Ethereum Postpones Hoodi Test for Glamsterdam Over Gas Concerns
Ethereum developers pushed back the Hoodi testnet launch for Glamsterdam from Oct. 26 so they can examine how two proposed gas changes affect contracts already on the network. ChainSecurity warned that EIP-8037 and EIP-8038 could weaken safeguards against insufficient-gas griefing and said it found 13 real-world examples of potentially affected contracts. The postponement leaves the timing of the mainnet hard fork, previously discussed for early December, uncertain.
The Ethereum Foundation said the Hoodi delay allows developers to study how EIP-8037 and EIP-8038 behave with contracts already deployed. ChainSecurity’s Oct. 13 warning focused on insufficient-gas griefing: under the proposals, gas could be returned after a failed operation, letting a contract proceed where it once halted and potentially undermining checks based on leftover gas.
On Oct. 21, researcher pcaversaccio called the risks serious and urged reassessment. ChainSecurity said Oct. 23 it had found 13 real-world examples and was coordinating disclosure, without naming projects. Glamsterdam had already run on Sepolia on Oct. 6; mainnet timing was expected after further review.
The delay could affect developers, wallet providers, indexers, and gas-estimation tools that depend on predictable gas behavior, as well as users of contracts with gas-sensitive safeguards. If the proposals proceed after review, teams may need to audit and adjust deployed code; if not, timelines may shift. The broader public may see slower upgrade certainty, but the pause may reduce the chance of contract failures or losses from overlooked gas assumptions.