diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index f21c1c63a..f61f0a1ae 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ MAINNET_RPC_URL=http://localhost:8545
 
 # RPC URL for Hardhat Network forking, required for running tests on mainnet fork with tracing (Infura, Alchemy, etc.)
 # https://hardhat.org/hardhat-network/docs/guides/forking-other-networks#forking-other-networks
-HARDHAT_FORKING_URL=https://eth.drpc.org
+FORK_RPC_URL=https://eth.drpc.org
 
 # https://docs.lido.fi/deployed-contracts
 MAINNET_LOCATOR_ADDRESS=0xC1d0b3DE6792Bf6b4b37EccdcC24e45978Cfd2Eb
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index cf71b365f..007f7accb 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ This is the most common method for running integration tests. It uses an instanc
 mainnet environment, allowing you to run integration tests with trace logging.
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> Ensure that `HARDHAT_FORKING_URL` is set to Ethereum Mainnet RPC and `MAINNET_*` environment variables are set in the
+> Ensure that `FORK_RPC_URL` is set to Ethereum Mainnet RPC and `MAINNET_*` environment variables are set in the
 > `.env` file (refer to `.env.example` for guidance). Otherwise, the tests will run against the Scratch deployment.
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/globals.d.ts b/globals.d.ts
index f58fe5b10..7f4233969 100644
--- a/globals.d.ts
+++ b/globals.d.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,22 @@
 declare namespace NodeJS {
   export interface ProcessEnv {
-    /* iternal logging verbosity (used in scratch deploy / integration tests) */
+    /* internal logging verbosity (used in scratch deploy / integration tests) */
     LOG_LEVEL?: "all" | "debug" | "info" | "warn" | "error" | "none"; // default: "info"
 
     /**
      * Flags for changing the behavior of the Hardhat Network
      */
 
-    /* RPC URL for Hardhat Network forking, required for running tests on mainnet fork with tracing */
-    HARDHAT_FORKING_URL?: string;
+    /* Test execution mode: 'scratch' for fresh network, 'fork' for forked network */
+    MODE?: "scratch" | "forking"; // default: "scratch"
+
+    /* URL of the network to fork from */
+    FORK_RPC_URL?: string; // default: "https://eth.drpc.org"
 
     /**
      * Flags for changing the behavior of the integration tests
      */
 
-    /* if "on" the integration tests will deploy the contracts to the empty Hardhat Network node using scratch deploy */
-    INTEGRATION_ON_SCRATCH?: "on" | "off"; // default: "off"
-
     /* if "on" the integration tests will assume CSM module is present in the StakingRouter, and adjust accordingly */
     INTEGRATION_WITH_CSM?: "on" | "off"; // default: "off"
 
diff --git a/hardhat.helpers.ts b/hardhat.helpers.ts
index 47f6533b8..518ce7a36 100644
--- a/hardhat.helpers.ts
+++ b/hardhat.helpers.ts
@@ -2,16 +2,22 @@ import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 
 /* Determines the forking configuration for Hardhat */
 export function getHardhatForkingConfig() {
-  const forkingUrl = process.env.HARDHAT_FORKING_URL || "";
+  const mode = process.env.MODE || "scratch";
 
-  if (!forkingUrl) {
-    // Scratch deploy, need to disable CSM
-    process.env.INTEGRATION_ON_SCRATCH = "on";
-    process.env.INTEGRATION_WITH_CSM = "off";
-    return undefined;
-  }
+  switch (mode) {
+    case "scratch":
+      process.env.INTEGRATION_WITH_CSM = "off";
+      return undefined;
+
+    case "forking":
+      if (!process.env.FORK_RPC_URL) {
+        throw new Error("FORK_RPC_URL must be set when MODE=forking");
+      }
+      return { url: process.env.FORK_RPC_URL };
 
-  return { url: forkingUrl };
+    default:
+      throw new Error("MODE must be either 'scratch' or 'forking'");
+  }
 }
 
 // TODO: this plaintext accounts.json private keys management is a subject
diff --git a/lib/protocol/context.ts b/lib/protocol/context.ts
index f6151f803..831c366f2 100644
--- a/lib/protocol/context.ts
+++ b/lib/protocol/context.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import hre from "hardhat";
 import { deployScratchProtocol, deployUpgrade, ether, findEventsWithInterfaces, impersonate, log } from "lib";
 
 import { discover } from "./discover";
-import { isNonForkingHardhatNetwork } from "./networks";
 import { provision } from "./provision";
 import { ProtocolContext, ProtocolContextFlags, ProtocolSigners, Signer } from "./types";
 
@@ -14,8 +13,11 @@ const getSigner = async (signer: Signer, balance = ether("100"), signers: Protoc
 };
 
 export const getProtocolContext = async (): Promise<ProtocolContext> => {
-  if (isNonForkingHardhatNetwork()) {
-    await deployScratchProtocol(hre.network.name);
+  if (hre.network.name === "hardhat") {
+    const networkConfig = hre.config.networks[hre.network.name];
+    if (!networkConfig.forking?.enabled) {
+      await deployScratchProtocol(hre.network.name);
+    }
   } else {
     await deployUpgrade(hre.network.name);
   }
@@ -25,12 +27,11 @@ export const getProtocolContext = async (): Promise<ProtocolContext> => {
 
   // By default, all flags are "on"
   const flags = {
-    onScratch: process.env.INTEGRATION_ON_SCRATCH === "on",
     withCSM: process.env.INTEGRATION_WITH_CSM !== "off",
   } as ProtocolContextFlags;
 
   log.debug("Protocol context flags", {
-    "On scratch": flags.onScratch,
+    "With CSM": flags.withCSM,
   });
 
   const context = {
diff --git a/lib/protocol/types.ts b/lib/protocol/types.ts
index f528b7124..ce2223804 100644
--- a/lib/protocol/types.ts
+++ b/lib/protocol/types.ts
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ export type ProtocolSigners = {
 export type Signer = keyof ProtocolSigners;
 
 export type ProtocolContextFlags = {
-  onScratch: boolean;
   withCSM: boolean;
 };
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 23057b7c8..31f451b50 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -22,15 +22,15 @@
     "test:trace": "hardhat test test/**/*.test.ts --trace --disabletracer",
     "test:fulltrace": "hardhat test test/**/*.test.ts --fulltrace --disabletracer",
     "test:watch": "hardhat watch",
-    "test:integration": "hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts",
-    "test:integration:trace": "hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --trace --disabletracer",
-    "test:integration:fulltrace": "hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --fulltrace --disabletracer",
-    "test:integration:scratch": "HARDHAT_FORKING_URL= INTEGRATION_WITH_CSM=off INTEGRATION_WITH_SCRATCH_DEPLOY=on hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts",
-    "test:integration:scratch:trace": "HARDHAT_FORKING_URL= INTEGRATION_WITH_CSM=off INTEGRATION_WITH_SCRATCH_DEPLOY=on hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --trace --disabletracer",
-    "test:integration:scratch:fulltrace": "HARDHAT_FORKING_URL= INTEGRATION_WITH_CSM=off INTEGRATION_WITH_SCRATCH_DEPLOY=on hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --fulltrace --disabletracer",
-    "test:integration:fork:local": "hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --network local",
-    "test:integration:fork:mainnet": "hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --network mainnet-fork",
-    "test:integration:fork:mainnet:custom": "hardhat test --network mainnet-fork",
+    "test:integration": "MODE=forking hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts",
+    "test:integration:trace": "MODE=forking hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --trace --disabletracer",
+    "test:integration:fulltrace": "MODE=forking hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --fulltrace --disabletracer",
+    "test:integration:scratch": "MODE=scratch hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts",
+    "test:integration:scratch:trace": "MODE=scratch hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --trace --disabletracer",
+    "test:integration:scratch:fulltrace": "MODE=scratch hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --fulltrace --disabletracer",
+    "test:integration:fork:local": "MODE=scratch hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --network local",
+    "test:integration:fork:mainnet": "MODE=forking hardhat test test/integration/**/*.ts --network mainnet-fork",
+    "test:integration:fork:mainnet:custom": "MODE=forking hardhat test --network mainnet-fork",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "prepare": "husky",
     "abis:extract": "hardhat abis:extract",
diff --git a/tasks/verify-contracts.ts b/tasks/verify-contracts.ts
index 0a546c15d..c03940665 100644
--- a/tasks/verify-contracts.ts
+++ b/tasks/verify-contracts.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ task("verify:deployed", "Verifies deployed contracts based on state file").setAc
 async function verifyContract(contract: DeployedContract, hre: HardhatRuntimeEnvironment) {
   if (!contract.contract) {
     // TODO: In the case of state processing on the local devnet there are skips, we need to find the cause
-    return
+    return;
   }
   const contractName = contract.contract.split("/").pop()?.split(".")[0];
   const verificationParams = {
diff --git a/test/0.8.9/oracle/validator-exit-bus-oracle.submitReportData.test.ts b/test/0.8.9/oracle/validator-exit-bus-oracle.submitReportData.test.ts
index 5a79f8ab1..a5f7fd628 100644
--- a/test/0.8.9/oracle/validator-exit-bus-oracle.submitReportData.test.ts
+++ b/test/0.8.9/oracle/validator-exit-bus-oracle.submitReportData.test.ts
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ describe("ValidatorsExitBusOracle.sol:submitReportData", () => {
     });
 
     it("SUBMIT_DATA_ROLE is allowed", async () => {
-      oracle.grantRole(await oracle.SUBMIT_DATA_ROLE(), stranger, { from: admin });
+      await oracle.grantRole(await oracle.SUBMIT_DATA_ROLE(), stranger, { from: admin });
       await consensus.advanceTimeToNextFrameStart();
       const { reportData } = await prepareReportAndSubmitHash();
       await oracle.connect(stranger).submitReportData(reportData, oracleVersion);