diff --git a/neurons/miner.py b/neurons/miner.py
index 2706e9e..02591b2 100644
--- a/neurons/miner.py
+++ b/neurons/miner.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ async def forward(
             self.logger.info(f"Using {jobs_dir.absolute()} as the directory for code repositories")
 
             self.logger.info(f"Cloning repo {repo}...")
-            local_repo_dir = clone_repo(author_name, repo_name, current_dir.parent, logger=self.logger)
+            local_repo_dir = clone_repo(author_name, repo_name, current_dir.parent, logger=self.logger, base_commit=synapse.base_commit)
             self.logger.info(f"Finished cloning repo {repo}")
 
             if repo not in SUPPORTED_REPOS:
diff --git a/ridges/helpers/helpers.py b/ridges/helpers/helpers.py
index 6708368..af0234b 100644
--- a/ridges/helpers/helpers.py
+++ b/ridges/helpers/helpers.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 from logging import Logger
 
-def clone_repo(author_name: str, repo_name: str, base_path: Path, logger: Logger) -> Path:
+def clone_repo(author_name: str, repo_name: str, base_path: Path, logger: Logger, base_commit: str = None) -> Path:
     """
     Clone a GitHub repository to a specified directory under 'repos' and return the path.
 
@@ -26,11 +26,14 @@ def clone_repo(author_name: str, repo_name: str, base_path: Path, logger: Logger
             shutil.rmtree(clone_to_path)
             logger.debug(f"Directory {clone_to_path} has been removed.")
 
-        Repo.clone_from(f"https://github.com/{author_name}/{repo_name}.git", clone_to_path)
+        repo = Repo.clone_from(f"https://github.com/{author_name}/{repo_name}.git", clone_to_path)
         logger.debug(f"Repository cloned to {clone_to_path}")
+        if base_commit:
+            repo.git.checkout(base_commit)
+            logger.debug(f"Checked out base commit {base_commit}")
         return clone_to_path
-    except Exception:
-        logger.exception(f"Failed to clone repository")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.exception(f"Failed to clone repository: {e}")
         raise
 
 
diff --git a/ridges/protocol.py b/ridges/protocol.py
index 73c0418..641d8c1 100644
--- a/ridges/protocol.py
+++ b/ridges/protocol.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class CodingTask(bt.Synapse):
 
     ########################## Payload definition ##############################
     repo: str  # Format: <author>/<name>
+    base_commit: Optional[str] = None # The base commit to use for the benchmark
 
     # The issue description
     problem_statement: str