diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index e400f4a2d..b2ce4b5ef 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -374,11 +374,11 @@ func (node *Node) AddPeers(peers []*p2p.Peer) int {
 	// Only leader needs to add the peer info into consensus
 	// Validators will receive the updated peer info from Leader via pong message
 	// TODO: remove this after fully migrating to beacon chain-based committee membership
-	if count > 0 && node.NodeConfig.IsLeader() {
-		node.Consensus.AddPeers(peers)
-		// TODO: make peers into a context object shared by consensus and drand
-		node.DRand.AddPeers(peers)
-	}
+	//if count > 0 && node.NodeConfig.IsLeader() {
+	//	node.Consensus.AddPeers(peers)
+	//	// TODO: make peers into a context object shared by consensus and drand
+	//	node.DRand.AddPeers(peers)
+	//}
 	return count
 }
 
diff --git a/node/node_handler.go b/node/node_handler.go
index c8044daef..217989f3b 100644
--- a/node/node_handler.go
+++ b/node/node_handler.go
@@ -501,18 +501,18 @@ func (node *Node) pongMessageHandler(msgPayload []byte) int {
 	// otherwise, we may not be able to validate the consensus messages received
 	// which will result in first consensus timeout
 	// TODO: remove this after fully migrating to beacon chain-based committee membership
-	err = node.Consensus.SetLeaderPubKey(pong.LeaderPubKey)
-	if err != nil {
-		utils.GetLogInstance().Error("Unmarshal Consensus Leader PubKey Failed", "error", err)
-	} else {
-		utils.GetLogInstance().Info("Set Consensus Leader PubKey", "key", node.Consensus.GetLeaderPubKey())
-	}
-	err = node.DRand.SetLeaderPubKey(pong.LeaderPubKey)
-	if err != nil {
-		utils.GetLogInstance().Error("Unmarshal DRand Leader PubKey Failed", "error", err)
-	} else {
-		utils.GetLogInstance().Info("Set DRand Leader PubKey", "key", node.Consensus.GetLeaderPubKey())
-	}
+	//err = node.Consensus.SetLeaderPubKey(pong.LeaderPubKey)
+	//if err != nil {
+	//	utils.GetLogInstance().Error("Unmarshal Consensus Leader PubKey Failed", "error", err)
+	//} else {
+	//	utils.GetLogInstance().Info("Set Consensus Leader PubKey", "key", node.Consensus.GetLeaderPubKey())
+	//}
+	//err = node.DRand.SetLeaderPubKey(pong.LeaderPubKey)
+	//if err != nil {
+	//	utils.GetLogInstance().Error("Unmarshal DRand Leader PubKey Failed", "error", err)
+	//} else {
+	//	utils.GetLogInstance().Info("Set DRand Leader PubKey", "key", node.Consensus.GetLeaderPubKey())
+	//}
 
 	peers := make([]*p2p.Peer, 0)
 
@@ -564,7 +564,8 @@ func (node *Node) pongMessageHandler(msgPayload []byte) int {
 	node.serviceManager.TakeAction(&service.Action{Action: service.Notify, ServiceType: service.PeerDiscovery, Params: data})
 
 	// TODO: remove this after fully migrating to beacon chain-based committee membership
-	return node.Consensus.UpdatePublicKeys(publicKeys) + node.DRand.UpdatePublicKeys(publicKeys)
+	// return node.Consensus.UpdatePublicKeys(publicKeys) + node.DRand.UpdatePublicKeys(publicKeys)
+	return 0
 }
 
 func (node *Node) epochShardStateMessageHandler(msgPayload []byte) int {