diff --git a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
index cca8d060e..1343cf2c6 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ func (s *service) eventLoop() {
 				s.log.Debug("new block in the chain",
 					zap.Uint32("dbft index", s.dbft.BlockIndex),
 					zap.Uint32("chain index", s.Chain.BlockHeight()))
+				s.lastProposal = nil
 				s.dbft.InitializeConsensus(0)
 			}
 		}
@@ -492,6 +493,7 @@ func (s *service) processBlock(b block.Block) {
 			s.log.Warn("error on add block", zap.Error(err))
 		}
 	}
+	s.lastProposal = nil
 }
 
 func (s *service) getBlockWitness(_ *coreb.Block) *transaction.Witness {
@@ -553,7 +555,7 @@ func (s *service) getVerifiedTx() []block.Transaction {
 
 	var txx []mempool.TxWithFee
 
-	if s.dbft.ViewNumber > 0 {
+	if s.dbft.ViewNumber > 0 && len(s.lastProposal) > 0 {
 		txx = make([]mempool.TxWithFee, 0, len(s.lastProposal))
 		for i := range s.lastProposal {
 			if tx, fee, ok := pool.TryGetValue(s.lastProposal[i]); ok {
diff --git a/pkg/io/binaryReader.go b/pkg/io/binaryReader.go
index b8c935c80..6915f5109 100644
--- a/pkg/io/binaryReader.go
+++ b/pkg/io/binaryReader.go
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ func (r *BinReader) ReadBytes(buf []byte) {
 }
 
 // ReadString calls ReadVarBytes and casts the results as a string.
-func (r *BinReader) ReadString() string {
-	b := r.ReadVarBytes()
+func (r *BinReader) ReadString(maxSize ...int) string {
+	b := r.ReadVarBytes(maxSize...)
 	return string(b)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/util/fixed8.go b/pkg/util/fixed8.go
index c11badae7..676286370 100644
--- a/pkg/util/fixed8.go
+++ b/pkg/util/fixed8.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package util
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"math"
 	"strconv"
@@ -106,34 +105,30 @@ func FixedNFromString(s string, precision int) (int64, error) {
 
 // UnmarshalJSON implements the json unmarshaller interface.
 func (f *Fixed8) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
-	return f.unmarshalHelper(func(v interface{}) error {
-		return json.Unmarshal(data, v)
-	})
+	if len(data) > 2 {
+		if data[0] == '"' && data[len(data)-1] == '"' {
+			data = data[1 : len(data)-1]
+		}
+	}
+	return f.setFromString(string(data))
 }
 
 // UnmarshalYAML implements the yaml unmarshaler interface.
 func (f *Fixed8) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
-	return f.unmarshalHelper(unmarshal)
-}
-
-// unmarshalHelper is an underlying unmarshaller func for JSON and YAML.
-func (f *Fixed8) unmarshalHelper(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	var s string
-	if err := unmarshal(&s); err == nil {
-		p, err := Fixed8FromString(s)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		*f = p
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	var fl float64
-	if err := unmarshal(&fl); err != nil {
+	err := unmarshal(&s)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	return f.setFromString(s)
+}
 
-	*f = Fixed8(decimals * fl)
+func (f *Fixed8) setFromString(s string) error {
+	p, err := Fixed8FromString(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*f = p
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/fixed8_test.go b/pkg/util/fixed8_test.go
index cd097c9b5..3f6f12151 100644
--- a/pkg/util/fixed8_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/fixed8_test.go
@@ -138,6 +138,19 @@ func TestFixed8UnmarshalJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFixed8_Unmarshal(t *testing.T) {
+	var expected = Fixed8(223719420)
+	var cases = []string{"2.2371942", `"2.2371942"`} // this easily gives 223719419 if interpreted as float
+
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		var u1, u2 Fixed8
+		assert.Nil(t, json.Unmarshal([]byte(c), &u1))
+		assert.Equal(t, expected, u1)
+		assert.Nil(t, yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(c), &u2))
+		assert.Equal(t, expected, u2)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFixed8_MarshalJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	u, err := Fixed8FromString("123.4")
 	assert.NoError(t, err)