diff --git a/prover/circuits/blobdecompression/large-tests/maximize_blob_size/main.go b/prover/circuits/blobdecompression/large-tests/maximize_blob_size/main.go
index 068eba49..40059d87 100644
--- a/prover/circuits/blobdecompression/large-tests/maximize_blob_size/main.go
+++ b/prover/circuits/blobdecompression/large-tests/maximize_blob_size/main.go
@@ -3,18 +3,17 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/consensys/gnark-crypto/ecc"
 	"github.com/consensys/gnark/frontend"
 	"github.com/consensys/gnark/frontend/cs/scs"
 	v1 "github.com/consensys/linea-monorepo/prover/circuits/blobdecompression/v1"
 	blob "github.com/consensys/linea-monorepo/prover/lib/compressor/blob/v1"
+	"runtime"
 )
 
 const maxNbConstraints = 1 << 27
 
 func nbConstraints(blobSize int) int {
-
 	fmt.Printf("*********************\nfor blob of size %dB or %.2fKB:\n", blobSize, float32(blobSize)/1024)
 	c := v1.Circuit{
 		BlobBytes:             make([]frontend.Variable, 32*4096),
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ func nbConstraints(blobSize int) int {
 		MaxBlobPayloadNbBytes: blobSize,
 		UseGkrMiMC:            true,
 	}
+	runtime.GC()
 	if cs, err := frontend.Compile(ecc.BLS12_377.ScalarField(), scs.NewBuilder, &c, frontend.WithCapacity(maxNbConstraints*6/5)); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	} else {
diff --git a/prover/circuits/setup.go b/prover/circuits/setup.go
index 3bf635cb..c1f57470 100644
--- a/prover/circuits/setup.go
+++ b/prover/circuits/setup.go
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ package circuits
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"math/big"
@@ -192,23 +192,37 @@ func LoadSetup(cfg *config.Config, circuitID CircuitID) (Setup, error) {
 		return Setup{}, fmt.Errorf("fetching SRS: %w", err)
 	}
 	pk := plonk.NewProvingKey(curveID)
+	var kzgVkFromVk, kzgVkFromSrs io.WriterTo
 	switch pk := pk.(type) {
 	case *plonk_bn254.ProvingKey:
 		pk.Vk = vk.(*plonk_bn254.VerifyingKey)
-		pk.Kzg = srsCanonical.(*kzg254.SRS).Pk
+		srsC := srsCanonical.(*kzg254.SRS)
+		pk.Kzg = srsC.Pk
 		pk.KzgLagrange = srsLagrange.(*kzg254.SRS).Pk
+		kzgVkFromVk = &pk.Vk.Kzg
+		kzgVkFromSrs = &srsC.Vk
 	case *plonk_bls12377.ProvingKey:
 		pk.Vk = vk.(*plonk_bls12377.VerifyingKey)
-		pk.Kzg = srsCanonical.(*kzg377.SRS).Pk
+		srsC := srsCanonical.(*kzg377.SRS)
+		pk.Kzg = srsC.Pk
 		pk.KzgLagrange = srsLagrange.(*kzg377.SRS).Pk
+		kzgVkFromVk = &pk.Vk.Kzg
+		kzgVkFromSrs = &srsC.Vk
 	case *plonk_bw6761.ProvingKey:
 		pk.Vk = vk.(*plonk_bw6761.VerifyingKey)
-		pk.Kzg = srsCanonical.(*kzgbw6.SRS).Pk
+		srsC := srsCanonical.(*kzgbw6.SRS)
+		pk.Kzg = srsC.Pk
 		pk.KzgLagrange = srsLagrange.(*kzgbw6.SRS).Pk
+		kzgVkFromVk = &pk.Vk.Kzg
+		kzgVkFromSrs = &srsC.Vk
 	default:
 		panic("not implemented")
 	}
 
+	if err = utils.WriterstoEqual(kzgVkFromSrs, kzgVkFromVk); err != nil {
+		return Setup{}, fmt.Errorf("verifying key <> SRS mismatch: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	return Setup{
 		Manifest:     *manifest,
 		Circuit:      circuit,
@@ -272,12 +286,13 @@ func readFromFile(path string, into any) error {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unsupported type %T", into))
 	}
 
-	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("opening %q: %w", path, err)
 	}
 
-	if _, err = rFunc(bytes.NewReader(data)); err != nil {
+	_, err = rFunc(f)
+	if err = errors.Join(err, f.Close()); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("reading %q from disk: %w", path, err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/prover/circuits/setup_manifest.go b/prover/circuits/setup_manifest.go
index 803c2b17..f4603271 100644
--- a/prover/circuits/setup_manifest.go
+++ b/prover/circuits/setup_manifest.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/consensys/gnark-crypto/ecc"
 )
 
-// SetupManifest is the human readable manifest of the assets generated by the prover setup command
+// SetupManifest is the human-readable manifest of the assets generated by the prover setup command
 type SetupManifest struct {
 	CircuitName string    `json:"circuitName"`
 	Timestamp   time.Time `json:"timestamp"`
diff --git a/prover/circuits/setup_test.go b/prover/circuits/setup_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f0c887f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prover/circuits/setup_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+package circuits
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/consensys/gnark-crypto/ecc"
+	"github.com/consensys/gnark-crypto/kzg"
+	"github.com/consensys/gnark/backend/plonk"
+	"github.com/consensys/gnark/frontend"
+	"github.com/consensys/gnark/frontend/cs/scs"
+	"github.com/consensys/gnark/test/unsafekzg"
+	"github.com/consensys/linea-monorepo/prover/config"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestLoadSetup(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	cfg := config.Config{
+		AssetsDir: dir,
+	}
+	cs, err := frontend.Compile(ecc.BN254.ScalarField(), scs.NewBuilder, &circuit{make([]frontend.Variable, 1)})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	canonicalSize, lagrangeSize := plonk.SRSSize(cs)
+	canonical, lagrange, err := unsafekzg.NewSRS(cs)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	const srsFilenameTemplate = "kzg_srs_%s_%d_bn254_aleo.memdump"
+	srsDir := filepath.Join(dir, "kzgsrs")
+	require.NoError(t, os.Mkdir(srsDir, 0700))
+	dumpToFile(t, canonical, filepath.Join(srsDir, fmt.Sprintf(srsFilenameTemplate, "canonical", canonicalSize)))
+	dumpToFile(t, lagrange, filepath.Join(srsDir, fmt.Sprintf(srsFilenameTemplate, "lagrange", lagrangeSize)))
+
+	const circuitName = "test"
+
+	srsProvider := NewUnsafeSRSProvider()
+	setup, err := MakeSetup(context.TODO(), circuitName, cs, srsProvider, map[string]any{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.NoError(t, setup.WriteTo(filepath.Join(dir, circuitName)))
+
+	_, err = LoadSetup(&cfg, circuitName)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+type circuit struct {
+	// this is a dummy circuit that does nothing
+	// it is used to generate the SRS
+	Input []frontend.Variable `gnark:",public"`
+}
+
+func (circuit *circuit) Define(api frontend.API) error {
+	c, err := api.(frontend.Committer).Commit(circuit.Input...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	prod := frontend.Variable(1)
+	for _, x := range circuit.Input {
+		prod = api.Mul(prod, x)
+	}
+	api.AssertIsDifferent(c, prod)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func dumpToFile(t *testing.T, o kzg.Serializable, path string) {
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0600)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = errors.Join(o.WriteDump(f), f.Close())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
diff --git a/prover/utils/test_utils/test_utils.go b/prover/utils/test_utils/test_utils.go
index aff17af1..74616356 100644
--- a/prover/utils/test_utils/test_utils.go
+++ b/prover/utils/test_utils/test_utils.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"math"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -52,100 +51,12 @@ func RandIntSliceN(length, n int) []int {
 	return res
 }
 
-type BytesEqualError struct {
-	Index int
-	error string
-}
-
-func (e *BytesEqualError) Error() string {
-	return e.error
-}
-
 func LoadJson(t *testing.T, path string, v any) {
 	in, err := os.Open(path)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NoError(t, json.NewDecoder(in).Decode(v))
 }
 
-// BytesEqual between byte slices a,b
-// a readable error message would show in case of inequality
-// TODO error options: block size, check forwards or backwards etc
-func BytesEqual(expected, actual []byte) error {
-	l := min(len(expected), len(actual))
-
-	failure := 0
-	for failure < l {
-		if expected[failure] != actual[failure] {
-			break
-		}
-		failure++
-	}
-
-	if len(expected) == len(actual) {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	// there is a mismatch
-	var sb strings.Builder
-
-	const (
-		radius    = 40
-		blockSize = 32
-	)
-
-	printCentered := func(b []byte) {
-
-		for i := max(failure-radius, 0); i <= failure+radius; i++ {
-			if i%blockSize == 0 && i != failure-radius {
-				sb.WriteString("  ")
-			}
-			if i >= 0 && i < len(b) {
-				sb.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString([]byte{b[i]})) // inefficient, but this whole error printing sub-procedure will not be run more than once
-			} else {
-				sb.WriteString("  ")
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("mismatch starting at byte %d\n", failure))
-
-	sb.WriteString("expected: ")
-	printCentered(expected)
-	sb.WriteString("\n")
-
-	sb.WriteString("actual:   ")
-	printCentered(actual)
-	sb.WriteString("\n")
-
-	sb.WriteString("          ")
-	for i := max(failure-radius, 0); i <= failure+radius; {
-		if i%blockSize == 0 && i != failure-radius {
-			s := strconv.Itoa(i)
-			sb.WriteString("  ")
-			sb.WriteString(s)
-			i += len(s) / 2
-			if len(s)%2 != 0 {
-				sb.WriteString(" ")
-				i++
-			}
-		} else {
-			if i == failure {
-				sb.WriteString("^^")
-			} else {
-				sb.WriteString("  ")
-			}
-			i++
-		}
-	}
-
-	sb.WriteString("\n")
-
-	return &BytesEqualError{
-		Index: failure,
-		error: sb.String(),
-	}
-}
-
 func SlicesEqual[T any](expected, actual []T) error {
 	if l1, l2 := len(expected), len(actual); l1 != l2 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("length mismatch %d≠%d", l1, l2)
diff --git a/prover/utils/utils.go b/prover/utils/utils.go
index a9c38bd7..9a3fa8f7 100644
--- a/prover/utils/utils.go
+++ b/prover/utils/utils.go
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 package utils
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"math"
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/consensys/gnark/frontend"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/constraints"
@@ -317,3 +320,126 @@ func WriteToJSON(path string, v interface{}) error {
 	defer f.Close()
 	return json.NewEncoder(f).Encode(v)
 }
+
+func WriterstoEqual(expected, actual io.WriterTo) error {
+	var bb bytes.Buffer
+	if _, err := expected.WriteTo(&bb); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	ab := bb.Bytes()
+	bb.Reset()
+	if _, err := actual.WriteTo(&bb); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return BytesEqual(ab, bb.Bytes())
+}
+
+// BytesEqual between byte slices a,b
+// a readable error message would show in case of inequality
+// TODO error options: block size, check forwards or backwards etc
+func BytesEqual(expected, actual []byte) error {
+	if bytes.Equal(expected, actual) {
+		return nil // equality fast path
+	}
+
+	l := min(len(expected), len(actual))
+
+	failure := 0
+	for failure < l {
+		if expected[failure] != actual[failure] {
+			break
+		}
+		failure++
+	}
+
+	if len(expected) == len(actual) && failure == l {
+		panic("bytes.Equal returned false, but could not find a mismatch")
+	}
+
+	// there is a mismatch
+	var sb strings.Builder
+
+	const (
+		radius    = 40
+		blockSize = 32
+	)
+
+	printCentered := func(b []byte) {
+
+		for i := max(failure-radius, 0); i <= failure+radius; i++ {
+			if i%blockSize == 0 && i != failure-radius {
+				sb.WriteString("  ")
+			}
+			if i >= 0 && i < len(b) {
+				sb.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString([]byte{b[i]})) // inefficient, but this whole error printing sub-procedure will not be run more than once
+			} else {
+				sb.WriteString("  ")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("mismatch starting at byte %d\n", failure))
+
+	sb.WriteString("expected: ")
+	printCentered(expected)
+	sb.WriteString("\n")
+
+	sb.WriteString("actual:   ")
+	printCentered(actual)
+	sb.WriteString("\n")
+
+	sb.WriteString("          ")
+	for i := max(failure-radius, 0); i <= failure+radius; {
+		if i%blockSize == 0 && i != failure-radius {
+			s := strconv.Itoa(i)
+			sb.WriteString("  ")
+			sb.WriteString(s)
+			i += len(s) / 2
+			if len(s)%2 != 0 {
+				sb.WriteString(" ")
+				i++
+			}
+		} else {
+			if i == failure {
+				sb.WriteString("^^")
+			} else {
+				sb.WriteString("  ")
+			}
+			i++
+		}
+	}
+
+	sb.WriteString("\n")
+
+	return &BytesEqualError{
+		Index: failure,
+		error: sb.String(),
+	}
+}
+
+type BytesEqualError struct {
+	Index int
+	error string
+}
+
+func (e *BytesEqualError) Error() string {
+	return e.error
+}
+
+func ReadFromFile(path string, to io.ReaderFrom) error {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = to.ReadFrom(f)
+	return errors.Join(err, f.Close())
+}
+
+func WriteToFile(path string, from io.WriterTo) error {
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0600) // TODO @Tabaie option for permissions?
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = from.WriteTo(f)
+	return errors.Join(err, f.Close())
+}