diff --git a/consensus/checks.go b/consensus/checks.go
index e65c90425..ac9848660 100644
--- a/consensus/checks.go
+++ b/consensus/checks.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package consensus
 import (
 	msg_pb "github.com/harmony-one/harmony/api/proto/message"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/core/types"
+	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/crypto/bls"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/internal/chain"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/harmony/shard"
 )
@@ -20,17 +21,21 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) validatorSanityChecks(msg *msg_pb.Message) bool {
 		Uint64("viewID", msg.GetConsensus().ViewId).
 		Str("msgType", msg.Type.String()).
 		Msg("[validatorSanityChecks] Checking new message")
-	senderKey, err := consensus.verifySenderKey(msg)
+	err := consensus.verifySenderKey(msg)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err == shard.ErrValidNotInCommittee {
 			consensus.getLogger().Info().
+				Hex("senderKey", msg.GetConsensus().SenderPubkey).
 				Msg("sender key not in this slot's subcommittee")
 		} else {
 			consensus.getLogger().Error().Err(err).Msg("VerifySenderKey failed")
 		}
 		return false
 	}
-
+	senderKey, err := bls.BytesToBLSPublicKey(msg.GetConsensus().SenderPubkey)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
 	if !senderKey.IsEqual(consensus.LeaderPubKey) &&
 		consensus.current.Mode() == Normal && !consensus.ignoreViewIDCheck {
 		consensus.getLogger().Warn().Msgf(
@@ -60,10 +65,11 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) leaderSanityChecks(msg *msg_pb.Message) bool {
 		Uint64("viewID", msg.GetConsensus().ViewId).
 		Str("msgType", msg.Type.String()).
 		Msg("[leaderSanityChecks] Checking new message")
-	senderKey, err := consensus.verifySenderKey(msg)
+	err := consensus.verifySenderKey(msg)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err == shard.ErrValidNotInCommittee {
-			consensus.getLogger().Info().Msgf(
+			consensus.getLogger().Info().
+				Hex("senderKey", msg.GetConsensus().SenderPubkey).Msgf(
 				"[%s] sender key not in this slot's subcommittee",
 				msg.GetType().String(),
 			)
@@ -75,6 +81,10 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) leaderSanityChecks(msg *msg_pb.Message) bool {
 		}
 		return false
 	}
+	senderKey, err := bls.BytesToBLSPublicKey(msg.GetConsensus().SenderPubkey)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
 	if err = verifyMessageSig(senderKey, msg); err != nil {
 		consensus.getLogger().Error().Err(err).Msgf(
 			"[%s] Failed to verify sender's signature",
@@ -197,7 +207,8 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) viewChangeSanityCheck(msg *msg_pb.Message) bool {
 	senderKey, err := consensus.verifyViewChangeSenderKey(msg)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err == shard.ErrValidNotInCommittee {
-			consensus.getLogger().Info().Msgf(
+			consensus.getLogger().Info().
+				Hex("senderKey", msg.GetConsensus().SenderPubkey).Msgf(
 				"[%s] sender key not in this slot's subcommittee",
 				msg.GetType().String(),
 			)
diff --git a/consensus/consensus_service.go b/consensus/consensus_service.go
index 5bad092c2..52056f151 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_service.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_service.go
@@ -167,6 +167,15 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) ToggleConsensusCheck() {
 
 // IsValidatorInCommittee returns whether the given validator BLS address is part of my committee
 func (consensus *Consensus) IsValidatorInCommittee(pubKey *bls.PublicKey) bool {
+	pubKeyBytes := shard.FromLibBLSPublicKeyUnsafe(pubKey)
+	if pubKeyBytes == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return consensus.Decider.IndexOf(*pubKeyBytes) != -1
+}
+
+// IsValidatorInCommitteeBytes returns whether the given validator BLS address is part of my committee
+func (consensus *Consensus) IsValidatorInCommitteeBytes(pubKey shard.BLSPublicKey) bool {
 	return consensus.Decider.IndexOf(pubKey) != -1
 }
 
@@ -193,17 +202,14 @@ func verifyMessageSig(signerPubKey *bls.PublicKey, message *msg_pb.Message) erro
 }
 
 // verifySenderKey verifys the message senderKey is properly signed and senderAddr is valid
-func (consensus *Consensus) verifySenderKey(msg *msg_pb.Message) (*bls.PublicKey, error) {
-	consensusMsg := msg.GetConsensus()
-	senderKey, err := bls_cosi.BytesToBLSPublicKey(consensusMsg.SenderPubkey)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+func (consensus *Consensus) verifySenderKey(msg *msg_pb.Message) error {
+	senderKey := shard.BLSPublicKey{}
 
-	if !consensus.IsValidatorInCommittee(senderKey) {
-		return nil, shard.ErrValidNotInCommittee
+	copy(senderKey[:], msg.GetConsensus().SenderPubkey[:])
+	if !consensus.IsValidatorInCommitteeBytes(senderKey) {
+		return shard.ErrValidNotInCommittee
 	}
-	return senderKey, nil
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (consensus *Consensus) verifyViewChangeSenderKey(msg *msg_pb.Message) (*bls.PublicKey, error) {
diff --git a/consensus/consensus_v2.go b/consensus/consensus_v2.go
index 41d0bfada..a242acfd5 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_v2.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_v2.go
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) finalizeCommits() {
 		Uint64("epochNum", block.Epoch().Uint64()).
 		Uint64("ViewId", block.Header().ViewID().Uint64()).
 		Str("blockHash", block.Hash().String()).
-		Int("index", consensus.Decider.IndexOf(consensus.LeaderPubKey)).
 		Int("numTxns", len(block.Transactions())).
 		Int("numStakingTxns", len(block.StakingTransactions())).
 		Msg("HOORAY!!!!!!! CONSENSUS REACHED!!!!!!!")
diff --git a/consensus/quorum/quorum.go b/consensus/quorum/quorum.go
index 0c0960a23..b0280b9d7 100644
--- a/consensus/quorum/quorum.go
+++ b/consensus/quorum/quorum.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package quorum
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
+	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/harmony-one/bls/ffi/go/bls"
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ func (p Policy) String() string {
 type ParticipantTracker interface {
 	Participants() []*bls.PublicKey
 	ParticipantsKeyBytes() []shard.BLSPublicKey
-	IndexOf(*bls.PublicKey) int
+	IndexOf(shard.BLSPublicKey) int
 	ParticipantsCount() int64
 	NextAfter(*bls.PublicKey) (bool, *bls.PublicKey)
 	UpdateParticipants(pubKeys []*bls.PublicKey)
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ type cIdentities struct {
 	// Public keys of the committee including leader and validators
 	publicKeys     []*bls.PublicKey
 	publicKeysByte []shard.BLSPublicKey
+	keyIndexMap    sync.Map
 	prepare        *votepower.Round
 	commit         *votepower.Round
 	// viewIDSigs: every validator
@@ -174,20 +176,19 @@ func (s *cIdentities) AggregateVotes(p Phase) *bls.Sign {
 	return bls_cosi.AggregateSig(sigs)
 }
 
-func (s *cIdentities) IndexOf(pubKey *bls.PublicKey) int {
-	idx := -1
-	for k, v := range s.publicKeys {
-		if v.IsEqual(pubKey) {
-			idx = k
-			break
-		}
+func (s *cIdentities) IndexOf(pubKey shard.BLSPublicKey) int {
+	if index, ok := s.keyIndexMap.Load(pubKey); ok {
+		return index.(int)
 	}
-	return idx
+	return -1
 }
 
 func (s *cIdentities) NextAfter(pubKey *bls.PublicKey) (bool, *bls.PublicKey) {
 	found := false
-	idx := s.IndexOf(pubKey)
+	pubKeyByte := shard.BLSPublicKey{}
+	pubKeyByte.FromLibBLSPublicKey(pubKey)
+
+	idx := s.IndexOf(pubKeyByte)
 	if idx != -1 {
 		found = true
 	}
@@ -205,14 +206,23 @@ func (s *cIdentities) ParticipantsKeyBytes() []shard.BLSPublicKey {
 
 func (s *cIdentities) UpdateParticipants(pubKeys []*bls.PublicKey) {
 	keyBytes := []shard.BLSPublicKey{}
+	keyIndexMap := map[shard.BLSPublicKey]int{}
 	for i := range pubKeys {
 		k := shard.BLSPublicKey{}
 		k.FromLibBLSPublicKey(pubKeys[i])
 
 		keyBytes = append(keyBytes, k)
+		keyIndexMap[k] = i
 	}
 	s.publicKeys = append(pubKeys[:0:0], pubKeys...)
+
+	for _, pubKey := range s.publicKeysByte {
+		s.keyIndexMap.Delete(pubKey)
+	}
 	s.publicKeysByte = keyBytes
+	for i, pubKey := range s.publicKeysByte {
+		s.keyIndexMap.Store(pubKey, i)
+	}
 }
 
 func (s *cIdentities) ParticipantsCount() int64 {
@@ -319,6 +329,7 @@ func newBallotsBackedSignatureReader() *cIdentities {
 	return &cIdentities{
 		publicKeys:     []*bls.PublicKey{},
 		publicKeysByte: []shard.BLSPublicKey{},
+		keyIndexMap:    sync.Map{},
 		prepare:        votepower.NewRound(),
 		commit:         votepower.NewRound(),
 		viewChange:     votepower.NewRound(),