diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index f3787a8..1ba857b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -347,6 +347,15 @@
         "node": ">=14.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config": {
+      "version": "1.3.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config/-/axelar-chains-config-1.3.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-k633v2pJF8qPM3pDSawSqm7K4AgqmGicj2fUk0O0HwWB1jS2l/oFm+x5jB58HT64xhf8x7VB4BhdJQtMdKcOPA==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@ethersproject/keccak256": "^5.7.0",
+        "fs-extra": "^11.1.1"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@axelar-network/axelar-gmp-sdk-solidity": {
       "version": "5.7.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@axelar-network/axelar-gmp-sdk-solidity/-/axelar-gmp-sdk-solidity-5.7.0.tgz",
@@ -13919,7 +13928,6 @@
       "version": "11.2.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fs-extra/-/fs-extra-11.2.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-PmDi3uwK5nFuXh7XDTlVnS17xJS7vW36is2+w3xcv8SVxiB4NyATf4ctkVY5bkSjX0Y4nbvZCq1/EjtEyr9ktw==",
-      "dev": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "graceful-fs": "^4.2.0",
         "jsonfile": "^6.0.1",
@@ -33890,11 +33898,11 @@
     },
     "packages/axelar-local-dev": {
       "name": "@axelar-network/axelar-local-dev",
-      "version": "2.3.2",
+      "version": "2.3.3",
       "license": "ISC",
       "dependencies": {
         "@axelar-network/axelar-cgp-solidity": "^6.3.0",
-        "@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config": "^1.2.0",
+        "@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config": "^1.3.0",
         "@axelar-network/axelar-gmp-sdk-solidity": "^5.7.0",
         "@axelar-network/interchain-token-service": "^1.2.4",
         "ethers": "^5.6.5",
@@ -34039,28 +34047,6 @@
         "node": ">=18"
       }
     },
-    "packages/axelar-local-dev/node_modules/@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config": {
-      "version": "1.2.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config/-/axelar-chains-config-1.2.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-JGQ6Bo8J/iTq7s6iNLf3lhsZRmeVACvPAoEoGMiZA5WdNqku7x8nXGG4i36FaVOASt6UPYK10l/5D5d31fh4JQ==",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "@ethersproject/keccak256": "^5.7.0",
-        "fs-extra": "^11.1.1"
-      }
-    },
-    "packages/axelar-local-dev/node_modules/@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config/node_modules/fs-extra": {
-      "version": "11.2.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fs-extra/-/fs-extra-11.2.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-PmDi3uwK5nFuXh7XDTlVnS17xJS7vW36is2+w3xcv8SVxiB4NyATf4ctkVY5bkSjX0Y4nbvZCq1/EjtEyr9ktw==",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "graceful-fs": "^4.2.0",
-        "jsonfile": "^6.0.1",
-        "universalify": "^2.0.0"
-      },
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=14.14"
-      }
-    },
     "packages/axelar-local-dev/node_modules/@types/node": {
       "version": "18.19.3",
       "dev": true,
diff --git a/packages/axelar-local-dev/package.json b/packages/axelar-local-dev/package.json
index 9c471c3..06f717b 100644
--- a/packages/axelar-local-dev/package.json
+++ b/packages/axelar-local-dev/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "@axelar-network/axelar-local-dev",
-    "version": "2.3.2",
+    "version": "2.3.3",
     "description": "",
     "main": "dist/index.js",
     "files": [
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     "homepage": "https://github.com/axelarnetwork/axelar-local-dev#readme",
     "dependencies": {
         "@axelar-network/axelar-cgp-solidity": "^6.3.0",
-        "@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config": "^1.2.0",
+        "@axelar-network/axelar-chains-config": "^1.3.0",
         "@axelar-network/axelar-gmp-sdk-solidity": "^5.7.0",
         "@axelar-network/interchain-token-service": "^1.2.4",
         "ethers": "^5.6.5",
diff --git a/packages/axelar-local-dev/src/exportUtils.ts b/packages/axelar-local-dev/src/exportUtils.ts
index fbace39..3faccba 100644
--- a/packages/axelar-local-dev/src/exportUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/axelar-local-dev/src/exportUtils.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ export async function setupAndExport(options: SetupLocalOptions) {
         throw Error('At least 2 chains are required to setup and export');
     }
 
+    for (const chain of chains) {
+        // check if given rpc url is valid using ethers.js to get latest block
+        const provider = new ethers.providers.JsonRpcProvider(chain.rpcUrl);
+        await provider.getBlockNumber().catch((e) => {
+            throw Error(`Please check if the ${chain.name} chain is running on ${chain.rpcUrl}`)
+        });
+    }
+
     const _options = {
         chainOutputPath: chainOutputPath || './local.json',
         chains,