diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index b5c7f04f9..9c280ee06 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import (
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
+	bls2 "github.com/harmony-one/bls/ffi/go/bls"
+
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/numeric"
 
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/crypto/bls"
@@ -1214,8 +1216,57 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) WriteBlockWithState(block *types.Block, receipts []*types.
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Update voting power of validators for all shards
+	if len(block.Header().ShardState()) > 0 {
+		shardState := shard.State{}
+		if err := rlp.DecodeBytes(block.Header().ShardState(), &shardState); err == nil {
+			if err = bc.UpdateValidatorVotingPower(shardState); err != nil {
+				utils.Logger().Err(err)
+			}
+		} else {
+			utils.Logger().Err(err)
+		}
+		// TODO: deal with pre-staking voting power accounting
+	}
+
+	// Writing validator stats (for uptime recording) for shard 0
+	if block.ShardID() == 0 && bc.chainConfig.IsStaking(block.Epoch()) {
+		parentHeader := bc.GetHeaderByHash(block.ParentHash())
+		if parentHeader == nil {
+			return NonStatTy, errors.New("no parent found for uptime accounting")
+		}
+		shardState, err := bc.ReadShardState(parentHeader.Epoch())
+		if err == nil {
+			committee := shardState.FindCommitteeByID(block.Header().ShardID())
+			if committee == nil {
+				return NonStatTy, errors.New("no shard found for cross-link")
+			}
+
+			members := []*bls2.PublicKey{}
+			for _, slot := range committee.Slots {
+				if slot.TotalStake != nil {
+					pubKey := &bls2.PublicKey{}
+					err := pubKey.Deserialize(slot.BlsPublicKey[:])
+					if err != nil {
+						return NonStatTy, err
+					}
+					members = append(members, pubKey)
+				}
+			}
+
+			mask, _ := bls.NewMask(members, nil)
+			mask.SetMask(block.Header().LastCommitBitmap())
+
+			if err = bc.UpdateValidatorUptime(committee.Slots, mask); err != nil {
+				utils.Logger().Err(err)
+			}
+		} else {
+			return NonStatTy, errors.New("failed reading shard state for uptime accounting")
+		}
+	}
+
 	//// Cross-links
-	if len(header.CrossLinks()) > 0 {
+	if header.ShardID() == 0 && len(header.CrossLinks()) > 0 {
 		header.Logger(utils.Logger()).Debug().Msg("[insertChain/crosslinks] writing crosslinks into blockchain...")
 		crossLinks := &types.CrossLinks{}
 		err = rlp.DecodeBytes(header.CrossLinks(), crossLinks)
@@ -1228,6 +1279,39 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) WriteBlockWithState(block *types.Block, receipts []*types.
 			return NonStatTy, errors.New("proposed cross links are not sorted")
 		}
 		for _, crossLink := range *crossLinks {
+			// Writing validator stats (for uptime recording) for other shards
+			if bc.chainConfig.IsStaking(crossLink.Epoch()) {
+				shardState, err := bc.ReadShardState(crossLink.Epoch())
+				if err == nil {
+					committee := shardState.FindCommitteeByID(crossLink.ShardID())
+					if committee == nil {
+						return NonStatTy, errors.New("no shard found for cross-link")
+					}
+
+					members := []*bls2.PublicKey{}
+					for _, slot := range committee.Slots {
+						if slot.TotalStake != nil {
+							pubKey := &bls2.PublicKey{}
+							err := pubKey.Deserialize(slot.BlsPublicKey[:])
+							if err != nil {
+								return NonStatTy, err
+							}
+							members = append(members, pubKey)
+						}
+					}
+
+					mask, _ := bls.NewMask(members, nil)
+					mask.SetMask(crossLink.Bitmap())
+
+					if err = bc.UpdateValidatorUptime(committee.Slots, mask); err != nil {
+						utils.Logger().Err(err)
+					}
+				} else {
+					return NonStatTy, errors.New("failed reading shard state for uptime accounting")
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Process crosslink
 			if err := bc.WriteCrossLinks(types.CrossLinks{crossLink}); err == nil {
 				utils.Logger().Info().Uint64("blockNum", crossLink.BlockNum()).Uint32("shardID", crossLink.ShardID()).Msg("[insertChain/crosslinks] Cross Link Added to Beaconchain")
 			}
diff --git a/node/node_handler.go b/node/node_handler.go
index 7fbfc3d75..bdbecb1dd 100644
--- a/node/node_handler.go
+++ b/node/node_handler.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 	proto_node "github.com/harmony-one/harmony/api/proto/node"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/block"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/core/types"
-	bls2 "github.com/harmony-one/harmony/crypto/bls"
 	nodeconfig "github.com/harmony-one/harmony/internal/configs/node"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/internal/ctxerror"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/internal/utils"
@@ -371,38 +370,6 @@ func (node *Node) PostConsensusProcessing(newBlock *types.Block, commitSigAndBit
 		node.Consensus.UpdateConsensusInformation()
 	}
 
-	// Writing validator stats (for uptime recording)
-	// TODO: only record for open staking validators
-	prevBlock := node.Blockchain().GetBlockByHash(newBlock.ParentHash())
-	if prevBlock != nil {
-		shardState, err := node.Blockchain().ReadShardState(prevBlock.Epoch())
-		if err == nil {
-			members := node.Consensus.Decider.Participants()
-			mask, _ := bls2.NewMask(members, nil)
-			mask.SetMask(commitSigAndBitmap[96:])
-			err = node.Blockchain().UpdateValidatorUptime(shardState.FindCommitteeByID(newBlock.ShardID()).Slots, mask)
-
-			if err != nil {
-				utils.Logger().Err(err)
-			}
-		}
-
-	}
-
-	// Update voting power of validators for all shards
-	if len(newBlock.Header().ShardState()) > 0 {
-		shardState := shard.State{}
-		if err := rlp.DecodeBytes(newBlock.Header().ShardState(), &shardState); err == nil {
-			if err = node.Blockchain().UpdateValidatorVotingPower(shardState); err != nil {
-				utils.Logger().Err(err)
-			}
-		} else {
-			utils.Logger().Err(err)
-		}
-
-		// TODO: deal with pre-staking voting power accounting
-	}
-
 	// TODO chao: uncomment this after beacon syncing is stable
 	// node.Blockchain().UpdateCXReceiptsCheckpointsByBlock(newBlock)
 
diff --git a/staking/types/validator.go b/staking/types/validator.go
index 647953466..1fb55e982 100644
--- a/staking/types/validator.go
+++ b/staking/types/validator.go
@@ -250,12 +250,14 @@ func UpdateValidatorFromEditMsg(validator *Validator, edit *EditValidator) error
 	if validator.Address != edit.ValidatorAddress {
 		return errAddressNotMatch
 	}
-	desc, err := UpdateDescription(edit.Description)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	if edit.Description != nil {
+		desc, err := UpdateDescription(edit.Description)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
-	validator.Description = desc
+		validator.Description = desc
+	}
 
 	if edit.CommissionRate != nil {
 		validator.Rate = *edit.CommissionRate