diff --git a/ante/gov_ante_test.go b/ante/gov_ante_test.go
index 9f3b0ceb9d1..79a147f200e 100644
--- a/ante/gov_ante_test.go
+++ b/ante/gov_ante_test.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func (s *GovAnteHandlerTestSuite) TestGlobalFeeMinimumGasFeeAnteHandler() {
 		{"Failing proposal", "the purpose of this proposal is to fail", govv1beta1.ProposalTypeText, testAddr, insufficientCoins, false},
 	}
 
-	decorator := ante.NewGovPreventSpamDecorator(s.app.AppCodec(), &s.app.GovKeeper)
+	decorator := ante.NewGovPreventSpamDecorator(s.app.AppCodec(), s.app.GovKeeper)
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		content, _ := govv1beta1.ContentFromProposalType(tc.title, tc.description, tc.proposalType)
diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index 8ed48e7eb1a..6f1831cdebf 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ func NewGaiaApp(
 			},
 			Codec:             appCodec,
 			IBCkeeper:         app.IBCKeeper,
-			GovKeeper:         &app.GovKeeper,
+			GovKeeper:         app.GovKeeper,
 			GlobalFeeSubspace: app.GetSubspace(globalfee.ModuleName),
 			StakingKeeper:     app.StakingKeeper,
 			// If TxFeeChecker is nil the default ante TxFeeChecker is used
diff --git a/app/keepers/keepers.go b/app/keepers/keepers.go
index b96ab415553..966fc1beca5 100644
--- a/app/keepers/keepers.go
+++ b/app/keepers/keepers.go
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ type AppKeepers struct {
 	SlashingKeeper   slashingkeeper.Keeper
 	MintKeeper       mintkeeper.Keeper
 	DistrKeeper      distrkeeper.Keeper
-	GovKeeper        govkeeper.Keeper
+	GovKeeper        *govkeeper.Keeper
 	CrisisKeeper     *crisiskeeper.Keeper
 	UpgradeKeeper    *upgradekeeper.Keeper
 	ParamsKeeper     paramskeeper.Keeper
@@ -286,35 +286,9 @@ func NewAppKeeper(
 		appKeepers.ScopedIBCKeeper,
 	)
 
-	// EvidenceKeeper must be created before ProviderKeeper
-	evidenceKeeper := evidencekeeper.NewKeeper(
-		appCodec,
-		appKeepers.keys[evidencetypes.StoreKey],
-		appKeepers.StakingKeeper,
-		appKeepers.SlashingKeeper,
-	)
-	// If evidence needs to be handled for the app, set routes in router here and seal
-	appKeepers.EvidenceKeeper = *evidenceKeeper
-
-	// Register the proposal types
-	// Deprecated: Avoid adding new handlers, instead use the new proposal flow
-	// by granting the governance module the right to execute the message.
-	// See: https://docs.cosmos.network/main/modules/gov#proposal-messages
-	govRouter := govv1beta1.NewRouter()
-	govRouter.
-		AddRoute(govtypes.RouterKey, govv1beta1.ProposalHandler).
-		AddRoute(paramproposal.RouterKey, params.NewParamChangeProposalHandler(appKeepers.ParamsKeeper)).
-		AddRoute(upgradetypes.RouterKey, upgrade.NewSoftwareUpgradeProposalHandler(appKeepers.UpgradeKeeper)).
-		AddRoute(ibcclienttypes.RouterKey, ibcclient.NewClientProposalHandler(appKeepers.IBCKeeper.ClientKeeper)).
-		AddRoute(providertypes.RouterKey, ibcprovider.NewProviderProposalHandler(appKeepers.ProviderKeeper))
-
+	// provider depends on gov, so gov must be registered first
 	govConfig := govtypes.DefaultConfig()
-	/*
-		Example of setting gov params:
-		govConfig.MaxMetadataLen = 10000
-	*/
-
-	govKeeper := govkeeper.NewKeeper(
+	appKeepers.GovKeeper = govkeeper.NewKeeper(
 		appCodec,
 		appKeepers.keys[govtypes.StoreKey],
 		appKeepers.AccountKeeper,
@@ -325,16 +299,6 @@ func NewAppKeeper(
 		authtypes.NewModuleAddress(govtypes.ModuleName).String(),
 	)
 
-	// Set legacy router for backwards compatibility with gov v1beta1
-	govKeeper.SetLegacyRouter(govRouter)
-
-	// appKeepers.GovKeeper = *govKeeper
-	appKeepers.GovKeeper = *govKeeper.SetHooks(
-		govtypes.NewMultiGovHooks(
-		// register the governance hooks
-		),
-	)
-
 	appKeepers.ProviderKeeper = ibcproviderkeeper.NewKeeper(
 		appCodec,
 		appKeepers.keys[providertypes.StoreKey],
@@ -355,6 +319,35 @@ func NewAppKeeper(
 
 	appKeepers.ProviderModule = ibcprovider.NewAppModule(&appKeepers.ProviderKeeper, appKeepers.GetSubspace(providertypes.ModuleName))
 
+	// Register the proposal types
+	// Deprecated: Avoid adding new handlers, instead use the new proposal flow
+	// by granting the governance module the right to execute the message.
+	// See: https://docs.cosmos.network/main/modules/gov#proposal-messages
+	govRouter := govv1beta1.NewRouter()
+	govRouter.
+		AddRoute(govtypes.RouterKey, govv1beta1.ProposalHandler).
+		AddRoute(paramproposal.RouterKey, params.NewParamChangeProposalHandler(appKeepers.ParamsKeeper)).
+		AddRoute(upgradetypes.RouterKey, upgrade.NewSoftwareUpgradeProposalHandler(appKeepers.UpgradeKeeper)).
+		AddRoute(ibcclienttypes.RouterKey, ibcclient.NewClientProposalHandler(appKeepers.IBCKeeper.ClientKeeper)).
+		AddRoute(providertypes.RouterKey, ibcprovider.NewProviderProposalHandler(appKeepers.ProviderKeeper))
+
+	// Set legacy router for backwards compatibility with gov v1beta1
+	appKeepers.GovKeeper.SetLegacyRouter(govRouter)
+
+	// appKeepers.GovKeeper = *govKeeper
+	appKeepers.GovKeeper = appKeepers.GovKeeper.SetHooks(
+		appKeepers.ProviderKeeper.Hooks(),
+	)
+
+	evidenceKeeper := evidencekeeper.NewKeeper(
+		appCodec,
+		appKeepers.keys[evidencetypes.StoreKey],
+		appKeepers.StakingKeeper,
+		appKeepers.SlashingKeeper,
+	)
+	// If evidence needs to be handled for the app, set routes in router here and seal
+	appKeepers.EvidenceKeeper = *evidenceKeeper
+
 	// ICA Host keeper
 	appKeepers.ICAHostKeeper = icahostkeeper.NewKeeper(
 		appCodec,
diff --git a/app/modules.go b/app/modules.go
index 23620359bc2..ba3be8ab087 100644
--- a/app/modules.go
+++ b/app/modules.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func appModules(
 		bank.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.BankKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.GetSubspace(banktypes.ModuleName)),
 		capability.NewAppModule(appCodec, *app.CapabilityKeeper, false),
 		crisis.NewAppModule(app.CrisisKeeper, skipGenesisInvariants, app.GetSubspace(crisistypes.ModuleName)),
-		gov.NewAppModule(appCodec, &app.GovKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.GetSubspace(govtypes.ModuleName)),
+		gov.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.GovKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.GetSubspace(govtypes.ModuleName)),
 		mint.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.MintKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, nil, app.GetSubspace(minttypes.ModuleName)),
 		slashing.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.SlashingKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.StakingKeeper, app.GetSubspace(slashingtypes.ModuleName)),
 		distr.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.DistrKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.StakingKeeper, app.GetSubspace(distrtypes.ModuleName)),
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ func simulationModules(
 		bank.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.BankKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.GetSubspace(banktypes.ModuleName)),
 		capability.NewAppModule(appCodec, *app.CapabilityKeeper, false),
 		feegrantmodule.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.FeeGrantKeeper, app.interfaceRegistry),
-		gov.NewAppModule(appCodec, &app.GovKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.GetSubspace(govtypes.ModuleName)),
+		gov.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.GovKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.GetSubspace(govtypes.ModuleName)),
 		mint.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.MintKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, nil, app.GetSubspace(minttypes.ModuleName)),
 		staking.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.StakingKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.GetSubspace(stakingtypes.ModuleName)),
 		distr.NewAppModule(appCodec, app.DistrKeeper, app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, app.StakingKeeper, app.GetSubspace(distrtypes.ModuleName)),