diff --git a/backend/src/blockchain.ts b/backend/src/blockchain.ts
index 85b9465..475d389 100644
--- a/backend/src/blockchain.ts
+++ b/backend/src/blockchain.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ const paymentReciver: `NQ${number} ${string}` =
 const period = 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 30; // 30 day
 const periodCost = 10; // $10
 const tolerance = 0.2; // 20% tolerance due to price fluctuations( especially with the coingecko api)
+export const STAKING_CONTRACT_ADDRESS =
+  'NQ77 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0001';
 
 export enum ValidatorStatus {
   ACTIVE = 'ACTIVE',
@@ -164,3 +166,26 @@ export async function getTotalRewards(validatorAddress: Address) {
   }
   return total;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Gets the transaction with the given hash
+ * @param transactionHash
+ * @returns
+ */
+export async function getTransaction(transactionHash: string) {
+  const client = getClient();
+  const tx: CallResult<Transaction> =
+    await client.blockchain.getTransactionByHash(transactionHash);
+  return tx.data;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the current block height
+ * @returns block height
+ */
+export async function getBlockHeight() {
+  const client = getClient();
+  const blockHeight: CallResult<number> =
+    await client.blockchain.getBlockNumber();
+  return blockHeight.data;
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/index.ts b/backend/src/index.ts
index e24572f..deb4e51 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@ import {
   workerData,
 } from 'node:worker_threads';
 import {
+  STAKING_CONTRACT_ADDRESS,
   convertAddressForRPC,
+  getBlockHeight,
   getPaymentStatus,
   getTotalRewards,
+  getTransaction,
 } from './blockchain.js';
 import {
   createOrUpdateValidator,
@@ -20,6 +23,8 @@ import {
   upgradeNode,
 } from './nodecontroller.js';
 
+import type { Transaction } from 'nimiq-rpc-client-ts';
+
 const testMode = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test';
 
 const jsonParser = bodyParser.json();
@@ -49,6 +54,7 @@ async function newValidator(argobj: any) {
   const validatorWalletAddress = argobj.validator_address;
   const signingSecret = argobj.signingSecret;
   const votingSecret = argobj.votingSecret;
+  const transactionHash = argobj.transactionHash;
 
   // Check payment
   const paymentStatus = await getPaymentStatus(validatorWalletAddress);
@@ -59,6 +65,14 @@ async function newValidator(argobj: any) {
     // return; //curently not enforcing payment as the HUB Api seems to be broken again
   }
 
+  if (!(await checkTransaction(validatorWalletAddress, transactionHash))) {
+    console.log(
+      `Transaction ${transactionHash} not valid. Supposed to be for ${validatorWalletAddress}`,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+  console.log(`Creating validator ${validatorWalletAddress}`);
+
   await createOrUpdateValidator(
     validatorWalletAddress,
     signingSecret,
@@ -73,6 +87,16 @@ async function newValidator(argobj: any) {
 async function deleteValidator(argobj: any) {
   // Args
   const validatorWalletAddress = argobj.validator_address;
+
+  const transactionHash = argobj.transactionHash;
+
+  if (!(await checkTransaction(validatorWalletAddress, transactionHash))) {
+    console.log(
+      `Transaction ${transactionHash} not valid. Supposed to be for ${validatorWalletAddress}`,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+  console.log(`Deleting validator ${validatorWalletAddress}`);
   await removeValidator(validatorWalletAddress);
 }
 
@@ -124,6 +148,46 @@ async function upgradeValidator(argobj: any) {
   return await upgradeNode(validatorWalletAddress);
 }
 
+async function checkTransaction(
+  validatorWalletAddress: string,
+  transactionHash: string,
+) {
+  const transaction: Transaction = await getTransaction(transactionHash);
+  if (!transaction) {
+    console.log(
+      `Transaction ${transactionHash} not found. Supposed to be for ${validatorWalletAddress}`,
+    );
+    return false;
+  } else {
+    const blockHeight = await getBlockHeight();
+    if (blockHeight - transaction.blockNumber > 180) {
+      console.log(
+        `Transaction ${transactionHash} too old. Supposed to be for ${validatorWalletAddress}`,
+      );
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (
+      convertAddressForRPC(transaction.from) !==
+      convertAddressForRPC(validatorWalletAddress)
+    ) {
+      console.log(
+        `Transaction ${transactionHash} not from ${validatorWalletAddress}.`,
+      );
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (
+      convertAddressForRPC(transaction.to) !==
+      convertAddressForRPC(STAKING_CONTRACT_ADDRESS)
+    ) {
+      console.log(
+        `Transaction ${transactionHash} not to ${STAKING_CONTRACT_ADDRESS}.`,
+      );
+      return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+}
+
 interface PostResponse {
   code: number;
   message: string;
diff --git a/backend/src/nodecontroller.ts b/backend/src/nodecontroller.ts
index 3a53672..49cbef7 100644
--- a/backend/src/nodecontroller.ts
+++ b/backend/src/nodecontroller.ts
@@ -121,13 +121,11 @@ export async function removeValidator(address: string) {
   for (const spec of specs) {
     try {
       // delete if exists
-
       await client.read(spec);
-
       const response = await client.delete(spec);
       console.log(response);
     } catch (e) {
-      console.log('Already deleted');
+      console.log(`${address} already deleted`);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/components/delete/DeleteValidator.vue b/components/delete/DeleteValidator.vue
index 3a79e16..3bdd0d2 100644
--- a/components/delete/DeleteValidator.vue
+++ b/components/delete/DeleteValidator.vue
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@
       console.log('Delete tx ', tx!.transactionHash);
 
       await useFetch(
-        `/api/validator/delete/${validatorAddress.toUserFriendlyAddress()}`,
+        `/api/validator/delete/${validatorAddress.toUserFriendlyAddress()}?transaction_hash=${
+          tx.transactionHash
+        }`,
       ).catch(() => {
         console.log('Backend did not delete validator');
       });
diff --git a/pages/sign-up/configure.vue b/pages/sign-up/configure.vue
index 3f4fa25..20f61c7 100644
--- a/pages/sign-up/configure.vue
+++ b/pages/sign-up/configure.vue
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
       throw new Error('reward wallet or keys not set');
 
     const nimiqClient = useNuxtApp().$nimiqClient as Client;
-    const sender = store.validator.address;
+    const sender = store.validator.address!;
 
     if (!requireConsensus) {
       // throw error cannot wait for consensus
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@
       // additionally await this before proceeding to sign
       await requireConsensus();
     }
+    let tx;
     try {
       signing.value = true;
+
       if (!(await isRegisteredValidator(store.validator.address!))) {
         if (
           !(await hasEnoughFundsForValidatorDeposit(
@@ -60,7 +62,7 @@
         }
       }
 
-      const tx = await registerValidator(
+      tx = await registerValidator(
         store.validator.address!,
         store.validator.rewardAddress!,
         store.validator.warmKey!,
@@ -86,7 +88,9 @@
     console.log('spinning up validator');
     // spin up validator
     await useFetch(
-      `/api/validator/create/${sender.toUserFriendlyAddress()}?signing_key=${store.validator.warmKey!.toHex()}&voting_key=${store.validator.hotKey!.toHex()}`,
+      `/api/validator/create/${sender.toUserFriendlyAddress()}?signing_key=${store.validator.warmKey!.toHex()}&voting_key=${store.validator.hotKey!.toHex()}&transaction_hash=${
+        tx.transactionHash
+      }`,
     );
 
     console.log('checking validator up');
diff --git a/server/api/validator/create/[address].ts b/server/api/validator/create/[address].ts
index b7dfb03..f0be7ab 100644
--- a/server/api/validator/create/[address].ts
+++ b/server/api/validator/create/[address].ts
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ export default defineEventHandler((event) => {
   const query = getQuery(event);
   console.log(query);
   console.log(`Backend starting node for ${address}`);
-  createNode(address, query.signing_key, query.voting_key)
+  createNode(
+    address,
+    query.signing_key,
+    query.voting_key,
+    query.transaction_hash,
+  )
     .then((data) => {
       console.log(data);
     })
@@ -26,6 +31,7 @@ async function createNode(
   address: string,
   signing_key: string,
   votingKey: string,
+  transactionHash: string,
 ) {
   // post address to backend
   const response = await fetch(BACKEND_BASE_URL, {
@@ -39,6 +45,7 @@ async function createNode(
         validator_address: address,
         signingSecret: signing_key,
         votingSecret: votingKey,
+        transactionHash,
       },
     }),
   });
diff --git a/server/api/validator/delete/[address].ts b/server/api/validator/delete/[address].ts
index 32c7df5..70437b9 100644
--- a/server/api/validator/delete/[address].ts
+++ b/server/api/validator/delete/[address].ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 export default defineEventHandler((event) => {
   const address = decodeURIComponent(event.context.params.address);
+  const query = getQuery(event);
   console.log(`Backend deleting node for ${address}`);
-  deleteNode(address)
+  deleteNode(address, query.transaction_hash)
     .then((data) => {
       console.log(data);
     })
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ export default defineEventHandler((event) => {
  * @returns
  */
 
-async function deleteNode(address: string) {
+async function deleteNode(address: string, transactionHash: string) {
   // post address to backend
   const response = await fetch(BACKEND_BASE_URL, {
     method: 'POST',
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ async function deleteNode(address: string) {
       method: 'deleteValidator',
       argobj: {
         validator_address: address,
+        transactionHash,
       },
     }),
   });
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index a746f2a..a994a26 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
   // https://nuxt.com/docs/guide/concepts/typescript
-  "extends": "./.nuxt/tsconfig.json"
+  "extends": "./.nuxt/tsconfig.json",
 }
diff --git a/utils/nimiq-network.ts b/utils/nimiq-network.ts
index 0f598fd..fe716bc 100644
--- a/utils/nimiq-network.ts
+++ b/utils/nimiq-network.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export async function sendDepositToAddress(address: Address) {
   };
   const signedTx = await hubApi.checkout(options);
   await nimiqClient.waitForConsensusEstablished();
-  await nimiqClient.sendTransaction(signedTx.serializedTx);
+  return await nimiqClient.sendTransaction(signedTx.serializedTx);
 }
 
 export async function payForValidator(
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ export async function updateValidatorPayoutAddress(
     appName: 'Staqe',
     transaction: update_validator_transaction.serialize(),
   });
-  await nimiqClient.sendTransaction(
+  return await nimiqClient.sendTransaction(
     signed_update_validator_transaction.serializedTx,
   );
 }