diff --git a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/at_auth_impl.dart b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/at_auth_impl.dart
index 3861137d..357801f8 100644
--- a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/at_auth_impl.dart
+++ b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/at_auth_impl.dart
@@ -72,10 +72,12 @@ class AtAuthImpl implements AtAuth {
           'Unable to read PkamPrivateKey from provided atKeys file/atAuthKeys object',
           exceptionScenario: ExceptionScenario.invalidValueProvided);
     }
-    atLookUp ??= AtLookupImpl(
-        atAuthRequest.atSign, atAuthRequest.rootDomain, atAuthRequest.rootPort);
     // ??= to support mocking
     atChops ??= _createAtChops(atAuthKeys);
+    atLookUp ??= AtLookupImpl(
+        atAuthRequest.atSign, atAuthRequest.rootDomain, atAuthRequest.rootPort);
+    atLookUp!.signingAlgoType = atAuthRequest.signingAlgoType;
+    atLookUp!.hashingAlgoType = atAuthRequest.hashingAlgoType;
     atLookUp!.atChops = atChops;
 
     _logger.finer('Authenticating using PKAM');
@@ -103,10 +105,17 @@ class AtAuthImpl implements AtAuth {
   @override
   Future<AtOnboardingResponse> onboard(
       AtOnboardingRequest atOnboardingRequest, String cramSecret) async {
+    if (atOnboardingRequest.authMode == PkamAuthMode.sim && atChops == null) {
+      throw AtPublicKeyNotFoundException(
+          'AtChops cannot be null when AuthMode is sim. '
+              'PKAMPublicKey needs to be read from sim using AtChops');
+    }
     var atOnboardingResponse = AtOnboardingResponse(atOnboardingRequest.atSign);
     atEnrollmentBase = AtEnrollmentImpl(atOnboardingRequest.atSign);
     atLookUp ??= AtLookupImpl(atOnboardingRequest.atSign,
         atOnboardingRequest.rootDomain, atOnboardingRequest.rootPort);
+    atLookUp?.signingAlgoType = atOnboardingRequest.signingAlgoType;
+    atLookUp?.hashingAlgoType = atOnboardingRequest.hashingAlgoType;
 
     //1. cram auth
     cramAuthenticator ??=
@@ -132,20 +141,15 @@ class AtAuthImpl implements AtAuth {
         atOnboardingRequest, atAuthKeys, atLookUp!);
     atAuthKeys.enrollmentId = enrollmentIdFromServer;
 
-    //4. Close connection to server
+    //4. Close existing authenticated connection to server
     try {
       await (atLookUp as AtLookupImpl).close();
     } on Exception catch (e) {
       _logger.severe('error while closing connection to server: $e');
     }
 
-    //5. Init _atLookUp again and attempt pkam auth
-    // atLookUp = AtLookupImpl(atOnboardingRequest.atSign,
-    //     atOnboardingRequest.rootDomain, atOnboardingRequest.rootPort);
-    atLookUp!.atChops = atChops;
-
     var isPkamAuthenticated = false;
-    //6. Do pkam auth
+    //5. Do pkam auth
     pkamAuthenticator ??=
         PkamAuthenticator(atOnboardingRequest.atSign, atLookUp!);
     try {
@@ -156,10 +160,10 @@ class AtAuthImpl implements AtAuth {
       throw AtAuthenticationException('Pkam auth failed - $e ');
     }
     if (!isPkamAuthenticated) {
-      throw AtAuthenticationException('Pkam auth returned false');
+      throw AtAuthenticationException('Pkam auth unsuccessful');
     }
 
-    //7. If Pkam auth is success, update encryption public key to secondary
+    //6. If Pkam auth is success, update encryption public key to secondary
     // and delete cram key from server
     final encryptionPublicKey = atAuthKeys.defaultEncryptionPublicKey;
     UpdateVerbBuilder updateBuilder = UpdateVerbBuilder()
@@ -171,7 +175,7 @@ class AtAuthImpl implements AtAuth {
     String? encryptKeyUpdateResult = await atLookUp!.executeVerb(updateBuilder);
     _logger.info('Encryption public key update result $encryptKeyUpdateResult');
 
-    //8.  Delete cram secret from the keystore as cram auth is complete
+    //7.  Delete cram secret from the keystore as cram auth is complete
     DeleteVerbBuilder deleteBuilder = DeleteVerbBuilder()
       ..atKey = (AtKey()..key = AtConstants.atCramSecret);
     String? deleteResponse = await atLookUp!.executeVerb(deleteBuilder);
@@ -326,7 +330,7 @@ class AtAuthImpl implements AtAuth {
     } else if (authMode == PkamAuthMode.sim) {
       // get the public key from secure element
       pkamPublicKey = atChops!.readPublicKey(publicKeyId!);
-      _logger.info('pkam  public key from sim: ${atKeysFile.apkamPublicKey}');
+      _logger.info('PKAM public key from sim: $pkamPublicKey');
 
       // encryption key pair and self encryption symmetric key
       // are not available to injected at_chops. Set it here
@@ -335,8 +339,8 @@ class AtAuthImpl implements AtAuth {
       atChops!.atChopsKeys.apkamSymmetricKey = apkamSymmetricKey;
     }
     atKeysFile.apkamPublicKey = pkamPublicKey;
-    //Standard order of an atKeys file is ->
-    // pkam keypair -> encryption keypair -> selfEncryption key -> enrollmentId --> apkam symmetric key -->
+    // Standard order of an atKeys file is -> pkam keypair -> encryption keypair
+    // --> selfEncryption key -> enrollmentId --> apkam symmetric key -->
     // @sign: selfEncryptionKey[self encryption key again]
     // note: "->" stands for "followed by"
     atKeysFile.defaultEncryptionPublicKey =
diff --git a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/cram_authenticator.dart b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/cram_authenticator.dart
index d88ec55e..8d185e7e 100644
--- a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/cram_authenticator.dart
+++ b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/cram_authenticator.dart
@@ -12,9 +12,8 @@ class CramAuthenticator {
   Future<AtAuthResponse> authenticate() async {
     var authResult = AtAuthResponse(_atSign);
     try {
-      bool cramResult =
+      authResult.isSuccessful =
           await (atLookup as AtLookupImpl).cramAuthenticate(_cramSecret);
-      authResult.isSuccessful = cramResult;
     } on UnAuthenticatedException catch (e) {
       throw UnAuthenticatedException(
           'cram auth failed for $_atSign - ${e.toString()}');
diff --git a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/pkam_authenticator.dart b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/pkam_authenticator.dart
index af97be7a..3fa08f66 100644
--- a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/pkam_authenticator.dart
+++ b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/auth/pkam_authenticator.dart
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ class PkamAuthenticator {
   Future<AtAuthResponse> authenticate({String? enrollmentId}) async {
     var authResult = AtAuthResponse(_atSign);
     try {
-      bool pkamResult =
+      authResult.isSuccessful =
           await _atLookup.pkamAuthenticate(enrollmentId: enrollmentId);
-      authResult.isSuccessful = pkamResult;
     } on UnAuthenticatedException catch (e) {
       throw UnAuthenticatedException(
           'pkam auth failed for $_atSign - ${e.toString()}');
diff --git a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_response.dart b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_response.dart
index 28c422dd..0079eaad 100644
--- a/packages/at_auth/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_response.dart
+++ b/packages/at_auth/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_response.dart
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ class AtOnboardingResponse {
 
   @override
   String toString() {
-    return 'AtOnboardingResponse{atSign: $atSign, enrollmentId: $enrollmentId, isSuccessful: $isSuccessful}';
+    return 'AtOnboardingResponse: {atSign: $atSign, enrollmentId: $enrollmentId, isSuccessful: $isSuccessful}';
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/at_onboarding_cli/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_service_impl.dart b/packages/at_onboarding_cli/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_service_impl.dart
index b65b3843..034a64c1 100644
--- a/packages/at_onboarding_cli/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_service_impl.dart
+++ b/packages/at_onboarding_cli/lib/src/onboard/at_onboarding_service_impl.dart
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ class AtOnboardingServiceImpl implements AtOnboardingService {
     atOnboardingRequest.deviceName = atOnboardingPreference.deviceName;
     atOnboardingRequest.publicKeyId = atOnboardingPreference.publicKeyId;
     atOnboardingRequest.authMode = atOnboardingPreference.authMode;
+    atOnboardingRequest.signingAlgoType =
+        atOnboardingPreference.signingAlgoType;
+    atOnboardingRequest.hashingAlgoType =
+        atOnboardingPreference.hashingAlgoType;
 
     AtOnboardingResponse atOnboardingResponse = await atAuth!
         .onboard(atOnboardingRequest, atOnboardingPreference.cramSecret!);
@@ -481,7 +485,9 @@ class AtOnboardingServiceImpl implements AtOnboardingService {
       ..authMode = atOnboardingPreference.authMode
       ..rootDomain = atOnboardingPreference.rootDomain
       ..rootPort = atOnboardingPreference.rootPort
-      ..publicKeyId = atOnboardingPreference.publicKeyId;
+      ..publicKeyId = atOnboardingPreference.publicKeyId
+      ..signingAlgoType = atOnboardingPreference.signingAlgoType
+      ..hashingAlgoType = atOnboardingPreference.hashingAlgoType;
     var atAuthResponse = await atAuth!.authenticate(atAuthRequest);
     logger.finer('Auth response: $atAuthResponse');
     if (atAuthResponse.isSuccessful &&
@@ -654,7 +660,8 @@ class AtOnboardingServiceImpl implements AtOnboardingService {
   @override
   Future<void> close() async {
     logger.info('Closing');
-    if (_atLookUp != null && (_atLookUp as AtLookupImpl).isConnectionAvailable()) {
+    if (_atLookUp != null &&
+        (_atLookUp as AtLookupImpl).isConnectionAvailable()) {
       await _atLookUp!.close();
     }
     atClient?.notificationService.stopAllSubscriptions();
diff --git a/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/at_onboarding_cli_test.dart b/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/at_onboarding_cli_test.dart
index 97709459..c28f217c 100644
--- a/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/at_onboarding_cli_test.dart
+++ b/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/at_onboarding_cli_test.dart
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import 'package:at_onboarding_cli/src/activate_cli/activate_cli.dart'
     as activate_cli;
 import 'package:at_utils/at_utils.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
+import 'package:at_auth/src/at_auth_impl.dart';
+import 'package:at_chops/at_chops.dart';
 
 import 'utils/onboarding_service_impl_override.dart';
 
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ void main() {
       AtOnboardingService onboardingService =
           AtOnboardingServiceImpl(atSign, preference);
       await onboardingService.authenticate();
-      AtClient? atClient = await onboardingService.atClient;
+      AtClient? atClient = onboardingService.atClient;
       AtKey key = AtKey();
       key.key = 'testKey3';
       key.namespace = 'wavi';
@@ -86,6 +88,29 @@ void main() {
       expect('value3', response?.value);
     });
 
+    test(
+        'validate that signing algo and hashing algo set in AtOnboardingPreference is passed forward to AtAuth instance',
+        () async {
+      String atSign = '@eve🛠';
+      await _createKeys(atSign);
+      AtOnboardingPreference preference = getPreferences(atSign);
+      await generateAtKeysFile(atSign, preference.atKeysFilePath!);
+      SigningAlgoType signingAlgo = SigningAlgoType.rsa2048;
+      HashingAlgoType hashingAlgo = HashingAlgoType.sha512;
+      preference.hashingAlgoType = hashingAlgo;
+      preference.signingAlgoType = signingAlgo;
+      AtOnboardingService onboardingService =
+          AtOnboardingServiceImpl(atSign, preference);
+      await onboardingService.authenticate();
+      // validating on the atLookup instance in AtAuth to ensure that the algo's
+      // passed through OnboardingPref are passed to the AtLookup instance that
+      // communicates with the at_server
+      AtLookupImpl? atLookupImpl =
+          (onboardingService.atAuth as AtAuthImpl).atLookUp as AtLookupImpl?;
+      expect(atLookupImpl!.signingAlgoType, signingAlgo);
+      expect(atLookupImpl.hashingAlgoType, hashingAlgo);
+    });
+
     test('A test to verify atKeysFilePath is set when null is provided',
         () async {
       String atSign = '@eve🛠';
@@ -115,7 +140,7 @@ void main() {
       await generateAtKeysFile(atSign, atOnboardingPreference.atKeysFilePath!);
       await _createKeys(atSign);
       bool status = await atOnboardingService.authenticate();
-      atClient = await atOnboardingService.atClient;
+      atClient = atOnboardingService.atClient;
       expect(true, status);
 
       expect(at_demos.pkamPrivateKeyMap[atSign],
@@ -146,6 +171,7 @@ void main() {
         () async {
       AtOnboardingService atOnboardingService =
           AtOnboardingServiceImpl(atSign, atOnboardingPreference);
+
       bool status = await atOnboardingService.onboard();
       expect(status, true);
       bool status2 = await atOnboardingService.authenticate();
@@ -165,9 +191,6 @@ void main() {
   // Skipping this test until the issue can be resolved
   group('A group of tests to verify activate_cli', () {
     String atSign = '@murali🛠';
-    AtOnboardingPreference onboardingPreference = getPreferences(atSign);
-    AtOnboardingService onboardingService =
-        OnboardingServiceImplOverride(atSign, onboardingPreference);
     test(
         'A test to verify atSign is activated and .atKeys file is generated using activate_cli',
         () async {
@@ -182,10 +205,9 @@ void main() {
       // perform activation of atSign
       await activate_cli.wrappedMain(args);
 
-      /// ToDo: test should NOT exit with status 0 after activation is complete
-      /// Exiting with status 0 is ideal behaviour, but for the sake of the test we need to be
-      /// able to run the following assertions.
-
+      AtOnboardingPreference onboardingPreference = getPreferences(atSign);
+      AtOnboardingService onboardingService =
+          AtOnboardingServiceImpl(atSign, onboardingPreference);
       // Authenticate atSign with the .atKeys file generated via the activate_cli tool
       expect(await File(onboardingPreference.atKeysFilePath!).exists(), true);
       expect(await onboardingService.authenticate(), true);
diff --git a/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/ecc_secure_element_mock_test.dart b/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/ecc_secure_element_mock_test.dart
index 543559bb..1e963828 100644
--- a/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/ecc_secure_element_mock_test.dart
+++ b/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/ecc_secure_element_mock_test.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:at_chops/at_chops.dart';
 import 'package:at_client/at_client.dart';
-import 'package:at_lookup/at_lookup.dart';
 import 'package:at_onboarding_cli/at_onboarding_cli.dart';
 import 'package:at_utils/at_logger.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
@@ -16,23 +15,20 @@ import 'utils/onboarding_service_impl_override.dart';
 void main() {
   AtSignLogger.root_level = 'WARNING';
   var logger = AtSignLogger('OnboardSecureElementTest');
-
   final atSign = '@egcreditbureau🛠'.trim();
-  test('Test auth functionality using secure element mock', () async {
+
+  test('Validate auth functionality using secure element mock', () async {
     AtOnboardingPreference preference = getPreferences(atSign);
     AtOnboardingService onboardingService =
         OnboardingServiceImplOverride(atSign, preference);
     // create empty keys in AtChops. Encryption key pair will be set later on after generation
     final atChopsImpl =
         AtChopsSecureElementMock(AtChopsKeys.create(null, null));
-    AtLookUp atLookupInstance =
-        AtLookupImpl(atSign, preference.rootDomain, preference.rootPort);
-    atLookupInstance.signingAlgoType = preference.signingAlgoType;
-    atLookupInstance.hashingAlgoType = preference.hashingAlgoType;
-    at_auth.AtAuth atAuthInstance = at_auth.atAuthBase
-        .atAuth(atLookUp: atLookupInstance, atChops: atChopsImpl);
+    at_auth.AtAuth atAuthInstance =
+        at_auth.atAuthBase.atAuth(atChops: atChopsImpl);
     onboardingService.atAuth = atAuthInstance;
     atChopsImpl.init();
+
     logger.info('Onboarding the atSign: $atSign');
     bool isOnboarded = await onboardingService.onboard();
     expect(isOnboarded, true);
@@ -44,7 +40,7 @@ void main() {
     logger.info('Authentication completed successfully for atSign: $atSign');
 
     // update a key
-    AtClient? atClient = await onboardingService.atClient;
+    AtClient? atClient = onboardingService.atClient;
     await insertSelfEncKey(atClient, atSign,
         selfEncryptionKey:
             await getSelfEncryptionKey(preference.atKeysFilePath!));
@@ -79,7 +75,7 @@ AtOnboardingPreference getPreferences(String atSign) {
     ..commitLogPath = 'storage/commitLog'
     ..rootDomain = 'vip.ve.atsign.zone'
     ..fetchOfflineNotifications = true
-    ..atKeysFilePath = 'test/storage/files/$atSign' + '_key.atKeys'
+    ..atKeysFilePath = 'test/storage/files/${atSign}_key.atKeys'
     ..signingAlgoType = SigningAlgoType.ecc_secp256r1
     ..hashingAlgoType = HashingAlgoType.sha256
     ..authMode = PkamAuthMode.sim
diff --git a/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/utils/at_chops_secure_element_mock.dart b/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/utils/at_chops_secure_element_mock.dart
index e40207a7..03038c8c 100644
--- a/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/utils/at_chops_secure_element_mock.dart
+++ b/tests/at_onboarding_cli_functional_tests/test/utils/at_chops_secure_element_mock.dart
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class AtChopsSecureElementMock extends AtChopsImpl {
       ..result = base64Signature
       ..atSigningMetaData = atSigningMetadata
       ..atSigningResultType = AtSigningResultType.string;
-    print('at signing result: $atSigningResult');
+    print('[AtChopsSecureElementMock] AtSigningResult: $atSigningResult');
     return atSigningResult;
   }
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class AtChopsSecureElementMock extends AtChopsImpl {
 
   @override
   String readPublicKey(String publicKeyId) {
-    print('public key in read public key: ${eccPublicKey.toString()}');
+    print('[AtChopsSecureElementMock] Reading public key from SIM: ${eccPublicKey.toString()}');
     return eccPublicKey.toString();
   }
 }