diff --git a/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_blackbox_test.rs b/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_blackbox_test.rs
index cdcf610b25..d3f78692e8 100644
--- a/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_blackbox_test.rs
+++ b/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_blackbox_test.rs
@@ -244,3 +244,45 @@ fn set_state_test() {
         .balance(600)
         .esdt_balance(TOKEN_ID, 60);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn st_blackbox_tx_hash() {
+    let mut world = world();
+
+    world
+        .account(OWNER_ADDRESS)
+        .nonce(1)
+        .balance(100)
+        .account(OTHER_ADDRESS)
+        .nonce(2)
+        .balance(300)
+        .esdt_balance(TOKEN_ID, 500)
+        .commit();
+
+    let (new_address, tx_hash) = world
+        .tx()
+        .from(OWNER_ADDRESS)
+        .typed(scenario_tester_proxy::ScenarioTesterProxy)
+        .init(5u32)
+        .code(CODE_PATH)
+        .new_address(ST_ADDRESS)
+        .tx_hash([11u8; 32])
+        .returns(ReturnsNewAddress)
+        .returns(ReturnsTxHash)
+        .run();
+
+    assert_eq!(new_address, ST_ADDRESS.to_address());
+    assert_eq!(tx_hash.as_array(), &[11u8; 32]);
+
+    let tx_hash = world
+        .tx()
+        .from(OWNER_ADDRESS)
+        .to(ST_ADDRESS)
+        .typed(scenario_tester_proxy::ScenarioTesterProxy)
+        .add(1u32)
+        .tx_hash([22u8; 32])
+        .returns(ReturnsTxHash)
+        .run();
+
+    assert_eq!(tx_hash.as_array(), &[22u8; 32]);
+}
diff --git a/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_whitebox_test.rs b/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_whitebox_test.rs
index 61dd6cdc2d..99e56d29f1 100644
--- a/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_whitebox_test.rs
+++ b/contracts/feature-tests/scenario-tester/tests/st_whitebox_test.rs
@@ -52,3 +52,36 @@ fn st_whitebox() {
         .check_account(SCENARIO_TESTER)
         .check_storage("str:sum", "8");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn st_whitebox_tx_hash() {
+    let mut world = world();
+
+    world.account(OWNER).nonce(1);
+
+    let (new_address, tx_hash) = world
+        .tx()
+        .from(OWNER)
+        .raw_deploy()
+        .code(ST_PATH_EXPR)
+        .new_address(SCENARIO_TESTER)
+        .tx_hash([11u8; 32])
+        .returns(ReturnsNewBech32Address)
+        .returns(ReturnsTxHash)
+        .whitebox(scenario_tester::contract_obj, |sc| {
+            sc.init(BigUint::from(5u64));
+        });
+
+    assert_eq!(new_address.to_address(), SCENARIO_TESTER.to_address());
+    assert_eq!(tx_hash.as_array(), &[11u8; 32]);
+
+    let tx_hash = world
+        .tx()
+        .from(OWNER)
+        .to(SCENARIO_TESTER)
+        .tx_hash([22u8; 32])
+        .returns(ReturnsTxHash)
+        .whitebox(scenario_tester::contract_obj, |sc| sc.add(3u32.into()));
+
+    assert_eq!(tx_hash.as_array(), &[22u8; 32]);
+}
diff --git a/framework/base/src/types/interaction/tx.rs b/framework/base/src/types/interaction/tx.rs
index 905b9af8fc..b216ce0f28 100644
--- a/framework/base/src/types/interaction/tx.rs
+++ b/framework/base/src/types/interaction/tx.rs
@@ -908,11 +908,11 @@ where
 impl<Env, From, To, Payment, Gas, Data, RH> Tx<Env, From, To, Payment, Gas, Data, RH>
 where
     Env: TxEnvWithTxHash,
-    From: TxFromSpecified<Env>,
+    From: TxFrom<Env>,
     To: TxTo<Env>,
-    Payment: TxPaymentEgldOnly<Env>,
+    Payment: TxPayment<Env>,
     Gas: TxGas<Env>,
-    Data: TxDataFunctionCall<Env>,
+    Data: TxData<Env>,
     RH: TxResultHandler<Env>,
 {
     /// Sets the mock transaction hash to be used in a test.
diff --git a/framework/scenario/src/facade/result_handlers/returns_tx_hash.rs b/framework/scenario/src/facade/result_handlers/returns_tx_hash.rs
index 7494b41edc..fb30ea1ff3 100644
--- a/framework/scenario/src/facade/result_handlers/returns_tx_hash.rs
+++ b/framework/scenario/src/facade/result_handlers/returns_tx_hash.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use multiversx_chain_vm::types::H256;
 use multiversx_sc::types::RHListItemExec;
 
 use crate::{
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ impl<Env, Original> RHListItem<Env, Original> for ReturnsTxHash
 where
     Env: TxEnv,
 {
-    type Returns = String;
+    type Returns = H256;
 }
 
 impl<Env, Original> RHListItemExec<TxResponse, Env, Original> for ReturnsTxHash
@@ -19,6 +20,6 @@ where
     Env: TxEnv,
 {
     fn item_process_result(self, raw_result: &TxResponse) -> Self::Returns {
-        raw_result.tx_hash.clone()
+        raw_result.tx_hash.clone().expect("missing tx hash")
     }
 }
diff --git a/framework/scenario/src/facade/world_tx/scenario_tx_whitebox.rs b/framework/scenario/src/facade/world_tx/scenario_tx_whitebox.rs
index e20538ce0e..f8d03dc6da 100644
--- a/framework/scenario/src/facade/world_tx/scenario_tx_whitebox.rs
+++ b/framework/scenario/src/facade/world_tx/scenario_tx_whitebox.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-use core::str;
-
 use crate::debug_executor::contract_instance_wrapped_execution;
 use crate::scenario::tx_to_step::TxToQueryStep;
 use crate::{
@@ -57,6 +55,7 @@ where
         let contract_obj = contract_obj_builder();
 
         let mut step_wrapper = self.tx_to_step();
+        step_wrapper.step.explicit_tx_hash = core::mem::take(&mut step_wrapper.env.data.tx_hash);
         let (new_address, tx_result) = step_wrapper
             .env
             .world
@@ -70,15 +69,6 @@ where
             });
 
         let mut response = TxResponse::from_tx_result(tx_result);
-        if let Some(tx_hash) = &step_wrapper.env.data.tx_hash {
-            let tx_hash_bytes = tx_hash.as_bytes();
-            response.tx_hash = str::from_utf8(tx_hash_bytes)
-                .expect("tx hash not utf8 valid")
-                .to_string();
-        } else {
-            response.tx_hash = String::from("");
-        }
-
         response.new_deployed_address = Some(new_address);
         step_wrapper.step.save_response(response);
         step_wrapper.process_result()
@@ -133,6 +123,7 @@ where
         let contract_obj = contract_obj_builder();
 
         let mut step_wrapper = self.tx_to_step();
+        step_wrapper.step.explicit_tx_hash = core::mem::take(&mut step_wrapper.env.data.tx_hash);
 
         // no endpoint is called per se, but if it is empty, the VM thinks it is a simple transfer of value
         if step_wrapper.step.tx.function.is_empty() {
@@ -151,16 +142,7 @@ where
                 });
             });
 
-        let mut response = TxResponse::from_tx_result(tx_result);
-        if let Some(tx_hash) = &step_wrapper.env.data.tx_hash {
-            let tx_hash_bytes = tx_hash.as_bytes();
-            response.tx_hash = str::from_utf8(tx_hash_bytes)
-                .expect("tx hash not utf8 valid")
-                .to_string();
-        } else {
-            response.tx_hash = String::from("");
-        }
-
+        let response = TxResponse::from_tx_result(tx_result);
         step_wrapper.step.save_response(response);
         step_wrapper.process_result()
     }
diff --git a/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_call_step.rs b/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_call_step.rs
index 4a68bfa000..2a25fb2c2f 100644
--- a/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_call_step.rs
+++ b/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_call_step.rs
@@ -205,12 +205,13 @@ impl ScCallStep {
             .expect("SC call response not yet available")
     }
 
-    pub fn save_response(&mut self, tx_response: TxResponse) {
+    pub fn save_response(&mut self, mut tx_response: TxResponse) {
         if let Some(expect) = &mut self.expect {
             if expect.build_from_response {
                 expect.update_from_response(&tx_response)
             }
         }
+        tx_response.tx_hash = self.explicit_tx_hash.as_ref().map(|vm_hash| vm_hash.as_array().into());
         self.response = Some(tx_response);
     }
 }
diff --git a/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_deploy_step.rs b/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_deploy_step.rs
index 7e520e1a17..3b22522f69 100644
--- a/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_deploy_step.rs
+++ b/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/step/sc_deploy_step.rs
@@ -135,13 +135,14 @@ impl ScDeployStep {
             .expect("SC deploy response not yet available")
     }
 
-    pub fn save_response(&mut self, response: TxResponse) {
+    pub fn save_response(&mut self, mut tx_response: TxResponse) {
         if let Some(expect) = &mut self.expect {
             if expect.build_from_response {
-                expect.update_from_response(&response)
+                expect.update_from_response(&tx_response)
             }
         }
-        self.response = Some(response);
+        tx_response.tx_hash = self.explicit_tx_hash.as_ref().map(|vm_hash| vm_hash.as_array().into());
+        self.response = Some(tx_response);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/transaction/tx_response.rs b/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/transaction/tx_response.rs
index b230fd1878..547b381338 100644
--- a/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/transaction/tx_response.rs
+++ b/framework/scenario/src/scenario/model/transaction/tx_response.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use multiversx_chain_vm::tx_mock::TxResult;
+use multiversx_chain_vm::{tx_mock::TxResult, types::H256};
 use multiversx_sc::types::Address;
 
 use super::{Log, TxExpect, TxResponseStatus};
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ pub struct TxResponse {
     pub gas: u64,
     /// The refund of the transaction.
     pub refund: u64,
-    /// The transaction hash
-    pub tx_hash: String,
+    /// The transaction hash, if available.
+    pub tx_hash: Option<H256>,
 }
 
 impl TxResponse {
diff --git a/framework/snippets/src/network_response.rs b/framework/snippets/src/network_response.rs
index 4684fdce3c..b5839e2e10 100644
--- a/framework/snippets/src/network_response.rs
+++ b/framework/snippets/src/network_response.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use multiversx_sc_scenario::{
     imports::{Address, ESDTSystemSCAddress},
-    multiversx_chain_vm::crypto_functions::keccak256,
+    multiversx_chain_vm::{crypto_functions::keccak256, types::H256},
     scenario_model::{Log, TxResponse, TxResponseStatus},
 };
 use multiversx_sdk::{
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub fn parse_tx_response(tx: TransactionOnNetwork) -> TxResponse {
     if !tx_error.is_success() {
         return TxResponse {
             tx_error,
-            tx_hash: process_tx_hash(&tx).to_string(),
+            tx_hash: process_tx_hash(&tx),
             ..Default::default()
         };
     }
@@ -46,13 +46,17 @@ fn process_success(tx: &TransactionOnNetwork) -> TxResponse {
         new_deployed_address: process_new_deployed_address(tx),
         new_issued_token_identifier: process_new_issued_token_identifier(tx),
         logs: process_logs(tx),
-        tx_hash: process_tx_hash(tx).to_string(),
+        tx_hash: process_tx_hash(tx),
         ..Default::default()
     }
 }
 
-fn process_tx_hash(tx: &TransactionOnNetwork) -> &str {
-    tx.hash.as_deref().unwrap_or("")
+fn process_tx_hash(tx: &TransactionOnNetwork) -> Option<H256> {
+    tx.hash.as_ref().map(|encoded_hash| {
+        let decoded = hex::decode(encoded_hash).expect("error decoding tx hash from hex");
+        assert_eq!(decoded.len(), 32);
+        H256::from_slice(&decoded)
+    })
 }
 
 fn process_out(tx: &TransactionOnNetwork) -> Vec<Vec<u8>> {