), &[]);
             let c1 = ChaCha20Poly1305::new(&temp_k1.into());
             let c2 = ChaCha20Poly1305::new(&temp_k2.into());
diff --git a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/responder.rs b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/responder.rs
index 15ebe190b2..f5a3ddcc2c 100644
--- a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/responder.rs
+++ b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/responder.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ pub struct Responder {
     e: Keypair,
     // Static pub keypair
     s: Keypair,
+    // Authority pub keypair
+    a: Keypair,
     c1: Option<GenericCipher>,
     c2: Option<GenericCipher>,
     cert_validity: u32,
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ impl Responder {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn new(s: Keypair, cert_validity: u32) -> Box<Self> {
+    pub fn new(a: Keypair, cert_validity: u32) -> Box<Self> {
         let mut self_ = Self {
             handshake_cipher: None,
             k: None,
@@ -115,7 +117,8 @@ impl Responder {
             ck: [0; 32],
             h: [0; 32],
             e: Self::generate_key(),
-            s,
+            s: Self::generate_key(),
+            a,
             c1: None,
             c2: None,
             cert_validity,
@@ -270,7 +273,7 @@ impl Responder {
         ret[7] = not_valid_after[1];
         ret[8] = not_valid_after[2];
         ret[9] = not_valid_after[3];
-        SignatureNoiseMessage::sign(&mut ret, &self.s);
+        SignatureNoiseMessage::sign(&mut ret, &self.s.x_only_public_key().0, &self.a);
         ret
     }
 
@@ -294,6 +297,7 @@ impl Responder {
         }
         self.e.non_secure_erase();
         self.s.non_secure_erase();
+        self.a.non_secure_erase();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/signature_message.rs b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/signature_message.rs
index cacc9a7c61..827199bed9 100644
--- a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/signature_message.rs
+++ b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/signature_message.rs
@@ -24,27 +24,34 @@ impl From<[u8; 74]> for SignatureNoiseMessage {
 }
 
 impl SignatureNoiseMessage {
-    pub fn verify(self, pk: &XOnlyPublicKey) -> bool {
-        let now = SystemTime::now()
-            .duration_since(SystemTime::UNIX_EPOCH)
-            .unwrap()
-            .as_secs() as u32;
-        if self.valid_from <= now && self.not_valid_after >= now {
-            let secp = Secp256k1::verification_only();
-            let (m, s) = self.split();
-            let m = Message::from_hashed_data::<sha256::Hash>(&m[0..10]);
-            let s = match Signature::from_slice(&s) {
-                Ok(s) => s,
-                _ => return false,
-            };
-            secp.verify_schnorr(&s, &m, pk).is_ok()
+    pub fn verify(self, pk: &XOnlyPublicKey, authority_pk: &Option<XOnlyPublicKey>) -> bool {
+        if let Some(authority_pk) = authority_pk {
+            let now = SystemTime::now()
+                .duration_since(SystemTime::UNIX_EPOCH)
+                .unwrap()
+                .as_secs() as u32;
+            if self.valid_from <= now && self.not_valid_after >= now {
+                let secp = Secp256k1::verification_only();
+                let (m, s) = self.split();
+                // m = SHA-256(version || valid_from || not_valid_after || server_static_key)
+                let m = [&m[0..10], &pk.serialize()].concat();
+                let m = Message::from_hashed_data::<sha256::Hash>(&m);
+                let s = match Signature::from_slice(&s) {
+                    Ok(s) => s,
+                    _ => return false,
+                };
+                secp.verify_schnorr(&s, &m, authority_pk).is_ok()
+            } else {
+                false
+            }
         } else {
-            false
+            true
         }
     }
-    pub fn sign(msg: &mut [u8; 74], kp: &Keypair) {
+    pub fn sign(msg: &mut [u8; 74], static_pk: &XOnlyPublicKey, kp: &Keypair) {
         let secp = Secp256k1::signing_only();
-        let m = Message::from_hashed_data::<sha256::Hash>(&msg[0..10]);
+        let m = [&msg[0..10], &static_pk.serialize()].concat();
+        let m = Message::from_hashed_data::<sha256::Hash>(&m);
         let signature = secp.sign_schnorr(&m, kp);
         for (i, b) in signature.as_ref().iter().enumerate() {
             msg[10 + i] = *b;
diff --git a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/test.rs b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/test.rs
index d6925f0a31..3c287fc6a0 100644
--- a/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/test.rs
+++ b/protocols/v2/noise-sv2/src/test.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use crate::{handshake::HandshakeOp, initiator::Initiator, responder::Responder};
 fn test_1() {
     let key_pair = Responder::generate_key();
 
-    let mut initiator = Initiator::new(key_pair.public_key().into());
+    let mut initiator = Initiator::new(Some(key_pair.public_key().into()));
     let mut responder = Responder::new(key_pair, 31449600);
     let first_message = initiator.step_0().unwrap();
     let (second_message, mut codec_responder) = responder.step_1(first_message).unwrap();
diff --git a/roles/jd-client/README.md b/roles/jd-client/README.md
index fea7878263..efc5d8d2a1 100644
--- a/roles/jd-client/README.md
+++ b/roles/jd-client/README.md
@@ -17,8 +17,12 @@ The configuration file contains the following information:
 1. The Upstream connection information which includes the SV2 Pool authority public key 
    (`upstream_authority_pubkey`) and the SV2 Pool connection address (`upstream_address`) and port
    (`upstream_port`).
-1. The maximum and minimum SV2 versions (`max_supported_version` and `min_supported_version`)
-1. The Job Declarator information which includes the Pool JD connection address (`jd_address`) and the Template Provider connection address to which to connect (`tp_address`).
+2. The maximum and minimum SV2 versions (`max_supported_version` and `min_supported_version`)
+3. The Job Declarator information which includes the Pool JD connection address (`jd_address`) and the Template Provider connection address to which to connect (`tp_address`).
+4. Optionally, you may want to verify that your TP connection is authentic. You may get `tp_authority_public_key` from the logs of your TP, for example:
+```
+# 2024-02-13T14:59:24Z Template Provider authority key: EguTM8URcZDQVeEBsM4B5vg9weqEUnufA8pm85fG4bZd
+```
 
 ### Run
 1. Copy the `jdc-config-example.toml` into `conf/` directory.
diff --git a/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-hosted-example.toml b/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-hosted-example.toml
index be04e74a45..e2bebaa44e 100644
--- a/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-hosted-example.toml
+++ b/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-hosted-example.toml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ retry = 10
 # tp_address = "127.0.0.1:8442"
 # Hosted testnet TP 
 tp_address = "75.119.150.111:8442"
-tp_authority_pub_key = "9auqWEzQDVyd2oe1JVGFLMLHZtCo2FFqZwtKA5gd9xbuEu7PH72"
+tp_authority_public_key = "3VANfft6ei6jQq1At7d8nmiZzVhBFS4CiQujdgim1ign"
 
 # Solo Mining config
 # List of coinbase outputs used to build the coinbase tx in case of Solo Mining (as last-resort solution of the pools fallback system)
diff --git a/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-local-example.toml b/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-local-example.toml
index 06c878514f..66f19bcb04 100644
--- a/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-local-example.toml
+++ b/roles/jd-client/config-examples/jdc-config-local-example.toml
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ retry = 10
 tp_address = "127.0.0.1:8442"
 # Hosted testnet TP 
 # tp_address = "75.119.150.111:8442"
-tp_authority_pub_key = "9auqWEzQDVyd2oe1JVGFLMLHZtCo2FFqZwtKA5gd9xbuEu7PH72"
 
 # Solo Mining config
 # List of coinbase outputs used to build the coinbase tx in case of Solo Mining (as last-resort solution of the pools fallback system)
diff --git a/roles/jd-client/src/lib/proxy_config.rs b/roles/jd-client/src/lib/proxy_config.rs
index ec456b1a2a..89c97a7beb 100644
--- a/roles/jd-client/src/lib/proxy_config.rs
+++ b/roles/jd-client/src/lib/proxy_config.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ pub struct ProxyConfig {
     pub authority_secret_key: Secp256k1SecretKey,
     pub cert_validity_sec: u64,
     pub tp_address: String,
-    pub tp_authority_pub_key: Secp256k1PublicKey,
+    pub tp_authority_public_key: Option<Secp256k1PublicKey>,
     pub retry: u32,
     pub upstreams: Vec<Upstream>,
     #[serde(deserialize_with = "duration_from_toml")]
diff --git a/roles/jd-client/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs b/roles/jd-client/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs
index aad2f1ac37..93e299b0c9 100644
--- a/roles/jd-client/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs
+++ b/roles/jd-client/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ impl TemplateRx {
         task_collector: Arc<Mutex<Vec<AbortHandle>>>,
         pool_chaneger_trigger: Arc<Mutex<PoolChangerTrigger>>,
         miner_coinbase_outputs: Vec<TxOut>,
-        authority_public_key: Secp256k1PublicKey,
+        authority_public_key: Option<Secp256k1PublicKey>,
         test_only_do_not_send_solution_to_tp: bool,
     ) {
         let mut encoded_outputs = vec![];
@@ -62,8 +62,11 @@ impl TemplateRx {
             .expect("Invalid coinbase output in config");
         let stream = tokio::net::TcpStream::connect(address).await.unwrap();
 
-        let pub_key: Secp256k1PublicKey = authority_public_key;
-        let initiator = Initiator::from_raw_k(pub_key.into_bytes()).unwrap();
+        let initiator = match authority_public_key {
+            Some(pub_key) => Initiator::from_raw_k(pub_key.into_bytes()),
+            None => Initiator::without_pk(),
+        }
+        .unwrap();
         let (mut receiver, mut sender, _, _) =
             Connection::new(stream, HandshakeRole::Initiator(initiator))
                 .await
diff --git a/roles/jd-client/src/main.rs b/roles/jd-client/src/main.rs
index 9a6ba2dbe8..ac246987ed 100644
--- a/roles/jd-client/src/main.rs
+++ b/roles/jd-client/src/main.rs
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ async fn initialize_jd_as_solo_miner(
         task_collector,
         Arc::new(Mutex::new(PoolChangerTrigger::new(timeout))),
         miner_tx_out.clone(),
-        proxy_config.tp_authority_pub_key,
+        proxy_config.tp_authority_public_key,
         false,
     )
     .await;
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ async fn initialize_jd(
         task_collector,
         Arc::new(Mutex::new(PoolChangerTrigger::new(timeout))),
         vec![],
-        proxy_config.tp_authority_pub_key,
+        proxy_config.tp_authority_public_key,
         test_only_do_not_send_solution_to_tp,
     )
     .await;
diff --git a/roles/pool/README.md b/roles/pool/README.md
index 359020f0eb..5d7bd5b507 100644
--- a/roles/pool/README.md
+++ b/roles/pool/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ The configuration file contains the following information:
 1. The SRI Pool information which includes the SRI Pool authority public key 
    (`authority_pubkey`), the SRI Pool authority secret key (`authority_secret_key`), along with its certificate validity (`cert_validity_sec`). In addition to this, it contains the address which it will use to listen to new connection from downstream roles (`listen_address`) and the list of uncompressed pubkeys for coinbase payout (`coinbase_outputs`).
 2. The SRI Pool Job Negatiator information which includes the Template Provider address (`tp_address`) and the address it uses to listen new request from the downstream JDs (`jd_address`).
+3. Optionally, you may want to verify that your TP connection is authentic. You may get `tp_authority_public_key` from the logs of your TP, for example:
+```
+# 2024-02-13T14:59:24Z Template Provider authority key: EguTM8URcZDQVeEBsM4B5vg9weqEUnufA8pm85fG4bZd
+```
 
 ### Run
 1. Copy the `pool-config-example.toml` into `conf/` directory.
diff --git a/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-hosted-tp-example.toml b/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-hosted-tp-example.toml
index bc0f915da4..a86c600d59 100644
--- a/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-hosted-tp-example.toml
+++ b/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-hosted-tp-example.toml
@@ -25,3 +25,4 @@ pool_signature = "Stratum v2 SRI Pool"
 #tp_address = "127.0.0.1:8442"
 # Hosted testnet TP 
 tp_address = "75.119.150.111:8442"
+tp_authority_public_key = "EguTM8URcZDQVeEBsM4B5vg9weqEUnufA8pm85fG4bZd"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-local-tp-example.toml b/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-local-tp-example.toml
index 5c94d56087..016c372f59 100644
--- a/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-local-tp-example.toml
+++ b/roles/pool/config-examples/pool-config-local-tp-example.toml
@@ -24,5 +24,3 @@ pool_signature = "Stratum v2 SRI Pool"
 # Template Provider config
 # Local TP (this is pointing to localhost so you must run a TP locally for this configuration to work)
 tp_address = "127.0.0.1:8442"
-# Hosted testnet TP 
-# tp_address = "75.119.150.111:8442"
diff --git a/roles/pool/src/lib/mining_pool/mod.rs b/roles/pool/src/lib/mining_pool/mod.rs
index d7a6c15fb2..86c85e80aa 100644
--- a/roles/pool/src/lib/mining_pool/mod.rs
+++ b/roles/pool/src/lib/mining_pool/mod.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ impl TryFrom<&CoinbaseOutput> for CoinbaseOutput_ {
 pub struct Configuration {
     pub listen_address: String,
     pub tp_address: String,
+    pub tp_authority_public_key: Option<Secp256k1PublicKey>,
     pub authority_public_key: Secp256k1PublicKey,
     pub authority_secret_key: Secp256k1SecretKey,
     pub cert_validity_sec: u64,
diff --git a/roles/pool/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs b/roles/pool/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs
index 5ab06c56a3..a996852a86 100644
--- a/roles/pool/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs
+++ b/roles/pool/src/lib/template_receiver/mod.rs
@@ -43,13 +43,17 @@ impl TemplateRx {
         message_received_signal: Receiver<()>,
         status_tx: status::Sender,
         coinbase_out_len: u32,
-        authority_public_key: Secp256k1PublicKey,
+        expected_tp_authority_public_key: Option<Secp256k1PublicKey>,
     ) -> PoolResult<()> {
         let stream = TcpStream::connect(address).await?;
         info!("Connected to template distribution server at {}", address);
 
-        let pub_key: Secp256k1PublicKey = authority_public_key;
-        let initiator = Initiator::from_raw_k(pub_key.into_bytes())?;
+        let initiator = match expected_tp_authority_public_key {
+            Some(expected_tp_authority_public_key) => {
+                Initiator::from_raw_k(expected_tp_authority_public_key.into_bytes())
+            }
+            None => Initiator::without_pk(),
+        }?;
         let (mut receiver, mut sender, _, _) =
             Connection::new(stream, HandshakeRole::Initiator(initiator))
                 .await
diff --git a/roles/pool/src/main.rs b/roles/pool/src/main.rs
index 73280852c5..169243c235 100644
--- a/roles/pool/src/main.rs
+++ b/roles/pool/src/main.rs
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ async fn main() {
             return;
         }
     };
-    let authority_public_key = config.authority_public_key;
+    let tp_authority_public_key = config.tp_authority_public_key;
     let template_rx_res = TemplateRx::connect(
         config.tp_address.parse().unwrap(),
         s_new_t,
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ async fn main() {
         r_message_recv_signal,
         status::Sender::Upstream(status_tx.clone()),
         coinbase_output_len,
-        authority_public_key,
+        tp_authority_public_key,
     )
     .await;