diff --git a/bitcoind/healthcheck.sh b/bitcoind/healthcheck.sh
index 9131b63..dc71e54 100755
--- a/bitcoind/healthcheck.sh
+++ b/bitcoind/healthcheck.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,19 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+set -ex
+
 if [[ "$BITCOIN_CHAIN" = "regtest" ]]; then
-  # Check if the wallet already exists
+  # Check if default wallet isn't loaded
   if ! bitcoin-cli listwallets | grep -q "default"; then
-    # If the wallet does not exist, create it
-    bitcoin-cli createwallet default
+    # Check if default wallet is present and needs to be loaded
+    if bitcoin-cli listwalletdir | grep -q "default"; then
+      bitcoin-cli loadwallet default
+    else
+      # create default wallet since no file was found
+      bitcoin-cli createwallet default
+    fi
   fi
+
   block_count=$(bitcoin-cli -chain=$BITCOIN_CHAIN getblockcount)
   if [[ "$block_count" = "0" ]]; then
     bitcoin-cli generatetoaddress 101 $(bitcoin-cli -chain=$BITCOIN_CHAIN getnewaddress)
diff --git a/lightningd/Dockerfile b/lightningd/Dockerfile
index eee12b1..7cf10de 100644
--- a/lightningd/Dockerfile
+++ b/lightningd/Dockerfile
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ RUN apk update && \
     protobuf-dev \
     rust
 
-ARG VLS_GIT_HASH=f8dea081b8d3ba292285266c9b304eb1d32ceaad \
+ARG VLS_GIT_HASH=3abcd9525ff8da751a4a450ea40753f8bfbb80dd \
     VLS_REPO=https://gitlab.com/lightning-signer/validating-lightning-signer.git
 RUN git clone $VLS_REPO vls
 RUN cd vls && \
     echo building $VLS_GIT_HASH \
     git checkout $VLS_GIT_HASH && \
-    cargo install --path ./vls-proxy --bin remote_hsmd_socket --profile release --root /usr/local/ && \
+    cargo install --locked --path ./vls-proxy --bin remote_hsmd_socket --profile release --root /usr/local/ && \
     cargo clean
 
 # final stage with runtime dependencies and pkgs
diff --git a/vlsd/Dockerfile b/vlsd/Dockerfile
index d55ee34..a6e48bc 100644
--- a/vlsd/Dockerfile
+++ b/vlsd/Dockerfile
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ RUN apk update && \
     protobuf-dev \
     rust
 
-ARG VLS_GIT_HASH=f8dea081b8d3ba292285266c9b304eb1d32ceaad
+ARG VLS_GIT_HASH=3abcd9525ff8da751a4a450ea40753f8bfbb80dd
 RUN git clone https://gitlab.com/lightning-signer/validating-lightning-signer.git vls
 RUN cd vls && \
     echo building $VLS_GIT_HASH \
     git checkout $VLS_GIT_HASH && \
-    cargo install --path ./vls-proxy --bin vlsd2 --profile release --root /usr/local/ && \
-    cargo install --path ./vls-cli --profile release --root /usr/local/ && \
+    cargo install --locked --path ./vls-proxy --bin vlsd2 --profile release --root /usr/local/ && \
+    cargo install --locked --path ./vls-cli --profile release --root /usr/local/ && \
     cargo clean
 
 FROM --platform=${TARGETPLATFORM:-${BUILDPLATFORM:-linux/amd64}} alpine:3.18 as runner