diff --git a/.env.miner.example b/.env.miner.example
index 9562b10..6f9aea3 100644
--- a/.env.miner.example
+++ b/.env.miner.example
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ SUBTENSOR_ENDPOINT=wss://entrypoint-finney.opentensor.ai:443
 # NETUID=98
 # SUBTENSOR_NETWORK=test
 # SUBTENSOR_ENDPOINT=ws://testnet-lite:9944
+# VALIDATOR_MIN_STAKE=1
 
 # Task related config
 # this a maximum of 4 workers may submit responses for a single task
@@ -48,6 +49,3 @@ S3_PUBLIC_URL=
 JWT_SECRET=
 # e.g. infura, alchemy API url for ethereum
 ETHEREUM_NODE=
-
-# Add this line with other environment variables
-VALIDATOR_MIN_STAKE=20000
diff --git a/commons/score_storage.py b/commons/score_storage.py
index 969a0c0..ec8d8c7 100644
--- a/commons/score_storage.py
+++ b/commons/score_storage.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class ScoreStorage:
     """Handles persistence of validator scores"""
 
     SCORES_DIR = Path("scores")
-    SCORES_FILE = SCORES_DIR / "validator_scores.pt"
+    SCORES_FILE = SCORES_DIR / "miner_scores.pt"
 
     @classmethod
     async def migrate_from_db(cls) -> bool:
diff --git a/dojo/utils/uids.py b/dojo/utils/uids.py
index c346d03..e61d60e 100644
--- a/dojo/utils/uids.py
+++ b/dojo/utils/uids.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ def is_miner(metagraph: bt.metagraph, uid: int) -> bool:
     stakes = metagraph.S.tolist()
     from dojo import VALIDATOR_MIN_STAKE
 
-    print(f"Validator min stake {VALIDATOR_MIN_STAKE}")
     return stakes[uid] < VALIDATOR_MIN_STAKE
 
 
diff --git a/neurons/validator.py b/neurons/validator.py
index 126d3ba..3422291 100644
--- a/neurons/validator.py
+++ b/neurons/validator.py
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@
     set_expire_time,
     ttl_get_block,
 )
-from database.client import connect_db
 from dojo import __spec_version__
 from dojo.protocol import (
     CompletionResponses,
@@ -731,7 +730,6 @@ async def save_state(
 
     async def _load_state(self):
         try:
-            await connect_db()
             scores = await ScoreStorage.load()
 
             if scores is None: