diff --git a/src/lib/kademlia/membership.ml b/src/lib/kademlia/membership.ml
index 505a4596e8d..1ad54a49ad0 100644
--- a/src/lib/kademlia/membership.ml
+++ b/src/lib/kademlia/membership.ml
@@ -127,20 +127,24 @@ module Haskell_process = struct
   type t =
     { failure_response: [`Die | `Ignore] ref
     ; process: Process.t
-    ; mutable already_waited: bool
+    ; terminated_ivar: unit Ivar.t
+          (** Filled once the process is terminated. *)
     ; lock_path: string }
 
-  let kill {failure_response; process; lock_path; already_waited} =
+  let kill {failure_response; process; terminated_ivar; _} =
     failure_response := `Ignore ;
-    if not already_waited then
-      let%bind _ =
-        Process.run_exn ~prog:"kill"
-          ~args:[Pid.to_string (Process.pid process)]
-          ()
-      in
-      let%bind _ = Process.wait process in
-      Sys.remove lock_path
-    else Deferred.unit
+    match Ivar.peek terminated_ivar with
+    | None ->
+        let%bind _ =
+          Process.run_exn ~prog:"kill"
+            ~args:[Pid.to_string (Process.pid process)]
+            ()
+        in
+        (* Wait for the process to terminate before returning. *)
+        Ivar.read terminated_ivar
+    | Some () ->
+        (* Process has already terminated so killing it is a no-op. *)
+        Deferred.unit
 
   let cli_format : Unix.Inet_addr.t -> int -> string =
    fun host discovery_port ->
@@ -234,13 +238,14 @@ module Haskell_process = struct
           { failure_response= ref `Die
           ; process
           ; lock_path
-          ; already_waited= false }
+          ; terminated_ivar= Ivar.create () }
       with
       | Ok p ->
           (* If the Kademlia process dies, kill the parent daemon process. Fix
          * for #550 *)
           Deferred.bind (Process.wait p.process) ~f:(fun code ->
-              p.already_waited <- true ;
+              let%bind () = Sys.remove lock_path in
+              Ivar.fill p.terminated_ivar () ;
               match (!(p.failure_response), code) with
               | `Ignore, _ | _, Ok () ->
                   return ()
@@ -250,7 +255,6 @@ module Haskell_process = struct
                     ~metadata:
                       [ ( "exit_or_signal"
                         , `String (Unix.Exit_or_signal.to_string_hum e) ) ] ;
-                  let%map () = Sys.remove lock_path in
                   raise Child_died )
           |> don't_wait_for ;
           Ok p
@@ -263,20 +267,19 @@ module Haskell_process = struct
     in
     let kill_locked_process ~logger =
       match%bind Sys.file_exists lock_path with
-      | `Yes -> (
+      | `Yes ->
           let%bind p = Reader.file_contents lock_path in
-          match%bind Process.run ~prog:"kill" ~args:[p] () with
+          let%bind kill_res = Process.run ~prog:"kill" ~args:[p] () in
+          ( match kill_res with
           | Ok _ ->
               Logger.debug logger ~module_:__MODULE__ ~location:__LOC__
                 "Killing Kademlia process: $process"
-                ~metadata:[("process", `String p)] ;
-              let%map () = Sys.remove lock_path in
-              Ok ()
+                ~metadata:[("process", `String p)]
           | Error _ ->
               Logger.debug logger ~module_:__MODULE__ ~location:__LOC__
                 "Process $process does not exist, won't kill"
-                ~metadata:[("process", `String p)] ;
-              return @@ Ok () )
+                ~metadata:[("process", `String p)] ) ;
+          Deferred.map ~f:Or_error.return @@ Sys.remove lock_path
       | _ ->
           return @@ Ok ()
     in
diff --git a/src/lib/non_empty_list/dune b/src/lib/non_empty_list/dune
index 32e20e82a3a..a552536061b 100644
--- a/src/lib/non_empty_list/dune
+++ b/src/lib/non_empty_list/dune
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 (library
   (name non_empty_list)
   (public_name non_empty_list)
-  (libraries core_kernel)
+  (libraries core_kernel async_kernel)
   (preprocess (pps ppx_coda ppx_jane ppx_deriving.eq)))
diff --git a/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.ml b/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.ml
index 7f1aef740d2..f433f8f52f8 100644
--- a/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.ml
+++ b/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.ml
@@ -81,3 +81,8 @@ let min_elt ~compare (x, xs) =
 let max_elt ~compare (x, xs) =
   Option.value_map ~default:x (List.max_elt ~compare xs) ~f:(fun maximum ->
       if compare x maximum > 0 then x else maximum )
+
+let rec iter_deferred (x, xs) ~f =
+  let open Async_kernel in
+  let%bind () = f x in
+  match xs with [] -> return () | h :: t -> iter_deferred (h, t) ~f
diff --git a/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.mli b/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.mli
index 310b26baec4..b6065a488cc 100644
--- a/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.mli
+++ b/src/lib/non_empty_list/non_empty_list.mli
@@ -67,3 +67,8 @@ val take : 'a t -> int -> 'a t option
 val min_elt : compare:('a -> 'a -> int) -> 'a t -> 'a
 
 val max_elt : compare:('a -> 'a -> int) -> 'a t -> 'a
+
+val iter_deferred :
+     'a t
+  -> f:('a -> unit Async_kernel.Deferred.t)
+  -> unit Async_kernel.Deferred.t
diff --git a/src/lib/transition_frontier/transition_frontier.ml b/src/lib/transition_frontier/transition_frontier.ml
index 09153707ab5..be360c17e07 100644
--- a/src/lib/transition_frontier/transition_frontier.ml
+++ b/src/lib/transition_frontier/transition_frontier.ml
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ struct
    *  modifies the heir's staged-ledger and sets the heir as the new root.
    *  Modifications are in-place
   *)
-  let move_root t (soon_to_be_root_node : Node.t) : Node.t =
+  let move_root t (soon_to_be_root_node : Node.t) : Node.t Deferred.t =
     let root_node = Hashtbl.find_exn t.table t.root in
     let root_breadcrumb = root_node.breadcrumb in
     let root = root_breadcrumb |> Breadcrumb.staged_ledger in
@@ -554,7 +554,10 @@ struct
     let soon_to_be_root_merkle_root =
       Ledger.merkle_root soon_to_be_root_ledger
     in
-    Ledger.commit soon_to_be_root_ledger ;
+    let%bind () = Async.Scheduler.yield () in
+    O1trace.measure "committing new root mask" (fun () ->
+        Ledger.commit soon_to_be_root_ledger ) ;
+    let%map () = Async.Scheduler.yield () in
     let root_ledger_merkle_root_after_commit =
       Ledger.merkle_root root_ledger
     in
@@ -576,19 +579,11 @@ struct
     Hashtbl.remove t.table t.root ;
     Hashtbl.set t.table ~key:new_root_hash ~data:new_root_node ;
     t.root <- new_root_hash ;
-    let num_finalized_staged_txns =
-      Breadcrumb.user_commands new_root |> List.length |> Float.of_int
-    in
     (* TODO: these metrics are too expensive to compute in this way, but it should be ok for beta *)
+    (*
     let root_snarked_ledger_accounts =
       Ledger.Db.to_list t.root_snarked_ledger
     in
-    Coda_metrics.(
-      Gauge.set Transition_frontier.recently_finalized_staged_txns
-        num_finalized_staged_txns) ;
-    Coda_metrics.(
-      Counter.inc Transition_frontier.finalized_staged_txns
-        num_finalized_staged_txns) ;
     Coda_metrics.(
       Gauge.set Transition_frontier.root_snarked_ledger_accounts
         (Float.of_int @@ List.length root_snarked_ledger_accounts)) ;
@@ -598,6 +593,16 @@ struct
         @@ List.fold_left root_snarked_ledger_accounts ~init:0
              ~f:(fun sum account ->
                sum + Currency.Balance.to_int account.balance ) )) ;
+    *)
+    let num_finalized_staged_txns =
+      Breadcrumb.user_commands new_root |> List.length |> Float.of_int
+    in
+    Coda_metrics.(
+      Gauge.set Transition_frontier.recently_finalized_staged_txns
+        num_finalized_staged_txns) ;
+    Coda_metrics.(
+      Counter.inc Transition_frontier.finalized_staged_txns
+        num_finalized_staged_txns) ;
     Coda_metrics.(Counter.inc_one Transition_frontier.root_transitions) ;
     let consensus_state = Breadcrumb.consensus_state new_root in
     let blockchain_length =
@@ -745,7 +750,7 @@ struct
               ) ] ;
         (* 4 *)
         (* note: new_root_node is the same as root_node if the root didn't change *)
-        let garbage_breadcrumbs, new_root_node =
+        let%bind garbage_breadcrumbs, new_root_node =
           if distance_to_root > max_length then (
             Logger.debug t.logger ~module_:__MODULE__ ~location:__LOC__
               "Moving the root of the transition frontier. The new node is \
@@ -809,20 +814,22 @@ struct
               Gauge.dec Transition_frontier.active_breadcrumbs
                 (Float.of_int @@ (1 + List.length garbage_hashes))) ;
             (* 4.IV *)
-            let new_root_node = move_root t heir_node in
+            let%bind new_root_node = move_root t heir_node in
             (* 4.V *)
             let new_root_staged_ledger =
               Breadcrumb.staged_ledger new_root_node.breadcrumb
             in
             (* 4.VI *)
-            Consensus.Hooks.frontier_root_transition
-              (Breadcrumb.consensus_state root_node.breadcrumb)
-              (Breadcrumb.consensus_state new_root_node.breadcrumb)
-              ~local_state:t.consensus_local_state
-              ~snarked_ledger:
-                (Coda_base.Ledger.Any_ledger.cast
-                   (module Coda_base.Ledger.Db)
-                   t.root_snarked_ledger) ;
+            O1trace.measure "calling consensus hook frontier_root_transition"
+              (fun () ->
+                Consensus.Hooks.frontier_root_transition
+                  (Breadcrumb.consensus_state root_node.breadcrumb)
+                  (Breadcrumb.consensus_state new_root_node.breadcrumb)
+                  ~local_state:t.consensus_local_state
+                  ~snarked_ledger:
+                    (Coda_base.Ledger.Any_ledger.cast
+                       (module Coda_base.Ledger.Db)
+                       t.root_snarked_ledger) ) ;
             Debug_assert.debug_assert (fun () ->
                 (* After the lock transition, if the local_state was previously synced, it should continue to be synced *)
                 match
@@ -857,43 +864,55 @@ struct
                 | None ->
                     () ) ;
             (* 4.VII *)
-            ( match
+            let%map () =
+              match
                 ( Staged_ledger.proof_txns new_root_staged_ledger
                 , heir_node.breadcrumb.just_emitted_a_proof )
               with
-            | Some txns, true ->
-                let proof_data =
-                  Staged_ledger.current_ledger_proof new_root_staged_ledger
-                  |> Option.value_exn
-                in
-                [%test_result: Frozen_ledger_hash.t]
-                  ~message:
-                    "Root snarked ledger hash should be the same as the \
-                     source hash in the proof that was just emitted"
-                  ~expect:(Ledger_proof.statement proof_data).source
-                  ( Ledger.Db.merkle_root t.root_snarked_ledger
-                  |> Frozen_ledger_hash.of_ledger_hash ) ;
-                (* Apply all the transactions associated with the new ledger
-                   proof to the database-backed SNARKed ledger. We create a
-                   mask and apply them to that, then commit it to the DB. This
-                   saves a lot of IO since committing is batched. Would be even
-                   faster if we implemented #2760. *)
-                let db_casted =
-                  Ledger.Any_ledger.cast
-                    (module Ledger.Db)
-                    t.root_snarked_ledger
-                in
-                let db_mask =
-                  Ledger.Maskable.register_mask db_casted
-                    (Ledger.Mask.create ())
-                in
-                Non_empty_list.iter txns ~f:(fun txn ->
-                    Ledger.apply_transaction db_mask txn
-                    |> Or_error.ok_exn |> ignore ) ;
-                Ledger.commit db_mask ;
-                ignore @@ Ledger.Maskable.unregister_mask_exn db_casted db_mask
-            | _, false | None, _ ->
-                () ) ;
+              | Some txns, true ->
+                  let proof_data =
+                    Staged_ledger.current_ledger_proof new_root_staged_ledger
+                    |> Option.value_exn
+                  in
+                  [%test_result: Frozen_ledger_hash.t]
+                    ~message:
+                      "Root snarked ledger hash should be the same as the \
+                       source hash in the proof that was just emitted"
+                    ~expect:(Ledger_proof.statement proof_data).source
+                    ( Ledger.Db.merkle_root t.root_snarked_ledger
+                    |> Frozen_ledger_hash.of_ledger_hash ) ;
+                  (* Apply all the transactions associated with the new ledger
+                     proof to the database-backed SNARKed ledger. We create a
+                     mask and apply them to that, then commit it to the DB. This
+                     saves a lot of IO since committing is batched. Would be even
+                     faster if we implemented #2760. *)
+                  let db_casted =
+                    Ledger.Any_ledger.cast
+                      (module Ledger.Db)
+                      t.root_snarked_ledger
+                  in
+                  let db_mask =
+                    Ledger.Maskable.register_mask db_casted
+                      (Ledger.Mask.create ())
+                  in
+                  let%bind () = Async.Scheduler.yield () in
+                  let%bind () =
+                    Non_empty_list.iter_deferred txns ~f:(fun txn ->
+                        O1trace.measure "apply transaction to db mask"
+                          (fun () ->
+                            ignore
+                            @@ Or_error.ok_exn
+                                 (Ledger.apply_transaction db_mask txn) ) ;
+                        Deferred.unit )
+                  in
+                  O1trace.measure "committing db mask" (fun () ->
+                      Ledger.commit db_mask ) ;
+                  let%map () = Async.Scheduler.yield () in
+                  ignore
+                  @@ Ledger.Maskable.unregister_mask_exn db_casted db_mask
+              | _, false | None, _ ->
+                  return ()
+            in
             [%test_result: Frozen_ledger_hash.t]
               ~message:
                 "Root snarked ledger hash diverged from blockchain state \
@@ -909,7 +928,7 @@ struct
             Extensions.Root_history.enqueue t.extensions.root_history
               root_state_hash root_breadcrumb ;
             (garbage_breadcrumbs, new_root_node) )
-          else ([], root_node)
+          else return ([], root_node)
         in
         (* 5 *)
         Extensions.handle_diff t.extensions t.extension_writers