Geth version 1.15.2 has been released to fix a bug that disrupted block creation on mainnet in the previous version.
Geth, the Go-based implementation of the Ethereum protocol, is a key client used by network participants to run nodes, process transactions, and maintain consensus. Per Go Ethereum, the urgent update addresses a regression in the beacon consensus engine that led to missed validator slots and potential financial loss.
A regression in the earlier release affected the consensus engine’s handling of mainnet block building by not accounting for the absence of a defined MergeNetsplitBlock in the chain configuration. The change, introduced during recent updates to the beacon consensus engine, resulted in mainnet not being recognized as operating under proof-of-stake, thereby disrupting block creation and the network’s expected performance.
Developers detailed that the regression originated from the removal of a testing method known as TestingTTDBlock, which was initially added to simulate the merge block during internal testing. By removing this method, the system no longer bypassed reliance on total difficulty, which had previously allowed the engine to ignore the normal fork order and inadvertently enable the merge before the London fork.
Updates in the latest Geth version
The commit addressing this change, recorded as consensus/beacon: fix isPostMerge for mainnet, realigned the engine’s operation by referencing the MergeNetsplitBlock parameter. This adjustment ensures that the mainnet is correctly identified as post-merge only when appropriate configuration details are present—a correction that directly resolves the block-building issues experienced in version 1.15.1.
In addition to restoring block building on mainnet, the release addresses a separate issue involving network peer discovery. Discv5 and DNS-based peer discovery, which was inadvertently disabled in an earlier update (v1.14.9), have been reinstated. This restoration is crucial for maintaining reliable network communication among nodes, as effective peer discovery underpins the overall connectivity and robustness of the Ethereum network.
A further adjustment was made to address an edge case in the geth dumpconfig utility related to the P2P.NAT setting in TOML files. The correction ensures that configurations reflecting network address translation parameters are processed accurately, preventing potential misconfigurations that could affect node operations.
What was in 1.15.1?
The 1.15.1 release, issued three days prior, included a range of updates, such as changes to the core raw database operations, modifications to the fork configuration sanity checks, and updates to support compatibility with newer versions of the Go language.
Among these, the removal of the TestingTTDBlock method, which contributed to the current regression, appears as the pivotal change leading to unintended behavior in consensus management. The technical discussion around this issue notes that parameters in MainnetChainConfig did not define a MergeNetsplitBlock, resulting in the system’s inability to transition to a post-merge state within the CalcDifficulty routine.
As a consequence, the beacon consensus engine did not apply the necessary validations for a proof-of-stake network—a scenario that has now been remedied.
The release notes reflect a coordinated effort among contributors to address multiple issues simultaneously. Technical details, including the restoration of Discv5 response timeouts and fixes to the marshaling of NAT configurations, demonstrate an iterative process aimed at maintaining network stability and performance. As Go Ethereum reported, the adjustments in version 1.15.2 are critical for ensuring that validators can continue to secure the network without interruption.
Users running version 1.15.1 are urged to upgrade immediately to version 1.15.2 to avoid missing block creation slots and incurring financial penalties.
Geth v1.15.2 now offers a configuration that properly identifies mainnet as post-merge and reinstates essential network discovery protocols, thereby restoring expected operational parameters.
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