diff --git a/core/lib/zksync_core_leftovers/src/lib.rs b/core/lib/zksync_core_leftovers/src/lib.rs
index 34bc282ad7cd..4f8664ab74dc 100644
--- a/core/lib/zksync_core_leftovers/src/lib.rs
+++ b/core/lib/zksync_core_leftovers/src/lib.rs
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ impl FromStr for Components {
             "proof_data_handler" => Ok(Components(vec![Component::ProofDataHandler])),
             "consensus" => Ok(Components(vec![Component::Consensus])),
             "commitment_generator" => Ok(Components(vec![Component::CommitmentGenerator])),
+            "vm_runner_protective_reads" => {
+                Ok(Components(vec![Component::VmRunnerProtectiveReads]))
+            }
             other => Err(format!("{} is not a valid component name", other)),
         }
     }
diff --git a/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/protective_reads.rs b/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/protective_reads.rs
index 8962c0aeb7cc..1b7867cdef1f 100644
--- a/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/protective_reads.rs
+++ b/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/protective_reads.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ impl WiringLayer for ProtectiveReadsWriterLayer {
         let master_pool = context.get_resource::<PoolResource<MasterPool>>().await?;
 
         let (protective_reads_writer, tasks) = ProtectiveReadsWriter::new(
-            master_pool.get_singleton().await?, // TODO: check pool size
+            master_pool.get_custom(3).await?,
             self.protective_reads_writer_config.protective_reads_db_path,
             self.zksync_network_id,
             self.protective_reads_writer_config
diff --git a/core/node/state_keeper/src/updates/mod.rs b/core/node/state_keeper/src/updates/mod.rs
index bb33a6f58678..772ee71641a0 100644
--- a/core/node/state_keeper/src/updates/mod.rs
+++ b/core/node/state_keeper/src/updates/mod.rs
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ impl UpdatesManager {
         );
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn finish_batch(&mut self, finished_batch: FinishedL1Batch) {
+    pub fn finish_batch(&mut self, finished_batch: FinishedL1Batch) {
         assert!(
             self.l1_batch.finished.is_none(),
             "Cannot finish already finished batch"
diff --git a/core/node/vm_runner/src/process.rs b/core/node/vm_runner/src/process.rs
index 5ff7d7cc0b87..5e51b5e658f7 100644
--- a/core/node/vm_runner/src/process.rs
+++ b/core/node/vm_runner/src/process.rs
@@ -109,10 +109,11 @@ impl VmRunner {
                 .await
                 .context("VM runner failed to handle L2 block")?;
         }
-        batch_executor
+        let finished_batch = batch_executor
             .finish_batch()
             .await
             .context("failed finishing L1 batch in executor")?;
+        updates_manager.finish_batch(finished_batch);
         output_handler
             .handle_l1_batch(Arc::new(updates_manager))
             .await
diff --git a/core/node/vm_runner/src/storage.rs b/core/node/vm_runner/src/storage.rs
index 3a8552701178..e7a8b147c76f 100644
--- a/core/node/vm_runner/src/storage.rs
+++ b/core/node/vm_runner/src/storage.rs
@@ -300,10 +300,10 @@ impl<Io: VmRunnerIo> StorageSyncTask<Io> {
             if rocksdb_builder.l1_batch_number().await == Some(latest_processed_batch + 1) {
                 // RocksDB is already caught up, we might not need to do anything.
                 // Just need to check that the memory diff is up-to-date in case this is a fresh start.
+                let last_ready_batch = self.io.last_ready_to_be_loaded_batch(&mut conn).await?;
                 let state = self.state.read().await;
-                if state
-                    .storage
-                    .contains_key(&self.io.last_ready_to_be_loaded_batch(&mut conn).await?)
+                if last_ready_batch == latest_processed_batch
+                    || state.storage.contains_key(&last_ready_batch)
                 {
                     // No need to do anything, killing time until last processed batch is updated.
                     drop(conn);
diff --git a/etc/env/base/vm_runner.toml b/etc/env/base/vm_runner.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d9e10e8b357d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/env/base/vm_runner.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Configuration for the VM runner crate
+
+[vm_runner]
+
+[vm_runner.protective_reads]
+# Path to the directory that contains RocksDB with protective reads writer cache.
+protective_reads_db_path = "./db/main/protective_reads"
+# Amount of batches that can be processed in parallel.
+protective_reads_window_size = 3