diff --git a/assets/scripts/smoke.sh b/assets/scripts/smoke.sh
index e61879c16..b731c24de 100755
--- a/assets/scripts/smoke.sh
+++ b/assets/scripts/smoke.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ cargo build --release --package cargo-nexus --bin cargo-nexus
 cp "$1" "$PROJECT_NAME/src/main.rs"
 cd "$PROJECT_NAME"
 
+# remove the lockfile so that Cargo regenerates it, to keep up with updates to lockfile versioning
+rm -f "Cargo.lock"
+
 # Link the test program to the latest runtime code
 sed -e "s#git = \"https://github.com/nexus-xyz/nexus-zkvm.git\"#path = \"$ORIGINAL_DIR/runtime\"#" Cargo.toml > Cargo.tmp && mv Cargo.tmp Cargo.toml
 
diff --git a/assets/scripts/test_sdk.sh b/assets/scripts/test_sdk.sh
index aa7fececc..33f1ffc05 100755
--- a/assets/scripts/test_sdk.sh
+++ b/assets/scripts/test_sdk.sh
@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ cp "$1" "$PROJECT_NAME/src/guest/src/main.rs"
 }
 
 function run_project() {
-cargo update
-
 # Test the cycles feature inside the guest project
 pushd src/guest
 $CARGO_NEXUS nexus run
@@ -72,8 +70,13 @@ set -x
 
 build_cargo_nexus
 create_nexus_project
+
+# remove the guest lockfile so that Cargo regenerates it, to keep up with updates to lockfile versioning
+rm -f "$PROJECT_NAME/Cargo.lock"
+
 copy_test_file "$1"
 cd "$PROJECT_NAME"
+
 run_project
 
 cleanup
diff --git a/cli/src/command/host.rs b/cli/src/command/host.rs
index 352a057d2..0df679d3a 100644
--- a/cli/src/command/host.rs
+++ b/cli/src/command/host.rs
@@ -70,22 +70,6 @@ fn setup_crate(host_path: PathBuf, rev: Option<String>, tag: Option<String>) ->
             "# Generated by cargo-nexus, do not remove!\n",
             "#\n",
             "# This profile is used for generating proofs, as Nexus VM support for compiler optimizations is still under development.\n",
-
-            // https://doc.rust-lang.org/1.58.1/cargo/reference/overriding-dependencies.html#working-with-an-unpublished-minor-version
-            "# These patches are required for some of the underlying cryptography libraries used by Nexus.\n",
-            "[patch.crates-io]\n",
-            "ark-crypto-primitives = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/crypto-primitives/\", rev = \"d27a5c8\" }}\n",
-            "ark-r1cs-std = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/r1cs-std/\", rev = \"2ca3bd7\" }}\n",
-            "ark-ff = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/\", rev = \"2a80c54\" }}\n",
-            "ark-ec = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/\", rev = \"2a80c54\" }}\n",
-            "ark-serialize = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/\", rev = \"2a80c54\" }}\n",
-            "ark-poly = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/\", rev = \"2a80c54\" }}\n",
-            "ark-test-curves = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/\", rev = \"2a80c54\" }}\n",
-            "ark-poly-commit = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/poly-commit/\", rev = \"12f5529\" }}\n",
-            "ark-bn254 = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/curves/\", rev = \"8c0256a\" }}\n",
-            "ark-pallas = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/curves/\", rev = \"8c0256a\" }}\n",
-            "ark-vesta = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/curves/\", rev = \"8c0256a\" }}\n",
-            "ark-bls12-381 = {{ git = \"https://github.com/arkworks-rs/curves/\", rev = \"3fded1f\" }}"
         )
     )?;