diff --git a/node/pkg/near/watcher.go b/node/pkg/near/watcher.go
index 65a841d752..1f925e88dc 100644
--- a/node/pkg/near/watcher.go
+++ b/node/pkg/near/watcher.go
@@ -389,20 +389,6 @@ func (e *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	logger.Info("Near watcher connecting to RPC node ", zap.String("url", e.nearRPC))
 
 	go func() {
-		if e.next_round == 0 {
-			finalBody, err := e.getFinalBlock()
-			if err != nil {
-				logger.Error("StatusAfterBlock", zap.Error(err))
-				p2p.DefaultRegistry.AddErrorCount(vaa.ChainIDNear, 1)
-				errC <- err
-				return
-			}
-			e.next_round = gjson.ParseBytes(finalBody).Get("result.chunks.0.height_created").Uint()
-		}
-
-		timer := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 1)
-		defer timer.Stop()
-
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
@@ -420,7 +406,29 @@ func (e *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 				if err != nil {
 					logger.Error(fmt.Sprintf("near obsvReqC: %s", err.Error()))
 				}
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	go func() {
+		if e.next_round == 0 {
+			finalBody, err := e.getFinalBlock()
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Error("StatusAfterBlock", zap.Error(err))
+				p2p.DefaultRegistry.AddErrorCount(vaa.ChainIDNear, 1)
+				errC <- err
+				return
+			}
+			e.next_round = gjson.ParseBytes(finalBody).Get("result.chunks.0.height_created").Uint()
+		}
 
+		timer := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 1)
+		defer timer.Stop()
+
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
 			case <-timer.C:
 				finalBody, err := e.getFinalBlock()
 				if err != nil {
@@ -456,6 +464,13 @@ func (e *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 				logger.Info("lastBlock", zap.Uint64("lastBlock", lastBlock), zap.Uint64("next_round", e.next_round))
 
 				for ; e.next_round <= lastBlock; e.next_round = e.next_round + 1 {
+					currentNearHeight.Set(float64(e.next_round))
+					p2p.DefaultRegistry.SetNetworkStats(vaa.ChainIDNear, &gossipv1.Heartbeat_Network{
+						Height:          int64(e.next_round),
+						ContractAddress: e.wormholeContract,
+					})
+					readiness.SetReady(common.ReadinessNearSyncing)
+
 					if e.next_round == lastBlock {
 						err := e.inspectBody(logger, e.next_round, parsedFinalBody)
 						if err != nil {
@@ -487,13 +502,6 @@ func (e *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 						}
 					}
 				}
-
-				currentNearHeight.Set(float64(e.next_round - 1))
-				p2p.DefaultRegistry.SetNetworkStats(vaa.ChainIDNear, &gossipv1.Heartbeat_Network{
-					Height:          int64(e.next_round - 1),
-					ContractAddress: e.wormholeContract,
-				})
-				readiness.SetReady(common.ReadinessNearSyncing)
 			}
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/sdk/js/src/token_bridge/transfer.ts b/sdk/js/src/token_bridge/transfer.ts
index be67285daa..04b41d71f1 100644
--- a/sdk/js/src/token_bridge/transfer.ts
+++ b/sdk/js/src/token_bridge/transfer.ts
@@ -771,11 +771,11 @@ export async function transferNearFromNear(
     args: {
       receiver: uint8ArrayToHex(receiver),
       chain: chain,
-      fee: fee.toString(),
+      fee: fee.toString(10),
       payload: payload,
       message_fee: message_fee,
     },
-    attachedDeposit: (new BN(qty.toString()).add(new BN(message_fee))),
+    attachedDeposit: (new BN(qty.toString(10)).add(new BN(message_fee))),
     gas: new BN("100000000000000"),
   });