diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 78fb8758d724..a46e68049850 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ require (
 	go.uber.org/goleak v1.3.0
 	go.uber.org/mock v0.4.0
 	go.uber.org/zap v1.26.0
-	golang.org/x/crypto v0.26.0
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.31.0
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20231127185646-65229373498e
 	golang.org/x/net v0.28.0
-	golang.org/x/sync v0.8.0
-	golang.org/x/term v0.23.0
+	golang.org/x/sync v0.10.0
+	golang.org/x/term v0.27.0
 	golang.org/x/time v0.3.0
 	gonum.org/v1/gonum v0.11.0
 	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20240827150818-7e3bb234dfed
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ require (
 	go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.0.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.11.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.21.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.24.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/text v0.17.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.28.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/text v0.21.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/tools v0.21.1-0.20240508182429-e35e4ccd0d2d // indirect
 	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20240604185151-ef581f913117 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/inf.v0 v0.9.1 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index d43867a56bde..fb6007017f8d 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -695,8 +695,8 @@ golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20210322153248-0c34fe9e7dc2/go.mod h1:T9bdIzuCu7OtxOm
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20210421170649-83a5a9bb288b/go.mod h1:T9bdIzuCu7OtxOm1hfPfRQxPLYneinmdGuTeoZ9dtd4=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20210921155107-089bfa567519/go.mod h1:GvvjBRRGRdwPK5ydBHafDWAxML/pGHZbMvKqRZ5+Abc=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20211108221036-ceb1ce70b4fa/go.mod h1:GvvjBRRGRdwPK5ydBHafDWAxML/pGHZbMvKqRZ5+Abc=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.26.0 h1:RrRspgV4mU+YwB4FYnuBoKsUapNIL5cohGAmSH3azsw=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.26.0/go.mod h1:GY7jblb9wI+FOo5y8/S2oY4zWP07AkOJ4+jxCqdqn54=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.31.0 h1:ihbySMvVjLAeSH1IbfcRTkD/iNscyz8rGzjF/E5hV6U=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.31.0/go.mod h1:kDsLvtWBEx7MV9tJOj9bnXsPbxwJQ6csT/x4KIN4Ssk=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20190121172915-509febef88a4/go.mod h1:CJ0aWSM057203Lf6IL+f9T1iT9GByDxfZKAQTCR3kQA=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20190306152737-a1d7652674e8/go.mod h1:CJ0aWSM057203Lf6IL+f9T1iT9GByDxfZKAQTCR3kQA=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20190510132918-efd6b22b2522/go.mod h1:ZjyILWgesfNpC6sMxTJOJm9Kp84zZh5NQWvqDGG3Qr8=
@@ -804,8 +804,8 @@ golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20201020160332-67f06af15bc9/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJ
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20201207232520-09787c993a3a/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20210220032951-036812b2e83c/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220722155255-886fb9371eb4/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
-golang.org/x/sync v0.8.0 h1:3NFvSEYkUoMifnESzZl15y791HH1qU2xm6eCJU5ZPXQ=
-golang.org/x/sync v0.8.0/go.mod h1:Czt+wKu1gCyEFDUtn0jG5QVvpJ6rzVqr5aXyt9drQfk=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.10.0 h1:3NQrjDixjgGwUOCaF8w2+VYHv0Ve/vGYSbdkTa98gmQ=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.10.0/go.mod h1:Czt+wKu1gCyEFDUtn0jG5QVvpJ6rzVqr5aXyt9drQfk=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180830151530-49385e6e1522/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180909124046-d0be0721c37e/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20181205085412-a5c9d58dba9a/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
@@ -873,12 +873,12 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.1.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.5.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.11.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.24.0 h1:Twjiwq9dn6R1fQcyiK+wQyHWfaz/BJB+YIpzU/Cv3Xg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.24.0/go.mod h1:/VUhepiaJMQUp4+oa/7Zr1D23ma6VTLIYjOOTFZPUcA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.28.0 h1:Fksou7UEQUWlKvIdsqzJmUmCX3cZuD2+P3XyyzwMhlA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.28.0/go.mod h1:/VUhepiaJMQUp4+oa/7Zr1D23ma6VTLIYjOOTFZPUcA=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
-golang.org/x/term v0.23.0 h1:F6D4vR+EHoL9/sWAWgAR1H2DcHr4PareCbAaCo1RpuU=
-golang.org/x/term v0.23.0/go.mod h1:DgV24QBUrK6jhZXl+20l6UWznPlwAHm1Q1mGHtydmSk=
+golang.org/x/term v0.27.0 h1:WP60Sv1nlK1T6SupCHbXzSaN0b9wUmsPoRS9b61A23Q=
+golang.org/x/term v0.27.0/go.mod h1:iMsnZpn0cago0GOrHO2+Y7u7JPn5AylBrcoWkElMTSM=
 golang.org/x/text v0.0.0-20170915032832-14c0d48ead0c/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.1-0.20180807135948-17ff2d5776d2/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
@@ -889,8 +889,8 @@ golang.org/x/text v0.3.5/go.mod h1:5Zoc/QRtKVWzQhOtBMvqHzDpF6irO9z98xDceosuGiQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.6/go.mod h1:5Zoc/QRtKVWzQhOtBMvqHzDpF6irO9z98xDceosuGiQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.7/go.mod h1:u+2+/6zg+i71rQMx5EYifcz6MCKuco9NR6JIITiCfzQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.8/go.mod h1:E6s5w1FMmriuDzIBO73fBruAKo1PCIq6d2Q6DHfQ8WQ=
-golang.org/x/text v0.17.0 h1:XtiM5bkSOt+ewxlOE/aE/AKEHibwj/6gvWMl9Rsh0Qc=
-golang.org/x/text v0.17.0/go.mod h1:BuEKDfySbSR4drPmRPG/7iBdf8hvFMuRexcpahXilzY=
+golang.org/x/text v0.21.0 h1:zyQAAkrwaneQ066sspRyJaG9VNi/YJ1NfzcGB3hZ/qo=
+golang.org/x/text v0.21.0/go.mod h1:4IBbMaMmOPCJ8SecivzSH54+73PCFmPWxNTLm+vZkEQ=
 golang.org/x/time v0.0.0-20181108054448-85acf8d2951c/go.mod h1:tRJNPiyCQ0inRvYxbN9jk5I+vvW/OXSQhTDSoE431IQ=
 golang.org/x/time v0.0.0-20190308202827-9d24e82272b4/go.mod h1:tRJNPiyCQ0inRvYxbN9jk5I+vvW/OXSQhTDSoE431IQ=
 golang.org/x/time v0.0.0-20191024005414-555d28b269f0/go.mod h1:tRJNPiyCQ0inRvYxbN9jk5I+vvW/OXSQhTDSoE431IQ=
diff --git a/snow/snowtest/context.go b/snow/snowtest/context.go
index 2b857184235c..36af84e5c79c 100644
--- a/snow/snowtest/context.go
+++ b/snow/snowtest/context.go
@@ -98,6 +98,6 @@ func Context(tb testing.TB, chainID ids.ID) *snow.Context {
 		Metrics:  metrics.NewPrefixGatherer(),
 
 		ValidatorState: validatorState,
-		ChainDataDir:   "",
+		ChainDataDir:   tb.TempDir(),
 	}
 }
diff --git a/vms/components/gas/state.go b/vms/components/gas/state.go
index e3c1c3eb3603..03c4b74cd814 100644
--- a/vms/components/gas/state.go
+++ b/vms/components/gas/state.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package gas
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"math"
 
 	safemath "github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/math"
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ func (s State) AdvanceTime(
 func (s State) ConsumeGas(gas Gas) (State, error) {
 	newCapacity, err := safemath.Sub(uint64(s.Capacity), uint64(gas))
 	if err != nil {
-		return State{}, ErrInsufficientCapacity
+		return State{}, fmt.Errorf("%w: capacity (%d) < gas (%d)", ErrInsufficientCapacity, s.Capacity, gas)
 	}
 
 	newExcess, err := safemath.Add(uint64(s.Excess), uint64(gas))
diff --git a/vms/platformvm/block/builder/builder.go b/vms/platformvm/block/builder/builder.go
index 410d3285a9e7..bf017d217929 100644
--- a/vms/platformvm/block/builder/builder.go
+++ b/vms/platformvm/block/builder/builder.go
@@ -355,6 +355,9 @@ func buildBlock(
 		)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
+		builder.txExecutorBackend.Ctx.Log.Warn("failed to pack block transactions",
+			zap.Error(err),
+		)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to pack block txs: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -485,9 +488,26 @@ func packEtnaBlockTxs(
 		blockComplexity gas.Dimensions
 		feeCalculator   = state.PickFeeCalculator(backend.Config, stateDiff)
 	)
+
+	backend.Ctx.Log.Debug("starting to pack block txs",
+		zap.Stringer("parentID", parentID),
+		zap.Time("blockTimestamp", timestamp),
+		zap.Uint64("capacity", uint64(capacity)),
+		zap.Int("mempoolLen", mempool.Len()),
+	)
 	for {
+		currentBlockGas, err := blockComplexity.ToGas(backend.Config.DynamicFeeConfig.Weights)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
 		tx, exists := mempool.Peek()
 		if !exists {
+			backend.Ctx.Log.Debug("mempool is empty",
+				zap.Uint64("capacity", uint64(capacity)),
+				zap.Uint64("blockGas", uint64(currentBlockGas)),
+				zap.Int("blockLen", len(blockTxs)),
+			)
 			break
 		}
 
@@ -504,6 +524,12 @@ func packEtnaBlockTxs(
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		if newBlockGas > capacity {
+			backend.Ctx.Log.Debug("block is full",
+				zap.Uint64("nextBlockGas", uint64(newBlockGas)),
+				zap.Uint64("capacity", uint64(capacity)),
+				zap.Uint64("blockGas", uint64(currentBlockGas)),
+				zap.Int("blockLen", len(blockTxs)),
+			)
 			break
 		}
 
@@ -549,6 +575,7 @@ func executeTx(
 
 	// Invariant: [tx] has already been syntactically verified.
 
+	txID := tx.ID()
 	err := txexecutor.VerifyWarpMessages(
 		ctx,
 		backend.Ctx.NetworkID,
@@ -557,7 +584,11 @@ func executeTx(
 		tx.Unsigned,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		txID := tx.ID()
+		backend.Ctx.Log.Debug("transaction failed warp verification",
+			zap.Stringer("txID", txID),
+			zap.Error(err),
+		)
+
 		mempool.MarkDropped(txID, err)
 		return false, nil
 	}
@@ -574,23 +605,41 @@ func executeTx(
 		txDiff,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		txID := tx.ID()
+		backend.Ctx.Log.Debug("transaction failed execution",
+			zap.Stringer("txID", txID),
+			zap.Error(err),
+		)
+
 		mempool.MarkDropped(txID, err)
 		return false, nil
 	}
 
 	if inputs.Overlaps(txInputs) {
-		txID := tx.ID()
+		// This log is a warn because the mempool should not have allowed this
+		// transaction to be included.
+		backend.Ctx.Log.Warn("transaction conflicts with prior transaction",
+			zap.Stringer("txID", txID),
+			zap.Error(err),
+		)
+
 		mempool.MarkDropped(txID, blockexecutor.ErrConflictingBlockTxs)
 		return false, nil
 	}
 	if err := manager.VerifyUniqueInputs(parentID, txInputs); err != nil {
-		txID := tx.ID()
+		backend.Ctx.Log.Debug("transaction conflicts with ancestor's import transaction",
+			zap.Stringer("txID", txID),
+			zap.Error(err),
+		)
+
 		mempool.MarkDropped(txID, err)
 		return false, nil
 	}
 	inputs.Union(txInputs)
 
+	backend.Ctx.Log.Debug("successfully executed transaction",
+		zap.Stringer("txID", txID),
+		zap.Error(err),
+	)
 	txDiff.AddTx(tx, status.Committed)
 	return true, txDiff.Apply(stateDiff)
 }
diff --git a/vms/platformvm/block/executor/verifier.go b/vms/platformvm/block/executor/verifier.go
index 365cc5a98838..f76b5c078117 100644
--- a/vms/platformvm/block/executor/verifier.go
+++ b/vms/platformvm/block/executor/verifier.go
@@ -525,14 +525,14 @@ func (v *verifier) processStandardTxs(txs []*txs.Tx, feeCalculator txfee.Calcula
 
 			blockComplexity, err = blockComplexity.Add(&txComplexity)
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil, nil, nil, 0, err
+				return nil, nil, nil, 0, fmt.Errorf("block complexity overflow: %w", err)
 			}
 		}
 
 		var err error
 		gasConsumed, err = blockComplexity.ToGas(v.txExecutorBackend.Config.DynamicFeeConfig.Weights)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, nil, nil, 0, err
+			return nil, nil, nil, 0, fmt.Errorf("block gas overflow: %w", err)
 		}
 
 		// If this block exceeds the available capacity, ConsumeGas will return
diff --git a/vms/platformvm/network/gossip.go b/vms/platformvm/network/gossip.go
index 43e730b90e31..70992c04eecf 100644
--- a/vms/platformvm/network/gossip.go
+++ b/vms/platformvm/network/gossip.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
 
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/ids"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/network/p2p"
@@ -108,6 +109,11 @@ func (g *gossipMempool) Add(tx *txs.Tx) error {
 	}
 
 	if err := g.txVerifier.VerifyTx(tx); err != nil {
+		g.log.Debug("transaction failed verification",
+			zap.Stringer("txID", txID),
+			zap.Error(err),
+		)
+
 		g.Mempool.MarkDropped(txID, err)
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed verification: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/x/merkledb/db.go b/x/merkledb/db.go
index 3096cbabd262..2fd1d1735068 100644
--- a/x/merkledb/db.go
+++ b/x/merkledb/db.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ type Prefetcher interface {
 type MerkleDB interface {
 	database.Database
 	Clearer
-	Trie
+	View
 	MerkleRootGetter
 	ProofGetter
 	ChangeProofer