diff --git a/src/bin/create_transfer_tx.rs b/src/bin/create_transfer_tx.rs
index 7873df3..054b83c 100644
--- a/src/bin/create_transfer_tx.rs
+++ b/src/bin/create_transfer_tx.rs
@@ -67,8 +67,47 @@ async fn main() {
     };
     let receiver = match normalize_short_address_input(&receiver_input) {
         Ok(address) => address,
-        Err(_) => {
-            println!("reciver wallet is not valid");
+        Err(err) => {
+            let trimmed_receiver = receiver_input.trim();
+            let escaped_receiver = receiver_input
+                .chars()
+                .flat_map(char::escape_default)
+                .collect::<String>();
+            let escaped_trimmed_receiver = trimmed_receiver
+                .chars()
+                .flat_map(char::escape_default)
+                .collect::<String>();
+            let dot_count = trimmed_receiver.matches('.').count();
+            let (payload_chars, payload_bytes, suffix, payload_is_hex, payload_is_ascii) =
+                match trimmed_receiver.rsplit_once('.') {
+                    Some((payload, suffix)) => (
+                        payload.chars().count(),
+                        payload.len(),
+                        suffix,
+                        payload.chars().all(|ch| ch.is_ascii_hexdigit()),
+                        payload.is_ascii(),
+                    ),
+                    None => (0, 0, "<missing>", false, trimmed_receiver.is_ascii()),
+                };
+
+            println!("receiver wallet is not valid: {err}");
+            println!(
+                "receiver diagnostics: raw_chars={} raw_bytes={} trimmed_chars={} trimmed_bytes={} dot_count={} suffix={} payload_chars={} payload_bytes={} payload_hex={} payload_ascii={} raw_ascii={} raw_control_chars={}",
+                receiver_input.chars().count(),
+                receiver_input.len(),
+                trimmed_receiver.chars().count(),
+                trimmed_receiver.len(),
+                dot_count,
+                suffix,
+                payload_chars,
+                payload_bytes,
+                payload_is_hex,
+                payload_is_ascii,
+                receiver_input.is_ascii(),
+                receiver_input.chars().any(char::is_control)
+            );
+            println!("receiver escaped raw: {escaped_receiver}");
+            println!("receiver escaped trimmed: {escaped_trimmed_receiver}");
             return;
         }
     };
diff --git a/src/orphans/snapshot_check.rs b/src/orphans/snapshot_check.rs
index 3aa56e7..7cfb964 100644
--- a/src/orphans/snapshot_check.rs
+++ b/src/orphans/snapshot_check.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::common::binary_conversions::binary_to_string;
 use crate::log::{error, info, warn};
-use crate::miner::flag::begin_reorg_lock;
+use crate::miner::flag::{begin_reorg_lock, is_syncing_mode};
 use crate::orphans::structs::UndoTransactions;
 use crate::orphans::undo_block_transactions::undo_transactions;
 use crate::records::memory::connections::live_miner_peer_streams;
@@ -35,22 +35,24 @@ fn required_snapshot_votes(total_voters: usize) -> usize {
     (total_voters * 2).div_ceil(3).max(2)
 }
 
+fn peer_is_syncing_vote_error(error: &str) -> bool {
+    error.trim() == "error: Node is syncing"
+}
+
 async fn snapshot_has_peer_quorum(
     snapshot_height: u32,
     local_hash: &str,
     map: Arc<Mutex<Command>>,
 ) -> bool {
     let peers = live_miner_peer_streams().await;
-    let total_voters = peers.len() + 1;
 
-    if total_voters < 2 {
+    if peers.is_empty() {
         warn!(
             "[snapshot] not advancing snapshot at height {snapshot_height}: no connected miner peers"
         );
         return false;
     }
 
-    let required_votes = required_snapshot_votes(total_voters);
     let mut handles = Vec::with_capacity(peers.len());
 
     for (connections_key, stream) in peers {
@@ -68,10 +70,12 @@ async fn snapshot_has_peer_quorum(
     }
 
     let mut matching_votes = 1usize;
+    let mut eligible_peer_votes = 0usize;
 
     for handle in handles {
         match handle.await {
             Ok((connections_key, Ok(peer_hash))) => {
+                eligible_peer_votes += 1;
                 if peer_hash == local_hash {
                     matching_votes += 1;
                 } else {
@@ -81,9 +85,15 @@ async fn snapshot_has_peer_quorum(
                 }
             }
             Ok((connections_key, Err(err))) => {
-                warn!(
-                    "[snapshot] peer vote failed: height={snapshot_height} peer={connections_key} err={err}"
-                );
+                if peer_is_syncing_vote_error(&err) {
+                    info!(
+                        "[snapshot] skipping syncing peer vote: height={snapshot_height} peer={connections_key}"
+                    );
+                } else {
+                    warn!(
+                        "[snapshot] peer vote failed: height={snapshot_height} peer={connections_key} err={err}"
+                    );
+                }
             }
             Err(err) => {
                 warn!("[snapshot] peer vote task failed at height {snapshot_height}: {err}");
@@ -91,6 +101,15 @@ async fn snapshot_has_peer_quorum(
         }
     }
 
+    let total_voters = eligible_peer_votes + 1;
+    if total_voters < 2 {
+        warn!(
+            "[snapshot] not advancing snapshot at height {snapshot_height}: no eligible non-syncing miner peers"
+        );
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    let required_votes = required_snapshot_votes(total_voters);
     if matching_votes >= required_votes {
         info!(
             "[snapshot] consensus reached: height={snapshot_height} hash={local_hash} votes={matching_votes}/{total_voters} required={required_votes}"
@@ -117,6 +136,10 @@ pub async fn update_snapshot(
     current_height: u32,
     map: Arc<Mutex<Command>>,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
+    if is_syncing_mode() {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
     // Genesis is always a valid snapshot, then later snapshots lag the tip
     // so normal orphan correction still has room to operate.
     let snapshot_height = if current_height == 0 {
diff --git a/src/records/unpack_block/load_by_block_number.rs b/src/records/unpack_block/load_by_block_number.rs
index b8d393a..1bd6239 100644
--- a/src/records/unpack_block/load_by_block_number.rs
+++ b/src/records/unpack_block/load_by_block_number.rs
@@ -67,14 +67,12 @@ pub async fn load_block(block_number: u32) -> Result<Block, String> {
 
     // Load the full block because this path reconstructs both the header and
     // every transaction for validation or inspection.
-    let binary_data = match fs::read(&file_name) {
-        Ok(data) => data,
-        Err(err) => {
-            println!("{}", &file_name);
-            eprintln!("Error reading file load_block: {err:?}");
-            return Err(format!("Unable to read binary file: {err:?}"));
-        }
-    };
+    let binary_data = match fs::read(&file_name) {
+        Ok(data) => data,
+        Err(err) => {
+            return Err(format!("Unable to read block {block_number}: {err:?}"));
+        }
+    };
 
     if binary_data.len() < VRF_BLOCK_BYTES {
         return Err("Unable to load block: binary data shorter than VrfBlock header".to_string());
diff --git a/src/records/unpack_block/unpack_header.rs b/src/records/unpack_block/unpack_header.rs
index 8572aed..8aa2f35 100644
--- a/src/records/unpack_block/unpack_header.rs
+++ b/src/records/unpack_block/unpack_header.rs
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ pub async fn load_block_header(block_number: u32) -> Result<VrfBlock, String> {
         .join(format!("{block_number}.{block_ext}"))
         .to_string_lossy()
         .into_owned();
-    let file = match File::open(&file_name).await {
-        Ok(file) => file,
-        Err(err) => {
-            return Err(format!("Error opening file {}: {:?}", &file_name, err));
-        }
-    };
+    let file = match File::open(&file_name).await {
+        Ok(file) => file,
+        Err(err) => {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "Error opening block file for height {block_number}: {err:?}"
+            ));
+        }
+    };
 
     let mut binary_data = Vec::with_capacity(VRF_BLOCK_BYTES);
     // Only read the fixed VrfBlock prefix from the block file.
@@ -35,12 +37,11 @@ pub async fn load_block_header(block_number: u32) -> Result<VrfBlock, String> {
         .take(VRF_BLOCK_BYTES as u64)
         .read_to_end(&mut binary_data)
         .await
-    {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "Error reading file load_block_head {}: {:?}",
-            &file_name, err
-        ));
-    }
+    {
+        return Err(format!(
+            "Error reading block header for height {block_number}: {err:?}"
+        ));
+    }
 
     // The stored header format is the same VrfBlock prefix used at the
     // beginning of every block file.
diff --git a/src/rpc/commands/block_by_hash.rs b/src/rpc/commands/block_by_hash.rs
index 68759cf..6df880f 100644
--- a/src/rpc/commands/block_by_hash.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/commands/block_by_hash.rs
@@ -51,10 +51,8 @@ pub async fn request_block(db: &Db, hash: &str) -> RpcResponse {
     match load_block(block_number).await {
         Ok(block) => match block.to_bytes().await {
             Ok(block_bytes) => RpcResponse::Binary(block_bytes),
-            Err(err) => RpcResponse::Binary(
-                format!("error: Failed to convert block to bytes: {err}").into_bytes(),
-            ),
+            Err(_) => RpcResponse::Binary(b"error: Unable to serialize block".to_vec()),
         },
-        Err(err) => RpcResponse::Binary(format!("error: Failed to load block: {err}").into_bytes()),
+        Err(_) => RpcResponse::Binary(b"error: Block not found".to_vec()),
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/rpc/commands/block_by_height.rs b/src/rpc/commands/block_by_height.rs
index c6c0d6a..2edc738 100644
--- a/src/rpc/commands/block_by_height.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/commands/block_by_height.rs
@@ -9,15 +9,9 @@ pub async fn request_block(height: u32) -> RpcResponse {
             let block_bytes = block.to_bytes().await;
             match block_bytes {
                 Ok(result) => RpcResponse::Binary(result),
-                Err(err) => {
-                    let msg = format!("error: {err}").to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
-                    RpcResponse::Binary(msg)
-                }
+                Err(_) => RpcResponse::Binary(b"error: Unable to serialize block".to_vec()),
             }
         }
-        Err(err) => {
-            let msg = format!("error: {err}").to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
-            RpcResponse::Binary(msg)
-        }
+        Err(_) => RpcResponse::Binary(format!("error: Block {height} not found").into_bytes()),
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/rpc/commands/block_hash_at_height.rs b/src/rpc/commands/block_hash_at_height.rs
index 6bdfcc1..2797749 100644
--- a/src/rpc/commands/block_hash_at_height.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/commands/block_hash_at_height.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 use crate::decode;
+use crate::miner::flag::is_syncing_mode;
 use crate::records::unpack_block::unpack_header::load_block_header;
 use crate::rpc::responses::RpcResponse;
 
 pub async fn request_block_hash_at_height(block_number: u32) -> RpcResponse {
+    if is_syncing_mode() {
+        return RpcResponse::Binary(b"error: Node is syncing".to_vec());
+    }
+
     match load_block_header(block_number).await {
         Ok(header) => {
             let hash = header.hash().await;
@@ -15,10 +20,8 @@ pub async fn request_block_hash_at_height(block_number: u32) -> RpcResponse {
                 ),
             }
         }
-        Err(err) => RpcResponse::Binary(
-            format!("error: Failed to load block header at height {block_number}: {err}")
-                .as_bytes()
-                .to_vec(),
-        ),
+        Err(_) => {
+            RpcResponse::Binary(format!("error: Block {block_number} not found").into_bytes())
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/rpc/commands/latest_block.rs b/src/rpc/commands/latest_block.rs
index 48f0d4d..a76b2b9 100644
--- a/src/rpc/commands/latest_block.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/commands/latest_block.rs
@@ -13,15 +13,9 @@ pub async fn request_latest_block(db: &Db) -> RpcResponse {
             let block_bytes = block.to_bytes().await;
             match block_bytes {
                 Ok(block_bytes) => RpcResponse::Binary(block_bytes),
-                Err(err) => {
-                    let msg = format!("error: {err}").to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
-                    RpcResponse::Binary(msg)
-                }
+                Err(_) => RpcResponse::Binary(b"error: Unable to serialize block".to_vec()),
             }
         }
-        Err(err) => {
-            let msg = format!("error: {err}").to_string().as_bytes().to_vec();
-            RpcResponse::Binary(msg)
-        }
+        Err(_) => RpcResponse::Binary(format!("error: Block {height} not found").into_bytes()),
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/rpc/commands/receive_torrent.rs b/src/rpc/commands/receive_torrent.rs
index e13aa48..500ffa9 100644
--- a/src/rpc/commands/receive_torrent.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/commands/receive_torrent.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pub fn should_trigger_orphan_check(error: &str) -> bool {
         || error.contains("Candidate parent is not current chain parent.")
         || error.contains("Difficulty mismatch with the blockchain data.")
         || error.contains("Incoming block is no longer the next expected height.")
-        || error.contains("Error opening file ./testnet_blocks/")
+        || error.contains("Unable to read block")
 }
 
 async fn next_expected_height(db: &Db) -> u32 {