diff --git a/examples/js_client/browser-example.html b/examples/js_client/browser-example.html
index 222f2969..a8b157b6 100644
--- a/examples/js_client/browser-example.html
+++ b/examples/js_client/browser-example.html
@@ -64,12 +64,15 @@
 
             // This will get fired when contract sends an output.
             hpc.on(HotPocket.events.contractOutput, (r) => {
-                r.outputs.forEach(o => console.log("Contract output>> " + o));
+                r.outputs.forEach(o => console.log(`Output (ledger:${r.ledgerSeqNo})>> ${o}`));
+
+                // Retrieve ledger info.
+                hpc.getLedgerBySeqNo(r.ledgerSeqNo, true, true).then(ledger => console.log(ledger));
             })
 
             // This will get fired when contract sends a read response.
             hpc.on(HotPocket.events.contractReadResponse, (response) => {
-                console.log("Contract read response>> " + response);
+                console.log("Read response>> " + response);
             })
 
             // Establish HotPocket connection.
diff --git a/examples/js_client/hp-client-lib.js b/examples/js_client/hp-client-lib.js
index 0cb7d60b..a5d87f83 100644
--- a/examples/js_client/hp-client-lib.js
+++ b/examples/js_client/hp-client-lib.js
@@ -632,6 +632,7 @@
                                 return {
                                     pubkey: msgHelper.deserializeValue(i.pubkey),
                                     hash: msgHelper.deserializeValue(i.hash),
+                                    nonce: i.nonce,
                                     blob: msgHelper.deserializeValue(i.blob)
                                 }
                             });
@@ -805,12 +806,12 @@
                 throw "Max ledger seq no. or offset cannot be 0.";
             if (!isOffset && !maxLedger)
                 throw "Max ledger seq. no not specified.";
+            if (nonce && (!Number.isInteger(nonce) || nonce < 0))
+                throw "Input nonce must be a positive integer.";
 
             // Use time-based incrementing nonce if not specified.
             if (!nonce)
-                nonce = (new Date()).getTime().toString();
-            else
-                nonce = nonce.toString();
+                nonce = (new Date()).getTime();
 
             // If max ledger is specified as offset, we need to get current ledger status and add the offset to it.
             if (isOffset) {
diff --git a/examples/js_client/text-client.js b/examples/js_client/text-client.js
index a69d6da3..78e65302 100644
--- a/examples/js_client/text-client.js
+++ b/examples/js_client/text-client.js
@@ -59,12 +59,12 @@ async function main() {
 
     // This will get fired when contract sends outputs.
     hpc.on(HotPocket.events.contractOutput, (r) => {
-        r.outputs.forEach(o => console.log("Contract output>> " + o));
+        r.outputs.forEach(o => console.log(`Output (ledger:${r.ledgerSeqNo})>> ${o}`));
     })
 
     // This will get fired when contract sends a read response.
     hpc.on(HotPocket.events.contractReadResponse, (response) => {
-        console.log("Contract read response>> " + response);
+        console.log("Read response>> " + response);
     })
 
     // Establish HotPocket connection.
@@ -93,8 +93,13 @@ async function main() {
         rl.question('', (inp) => {
 
             if (inp.length > 0) {
-                if (inp.startsWith("read "))
+                if (inp.startsWith("read ")) {
                     hpc.sendContractReadRequest(inp.substr(5));
+                }
+                else if (inp.startsWith("ledger ")) {
+                    hpc.getLedgerBySeqNo(parseInt(inp.substr(7)), true, true)
+                        .then(result => console.log(result));
+                }
                 else {
                     hpc.submitContractInput(inp).then(input => {
                         // console.log(input.hash);
diff --git a/src/ledger/ledger.cpp b/src/ledger/ledger.cpp
index 2249c0b2..5072cf51 100644
--- a/src/ledger/ledger.cpp
+++ b/src/ledger/ledger.cpp
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ namespace ledger
 
                     // Insert sqlite record.
                     std::string_view hash = util::get_string_suffix(cui.ordered_hash, BLAKE3_OUT_LEN);
-                    std::string_view nonce = cui.ordered_hash.substr(0, cui.ordered_hash.size() - hash.size());
+                    const uint64_t nonce = util::uint64_from_bytes((uint8_t *)cui.ordered_hash.data());
 
                     if (sqlite::insert_user_input_record(inputs_stmt, lcl_id.seq_no, pubkey, hash, nonce, in_pos, buf.size()) == -1)
                         RAW_DATA_RETURN(-1);
diff --git a/src/ledger/ledger_common.hpp b/src/ledger/ledger_common.hpp
index cffc1d3d..9a80e982 100644
--- a/src/ledger/ledger_common.hpp
+++ b/src/ledger/ledger_common.hpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace ledger
         uint64_t ledger_seq_no; // Ledger seq no.
         std::string pubkey;     // The user pubkey.
         std::string hash;       // The hash of this input.
-        std::string nonce;      // Nonce the user had submitted for this input.
+        uint64_t nonce;         // Nonce the user had submitted for this input.
         off_t blob_offset;      // Blob file offset of this input blob.
         size_t blob_size;       // Length of the input.
         std::string blob;       // THe actual input blob.
diff --git a/src/ledger/ledger_query.cpp b/src/ledger/ledger_query.cpp
index 022f0635..98565ff8 100644
--- a/src/ledger/ledger_query.cpp
+++ b/src/ledger/ledger_query.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace ledger::query
                     ledgers.push_back(std::move(ledger));
 
                 // Fill raw data if required.
-                if (seq_q.inputs || seq_q.outputs)
+                if (seq_q.seq_no > 0 && (seq_q.inputs || seq_q.outputs))
                 {
                     for (ledger_record &ledger : ledgers)
                     {
diff --git a/src/ledger/sqlite.cpp b/src/ledger/sqlite.cpp
index 651dd39c..702269cf 100644
--- a/src/ledger/sqlite.cpp
+++ b/src/ledger/sqlite.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ namespace ledger::sqlite
 #define PUBKEY_SIZE 33
 #define BIND_H32_BLOB(idx, field) (field.size() == sizeof(util::h32) && sqlite3_bind_blob(stmt, idx, field.data(), sizeof(util::h32), SQLITE_STATIC) == SQLITE_OK)
 #define BIND_PUBKEY_BLOB(idx, field) (field.size() == PUBKEY_SIZE && sqlite3_bind_blob(stmt, idx, field.data(), PUBKEY_SIZE, SQLITE_STATIC) == SQLITE_OK)
-#define BIND_BLOB(idx, field) (field.size() > 0 && sqlite3_bind_blob(stmt, idx, field.data(), field.size(), SQLITE_STATIC) == SQLITE_OK)
 #define GET_H32_BLOB(idx) std::string((char *)sqlite3_column_blob(stmt, idx), sizeof(util::h32))
 #define GET_PUBKEY_BLOB(idx) std::string((char *)sqlite3_column_blob(stmt, idx), PUBKEY_SIZE)
 
@@ -323,7 +322,7 @@ namespace ledger::sqlite
                 table_column_info("ledger_seq_no", COLUMN_DATA_TYPE::INT),
                 table_column_info("pubkey", COLUMN_DATA_TYPE::BLOB),
                 table_column_info("hash", COLUMN_DATA_TYPE::BLOB),
-                table_column_info("nonce", COLUMN_DATA_TYPE::BLOB),
+                table_column_info("nonce", COLUMN_DATA_TYPE::INT),
                 table_column_info("blob_offset", COLUMN_DATA_TYPE::INT),
                 table_column_info("blob_size", COLUMN_DATA_TYPE::INT)};
 
@@ -455,7 +454,7 @@ namespace ledger::sqlite
     }
 
     int insert_user_input_record(sqlite3_stmt *stmt, const uint64_t ledger_seq_no, std::string_view pubkey,
-                                 std::string_view hash, std::string_view nonce, const uint64_t blob_offset, const uint64_t blob_size)
+                                 std::string_view hash, const uint64_t nonce, const uint64_t blob_offset, const uint64_t blob_size)
     {
         if (stmt == NULL)
         {
@@ -467,7 +466,7 @@ namespace ledger::sqlite
             sqlite3_bind_int64(stmt, 1, ledger_seq_no) == SQLITE_OK &&
             BIND_PUBKEY_BLOB(2, pubkey) &&
             BIND_H32_BLOB(3, hash) &&
-            BIND_BLOB(4, nonce) &&
+            sqlite3_bind_int64(stmt, 4, nonce) == SQLITE_OK &&
             sqlite3_bind_int64(stmt, 5, blob_offset) == SQLITE_OK &&
             sqlite3_bind_int64(stmt, 6, blob_size) == SQLITE_OK &&
             sqlite3_step(stmt) == SQLITE_DONE)
@@ -617,7 +616,7 @@ namespace ledger::sqlite
         inp.ledger_seq_no = sqlite3_column_int64(stmt, 0);
         inp.pubkey = GET_PUBKEY_BLOB(1);
         inp.hash = GET_H32_BLOB(2);
-        // inp.nonce = GET_BLOB(3);
+        inp.nonce = sqlite3_column_int64(stmt, 3);
         inp.blob_offset = sqlite3_column_int64(stmt, 4);
         inp.blob_size = sqlite3_column_int64(stmt, 5);
         return inp;
diff --git a/src/ledger/sqlite.hpp b/src/ledger/sqlite.hpp
index aa269728..9f10fc1f 100644
--- a/src/ledger/sqlite.hpp
+++ b/src/ledger/sqlite.hpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ namespace ledger::sqlite
     int insert_user_record(sqlite3_stmt *stmt, const uint64_t ledger_seq_no, std::string_view pubkey);
 
     int insert_user_input_record(sqlite3_stmt *stmt, const uint64_t ledger_seq_no, std::string_view pubkey,
-                                 std::string_view hash, std::string_view nonce, const uint64_t blob_offset, const uint64_t blob_size);
+                                 std::string_view hash, const uint64_t nonce, const uint64_t blob_offset, const uint64_t blob_size);
 
     int insert_user_output_record(sqlite3_stmt *stmt, const uint64_t ledger_seq_no, std::string_view pubkey,
                                   std::string_view hash, const uint64_t blob_offset, const uint64_t output_count);
diff --git a/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.cpp b/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.cpp
index 5b29258a..7957113f 100644
--- a/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.cpp
+++ b/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.cpp
@@ -367,12 +367,12 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::bson
      * @param contentjson The bson input container message.
      *                    {
      *                      "input": <binary buffer>,
-     *                      "nonce": "<random string with optional sorted order>",
+     *                      "nonce": <integer>, // Indicates input ordering.
      *                      "max_ledger_seq_no": <integer>
      *                    }
      * @return 0 on succesful extraction. -1 on failure.
      */
-    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, std::string &nonce, uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view contentbson)
+    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, uint64_t &nonce, uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view contentbson)
     {
         jsoncons::ojson d;
         try
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::bson
             return -1;
         }
 
-        if (!d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_INPUT].is_byte_string_view() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].is_string() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_MAX_LEDGER_SEQ_NO].is_uint64())
+        if (!d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_INPUT].is_byte_string_view() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].is_uint64() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_MAX_LEDGER_SEQ_NO].is_uint64())
         {
             LOG_DEBUG << "User input container invalid field values.";
             return -1;
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::bson
         const jsoncons::byte_string_view &bsv = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_INPUT].as_byte_string_view();
         input = std::string_view(reinterpret_cast<const char *>(bsv.data()), bsv.size());
 
-        nonce = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].as<std::string>();
+        nonce = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].as<uint64_t>();
         max_ledger_seq_no = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_MAX_LEDGER_SEQ_NO].as<uint64_t>();
         return 0;
     }
@@ -553,6 +553,8 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::bson
             encoder.byte_string_value(inp.pubkey);
             encoder.key(msg::usrmsg::FLD_HASH);
             encoder.byte_string_value(inp.hash);
+            encoder.key(msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE);
+            encoder.uint64_value(inp.nonce);
             encoder.key(msg::usrmsg::FLD_BLOB);
             encoder.byte_string_value(inp.blob);
 
diff --git a/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.hpp b/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.hpp
index 99cbd15f..0b9dbef5 100644
--- a/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.hpp
+++ b/src/msg/bson/usrmsg_bson.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::bson
     int extract_signed_input_container(std::string &extracted_input_container, std::string &extracted_sig,
                                        const jsoncons::ojson &d);
 
-    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, std::string &nonce,
+    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, uint64_t &nonce,
                                 uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view contentbson);
 
     int extract_ledger_query(ledger::query::query_request &extracted_query, std::string &extracted_id, const jsoncons::ojson &d);
diff --git a/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.cpp b/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.cpp
index 2299ff23..1dde8796 100644
--- a/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.cpp
+++ b/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.cpp
@@ -715,12 +715,12 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::json
      * @param contentjson The json string containing the input container message.
      *                    {
      *                      "input": "<any string>",
-     *                      "nonce": "<random string with optional sorted order>",
+     *                      "nonce": <integer>, // Indicates input ordering.
      *                      "max_ledger_seq_no": <integer>
      *                    }
      * @return 0 on succesful extraction. -1 on failure.
      */
-    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, std::string &nonce, uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view contentjson)
+    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, uint64_t &nonce, uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view contentjson)
     {
         jsoncons::json d;
         try
@@ -739,14 +739,14 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::json
             return -1;
         }
 
-        if (!d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_INPUT].is<std::string>() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].is<std::string>() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_MAX_LEDGER_SEQ_NO].is<uint64_t>())
+        if (!d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_INPUT].is<std::string>() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].is<uint64_t>() || !d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_MAX_LEDGER_SEQ_NO].is<uint64_t>())
         {
             LOG_DEBUG << "User input container invalid field values.";
             return -1;
         }
 
         input = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_INPUT].as<std::string>();
-        nonce = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].as<std::string>();
+        nonce = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE].as<uint64_t>();
         max_ledger_seq_no = d[msg::usrmsg::FLD_MAX_LEDGER_SEQ_NO].as<uint64_t>();
 
         return 0;
@@ -964,6 +964,10 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::json
             msg += SEP_COLON;
             msg += util::to_hex(itr->hash);
             msg += SEP_COMMA;
+            msg += msg::usrmsg::FLD_NONCE;
+            msg += SEP_COLON_NOQUOTE;
+            msg += std::to_string(itr->nonce);
+            msg += SEP_COMMA_NOQUOTE;
             msg += msg::usrmsg::FLD_BLOB;
             msg += SEP_COLON;
             msg += util::to_hex(itr->blob);
diff --git a/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.hpp b/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.hpp
index 0f7a1752..68d64ad8 100644
--- a/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.hpp
+++ b/src/msg/json/usrmsg_json.hpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg::json
     int extract_signed_input_container(std::string &extracted_input_container, std::string &extracted_sig,
                                        const jsoncons::json &d);
 
-    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, std::string &nonce,
+    int extract_input_container(std::string &input, uint64_t &nonce,
                                 uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view contentjson);
 
     int extract_ledger_query(ledger::query::query_request &extracted_query, std::string &extracted_id, const jsoncons::json &d);
diff --git a/src/msg/usrmsg_common.hpp b/src/msg/usrmsg_common.hpp
index e164a2e4..ed381bac 100644
--- a/src/msg/usrmsg_common.hpp
+++ b/src/msg/usrmsg_common.hpp
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg
     constexpr const char *REASON_MAX_LEDGER_OFFSET_EXCEEDED = "max_ledger_offset_exceeded";
     constexpr const char *REASON_NONCE_EXPIRED = "nonce_expired";
     constexpr const char *REASON_ALREADY_SUBMITTED = "already_submitted";
-    constexpr const char *REASON_NONCE_OVERFLOW = "nonce_overflow";
     constexpr const char *REASON_ROUND_INPUTS_OVERFLOW = "round_inputs_overflow";
     constexpr const char *QUERY_FILTER_BY_SEQ_NO = "seq_no";
 
diff --git a/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.cpp b/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.cpp
index 06348f5a..0ce4a945 100644
--- a/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg
             return busrmsg::extract_signed_input_container(extracted_input_container, extracted_sig, bdoc);
     }
 
-    int usrmsg_parser::extract_input_container(std::string &input, std::string &nonce,
+    int usrmsg_parser::extract_input_container(std::string &input, uint64_t &nonce,
                                                uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view encoded_content) const
     {
         if (protocol == util::PROTOCOL::JSON)
diff --git a/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.hpp b/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.hpp
index 6bed01fa..2a767bf5 100644
--- a/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.hpp
+++ b/src/msg/usrmsg_parser.hpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ namespace msg::usrmsg
 
         int extract_signed_input_container(std::string &extracted_input_container, std::string &extracted_sig) const;
 
-        int extract_input_container(std::string &input, std::string &nonce,
+        int extract_input_container(std::string &input, uint64_t &nonce,
                                     uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, std::string_view encoded_content) const;
 
         int extract_ledger_query(ledger::query::query_request &extracted_query, std::string &extracted_id) const;
diff --git a/src/sc/sc.cpp b/src/sc/sc.cpp
index a1c8422d..334bc361 100644
--- a/src/sc/sc.cpp
+++ b/src/sc/sc.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ namespace sc
             }
             else
             {
-                LOG_ERROR << "Contract process" << (ctx.args.readonly ? " (rdonly)" : "") << " ended prematurely. Exit code " << WEXITSTATUS(scstatus);
+                LOG_WARNING << "Contract process" << (ctx.args.readonly ? " (rdonly)" : "") << " ended prematurely. Exit code " << WEXITSTATUS(scstatus);
                 return -1;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/usr/input_nonce_map.cpp b/src/usr/input_nonce_map.cpp
index e0c011f6..85d39593 100644
--- a/src/usr/input_nonce_map.cpp
+++ b/src/usr/input_nonce_map.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ namespace usr
      *         1 if nonce has expired.
      *         2 if message with same nonce/sig has already been submitted.
      */
-    int input_nonce_map::check(const std::string &pubkey, const std::string &nonce, const std::string &sig, const uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, const bool no_add)
+    int input_nonce_map::check(const std::string &pubkey, const uint64_t &nonce, const std::string &sig, const uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, const bool no_add)
     {
         int result = 0;
 
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ namespace usr
         {
             result = 0;
             if (!no_add)
-                nonce_map.emplace(pubkey, std::tuple<std::string, std::string, uint64_t>(nonce, sig, max_ledger_seq_no));
+                nonce_map.emplace(pubkey, std::tuple<uint64_t, std::string, uint64_t>(nonce, sig, max_ledger_seq_no));
         }
         else
         {
-            const std::string &existing_nonce = std::get<0>(itr->second);
+            const uint64_t &existing_nonce = std::get<0>(itr->second);
             const uint64_t expire_lcl_seq_no = std::get<2>(itr->second);
 
             // Check if previous nonce has already expired or it is less than new nonce.
diff --git a/src/usr/input_nonce_map.hpp b/src/usr/input_nonce_map.hpp
index e396a306..d21c0c44 100644
--- a/src/usr/input_nonce_map.hpp
+++ b/src/usr/input_nonce_map.hpp
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ namespace usr
     {
     private:
         // Keeps short-lived nonces and signatures with their absolute expiration time.
-        std::unordered_map<std::string, std::tuple<std::string, std::string, uint64_t>> nonce_map;
+        // Keyed by user binary pubkey.
+        std::unordered_map<std::string, std::tuple<uint64_t, std::string, uint64_t>> nonce_map;
         void cleanup();
 
     public:
-        int check(const std::string &pubkey, const std::string &nonce, const std::string &sig, const uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, const bool no_add = false);
+        int check(const std::string &pubkey, const uint64_t &nonce, const std::string &sig, const uint64_t &max_ledger_seq_no, const bool no_add = false);
     };
 
 } // namespace usr
diff --git a/src/usr/user_input.hpp b/src/usr/user_input.hpp
index 71c3adf1..b3c7ca7f 100644
--- a/src/usr/user_input.hpp
+++ b/src/usr/user_input.hpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ namespace usr
     struct extracted_user_input
     {
         std::string input;
-        std::string nonce;
+        uint64_t nonce;
         uint64_t max_ledger_seq_no;
         std::string sig;
 
diff --git a/src/usr/usr.cpp b/src/usr/usr.cpp
index 00d64f62..0d3635bd 100644
--- a/src/usr/usr.cpp
+++ b/src/usr/usr.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ namespace usr
     uint64_t metric_thresholds[5];
     bool init_success = false;
 
-    constexpr size_t MAX_INPUT_NONCE_SIZE = 128;
-
     /**
      * Initializes the usr subsystem. Must be called once during application startup.
      * @return 0 for successful initialization. -1 for failure.
@@ -172,7 +170,7 @@ namespace usr
                     std::scoped_lock<std::mutex> lock(ctx.users_mutex);
 
                     std::string input_data;
-                    std::string nonce;
+                    uint64_t nonce;
                     uint64_t max_ledger_seq_no;
                     if (parser.extract_input_container(input_data, nonce, max_ledger_seq_no, input_container) != -1)
                     {
@@ -191,13 +189,6 @@ namespace usr
                             return -1;
                         }
 
-                        // Check for max nonce size.
-                        if (nonce.size() > MAX_INPUT_NONCE_SIZE)
-                        {
-                            send_input_status(parser, user.session, msg::usrmsg::STATUS_REJECTED, msg::usrmsg::REASON_NONCE_OVERFLOW, crypto::get_hash(sig));
-                            return -1;
-                        }
-
                         // Check whether the newly received input is going to cause overflow of round input limit.
                         if (conf::cfg.contract.round_limits.user_input_bytes > 0 &&
                             (user.collected_input_size + input_data.size()) > conf::cfg.contract.round_limits.user_input_bytes)
@@ -423,10 +414,9 @@ namespace usr
         // Ordered hash is used as the globally unqiue 'key' to represent this input for this consensus round.
         // It is prefixed with the nonce to support user-defined sort order and the input hash is appended
         // to make it unique among inputs from all users.
-        // Ordered hash = nonce + input hash
-        // Nonce length is not fixed. So last 32 bytes of ordered hash always contains the input hash.
+        // Ordered hash = nonce (8 bytes) + input hash (32 bytes)
         // In the ledger, we will store the nonce and input hash separately.
-        ordered_hash = extracted_input.nonce + crypto::get_hash(extracted_input.sig);
+        ordered_hash = util::uint64_to_string_bytes(extracted_input.nonce) + crypto::get_hash(extracted_input.sig);
 
         // Ignore the input if the max ledger seq number specified is beyond the max offeset.
         if (conf::cfg.contract.max_input_ledger_offset != 0 && extracted_input.max_ledger_seq_no > lcl_seq_no + conf::cfg.contract.max_input_ledger_offset)
diff --git a/src/util/util.cpp b/src/util/util.cpp
index 11465de0..f6bb2a83 100644
--- a/src/util/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util/util.cpp
@@ -487,6 +487,17 @@ namespace util
                ((uint64_t)data[7]);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a string buffer containing uint64 bytes.
+     */
+    const std::string uint64_to_string_bytes(const uint64_t x)
+    {
+        std::string s;
+        s.resize(sizeof(uint64_t));
+        uint64_to_bytes((uint8_t *)s.data(), x);
+        return s;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the substring view from the end of the provided string view.
      */
diff --git a/src/util/util.hpp b/src/util/util.hpp
index fcf46cef..57e7b60e 100644
--- a/src/util/util.hpp
+++ b/src/util/util.hpp
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ namespace util
 
     uint64_t uint64_from_bytes(const uint8_t *data);
 
+    const std::string uint64_to_string_bytes(const uint64_t x);
+
     std::string_view get_string_suffix(std::string_view sv, const size_t suffix_len);
 
 } // namespace util
diff --git a/test/local-cluster/Dockerfile b/test/local-cluster/Dockerfile
index 313da7d4..03173f6d 100644
--- a/test/local-cluster/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/local-cluster/Dockerfile
@@ -18,4 +18,7 @@ COPY ./bin/hpcore .
 COPY ./bin/hpfs .
 COPY ./bin/hpws .
 
-ENTRYPOINT ["/hp/hpcore"]
\ No newline at end of file
+ENTRYPOINT ["/hp/hpcore"]
+
+# Run with vagrind
+# ENTRYPOINT ["valgrind", "/hp/hpcore"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/metrics/metrics.js b/test/metrics/metrics.js
index 0ca77f2d..2f844dcf 100644
--- a/test/metrics/metrics.js
+++ b/test/metrics/metrics.js
@@ -109,8 +109,7 @@ function singleUserInputOutput(payloadKB, requestCount) {
 
         timer.start();
         for (let i = 0; i < requestCount; i++) {
-            const nonce = i.toString().padStart(5);
-            const input = await hpc.submitContractInput(payload, nonce, 10);
+            const input = await hpc.submitContractInput(payload, i, 10);
             input.submissionStatus.then(s => {
                 if (s.status != "accepted")
                     console.log(s.reason);