diff --git a/core/eth/reader.go b/core/eth/reader.go
index caaca5dec..5b937a871 100644
--- a/core/eth/reader.go
+++ b/core/eth/reader.go
@@ -210,16 +210,19 @@ func (t *Reader) updateContractBindings(blsOperatorStateRetrieverAddr, eigenDASe
 		}
 	}
 
+	var contractPaymentVault *paymentvault.ContractPaymentVault
 	paymentVaultAddr, err := contractEigenDAServiceManager.PaymentVault(&bind.CallOpts{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.logger.Error("Failed to fetch PaymentVault address", "err", err)
-		return err
-	}
+		//TODO(hopeyen): return err when the contract is deployed
+		// return err
+	} else {
+		contractPaymentVault, err = paymentvault.NewContractPaymentVault(paymentVaultAddr, t.ethClient)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.logger.Error("Failed to fetch PaymentVault contract", "err", err)
+			return err
+		}
 
-	contractPaymentVault, err := paymentvault.NewContractPaymentVault(paymentVaultAddr, t.ethClient)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.logger.Error("Failed to fetch PaymentVault contract", "err", err)
-		return err
 	}
 
 	t.bindings = &ContractBindings{
@@ -703,6 +706,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetAllVersionedBlobParams(ctx context.Context) (map[uint16]*cor
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetReservedPayments(ctx context.Context, accountIDs []gethcommon.Address) (map[gethcommon.Address]*core.ReservedPayment, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	reservationsMap := make(map[gethcommon.Address]*core.ReservedPayment)
 	reservations, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.GetReservations(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx,
@@ -726,6 +732,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetReservedPayments(ctx context.Context, accountIDs []gethcommo
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetReservedPaymentByAccount(ctx context.Context, accountID gethcommon.Address) (*core.ReservedPayment, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	reservation, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.GetReservation(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx,
 	}, accountID)
@@ -736,6 +745,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetReservedPaymentByAccount(ctx context.Context, accountID geth
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetOnDemandPayments(ctx context.Context, accountIDs []gethcommon.Address) (map[gethcommon.Address]*core.OnDemandPayment, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	paymentsMap := make(map[gethcommon.Address]*core.OnDemandPayment)
 	payments, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.GetOnDemandTotalDeposits(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx}, accountIDs)
@@ -758,6 +770,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetOnDemandPayments(ctx context.Context, accountIDs []gethcommo
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetOnDemandPaymentByAccount(ctx context.Context, accountID gethcommon.Address) (*core.OnDemandPayment, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	onDemandPayment, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.GetOnDemandTotalDeposit(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx,
 	}, accountID)
@@ -773,6 +788,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetOnDemandPaymentByAccount(ctx context.Context, accountID geth
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetGlobalSymbolsPerSecond(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return 0, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	globalSymbolsPerSecond, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.GlobalRatePeriodInterval(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx,
 	})
@@ -783,6 +801,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetGlobalSymbolsPerSecond(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error)
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetGlobalRatePeriodInterval(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return 0, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	globalRateBinInterval, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.GlobalRatePeriodInterval(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx,
 	})
@@ -792,6 +813,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetGlobalRatePeriodInterval(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error
 	return uint32(globalRateBinInterval), nil
 }
 func (t *Reader) GetMinNumSymbols(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return 0, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	minNumSymbols, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.MinNumSymbols(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx,
 	})
@@ -802,6 +826,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetMinNumSymbols(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetPricePerSymbol(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return 0, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	pricePerSymbol, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.PricePerSymbol(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx,
 	})
@@ -812,6 +839,9 @@ func (t *Reader) GetPricePerSymbol(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
 }
 
 func (t *Reader) GetReservationWindow(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error) {
+	if t.bindings.PaymentVault == nil {
+		return 0, errors.New("payment vault not deployed")
+	}
 	reservationWindow, err := t.bindings.PaymentVault.ReservationPeriodInterval(&bind.CallOpts{
 		Context: ctx})
 	if err != nil {