diff --git a/node/components/bft/src/chonky_bft/new_view.rs b/node/components/bft/src/chonky_bft/new_view.rs
index 52948365..7054bed1 100644
--- a/node/components/bft/src/chonky_bft/new_view.rs
+++ b/node/components/bft/src/chonky_bft/new_view.rs
@@ -55,9 +55,13 @@ impl StateMachine {
         let message = &signed_message.msg;
         let author = &signed_message.key;
 
-        // If the replica is already in this view, then ignore it.
-        // TODO: allow for the same view number for the proposer.
-        if message.view().number <= self.view_number {
+        // If the replica is already in this view (and the message is NOT from the leader), then ignore it.
+        // See `start_new_view()` for explanation why we need to process the message from the
+        // leader.
+        if message.view().number < self.view_number
+            || (message.view().number == self.view_number
+                && author != &self.config.genesis().view_leader(self.view_number))
+        {
             return Err(Error::Old {
                 current_view: self.view_number,
             });
diff --git a/node/tools/src/bin/localnet_config.rs b/node/tools/src/bin/localnet_config.rs
index b5b14784..2f2a3252 100644
--- a/node/tools/src/bin/localnet_config.rs
+++ b/node/tools/src/bin/localnet_config.rs
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 .metrics_server_port
                 .map(|port| SocketAddr::new(Ipv4Addr::UNSPECIFIED.into(), port)),
             genesis: setup.genesis.clone(),
-            max_payload_size: 100000,
+            max_payload_size: args.payload_size,
             node_key: node_keys[i].clone(),
             validator_key: validator_keys.get(i).cloned(),
             attester_key: attester_keys.get(i).cloned(),