diff --git a/grpc/execution/server.go b/grpc/execution/server.go
index aede18f6d..fa2439fcc 100644
--- a/grpc/execution/server.go
+++ b/grpc/execution/server.go
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func (s *ExecutionServiceServerV2) UpdateCommitmentState(ctx context.Context, re
 	s.commitmentUpdateLock.Lock()
 	defer s.commitmentUpdateLock.Unlock()
 
-	if err := validateStaticCommitmentState(req.CommitmentState); err != nil {
+	if err := validateStaticCommitmentState(req.CommitmentState, s.softAsFirm); err != nil {
 		log.Error("UpdateCommitmentState called with invalid CommitmentState", "err", err)
 		return nil, status.Error(codes.InvalidArgument, "CommitmentState is invalid")
 	}
diff --git a/grpc/execution/validation.go b/grpc/execution/validation.go
index f7d1646e7..8c8db05eb 100644
--- a/grpc/execution/validation.go
+++ b/grpc/execution/validation.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func validateStaticExecuteBlockRequest(req *astriaPb.ExecuteBlockRequest) error
 }
 
 // `validateStaticCommitment` validates the given commitment without regard to the current state of the system.
-func validateStaticCommitmentState(commitmentState *astriaPb.CommitmentState) error {
+func validateStaticCommitmentState(commitmentState *astriaPb.CommitmentState, softAsFirm bool) error {
 	if commitmentState == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("commitment state is nil")
 	}
@@ -126,20 +126,13 @@ func validateStaticCommitmentState(commitmentState *astriaPb.CommitmentState) er
 	if commitmentState.FirmExecutedBlockMetadata == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("FirmExecutedBlockMetadata cannot be nil")
 	}
-	if commitmentState.LowestCelestiaSearchHeight == 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("lowest celestia search height of 0 is not valid")
-	}
-
 	if err := validateStaticExecutedBlockMetadata(commitmentState.SoftExecutedBlockMetadata); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("soft block invalid: %w", err)
 	}
-	if err := validateStaticExecutedBlockMetadata(commitmentState.FirmExecutedBlockMetadata); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("firm block invalid: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Verify that the firm block is not newer than the soft block
-	if commitmentState.FirmExecutedBlockMetadata.Number > commitmentState.SoftExecutedBlockMetadata.Number {
-		return fmt.Errorf("FirmExecutedBlockMetadata number cannot be greater than SoftExecutedBlockMetadata number")
+	if !softAsFirm {
+		if err := validateStaticExecutedBlockMetadata(commitmentState.FirmExecutedBlockMetadata); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("firm block invalid: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/grpc/execution/validation_test.go b/grpc/execution/validation_test.go
index 74084fcac..7f15e7b95 100644
--- a/grpc/execution/validation_test.go
+++ b/grpc/execution/validation_test.go
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ func TestValidateStaticCommitmentState(t *testing.T) {
 		LowestCelestiaSearchHeight: 100,
 	}
 
-	err := validateStaticCommitmentState(validState)
+	err := validateStaticCommitmentState(validState, false)
 	require.Nil(t, err, "Valid CommitmentState should pass validation")
 
 	// Test missing SoftExecutedBlockMetadata
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ func TestValidateStaticCommitmentState(t *testing.T) {
 		FirmExecutedBlockMetadata:  validState.FirmExecutedBlockMetadata,
 		LowestCelestiaSearchHeight: 100,
 	}
-	err = validateStaticCommitmentState(invalidState1)
+	err = validateStaticCommitmentState(invalidState1, false)
 	require.NotNil(t, err, "CommitmentState without SoftExecutedBlockMetadata should fail validation")
 	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "SoftExecutedBlockMetadata cannot be nil", "Error should mention SoftExecutedBlockMetadata")
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ func TestValidateStaticCommitmentState(t *testing.T) {
 		FirmExecutedBlockMetadata:  nil,
 		LowestCelestiaSearchHeight: 100,
 	}
-	err = validateStaticCommitmentState(invalidState2)
+	err = validateStaticCommitmentState(invalidState2, false)
 	require.NotNil(t, err, "CommitmentState without FirmExecutedBlockMetadata should fail validation")
 	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "FirmExecutedBlockMetadata cannot be nil", "Error should mention FirmExecutedBlockMetadata")
 
@@ -267,23 +267,9 @@ func TestValidateStaticCommitmentState(t *testing.T) {
 		FirmExecutedBlockMetadata:  validState.FirmExecutedBlockMetadata,
 		LowestCelestiaSearchHeight: 100,
 	}
-	err = validateStaticCommitmentState(invalidState3)
+	err = validateStaticCommitmentState(invalidState3, false)
 	require.NotNil(t, err, "CommitmentState with invalid SoftExecutedBlockMetadata should fail validation")
 
-	// Test firm block newer than soft block
-	invalidState4 := &astriaPb.CommitmentState{
-		SoftExecutedBlockMetadata: validState.SoftExecutedBlockMetadata,
-		FirmExecutedBlockMetadata: &astriaPb.ExecutedBlockMetadata{
-			Number:     11, // Higher than soft block
-			Hash:       "0xabcdef",
-			ParentHash: "0xfedcba",
-			Timestamp:  &timestamppb.Timestamp{Seconds: 1234567880},
-		},
-		LowestCelestiaSearchHeight: 100,
-	}
-	err = validateStaticCommitmentState(invalidState4)
-	require.NotNil(t, err, "CommitmentState with firm block newer than soft block should fail validation")
-	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "FirmExecutedBlockMetadata number", "Error should mention FirmExecutedBlockMetadata number")
 }
 
 func TestValidateStaticExecutedBlockMetadata(t *testing.T) {