diff --git a/recursion/core/src/fri_fold/mod.rs b/recursion/core/src/fri_fold/mod.rs
index d59668d1e9..5c345d0469 100644
--- a/recursion/core/src/fri_fold/mod.rs
+++ b/recursion/core/src/fri_fold/mod.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ pub const NUM_FRI_FOLD_COLS: usize = core::mem::size_of::<FriFoldCols<u8>>();
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct FriFoldChip<const DEGREE: usize> {
     pub fixed_log2_rows: Option<usize>,
+    pub pad: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
@@ -143,11 +144,13 @@ impl<F: PrimeField32, const DEGREE: usize> MachineAir<F> for FriFoldChip<DEGREE>
             .collect_vec();
 
         // Pad the trace to a power of two.
-        pad_rows_fixed(
-            &mut rows,
-            || [F::zero(); NUM_FRI_FOLD_COLS],
-            self.fixed_log2_rows,
-        );
+        if self.pad {
+            pad_rows_fixed(
+                &mut rows,
+                || [F::zero(); NUM_FRI_FOLD_COLS],
+                self.fixed_log2_rows,
+            );
+        }
 
         // Convert the trace to a row major matrix.
         let trace = RowMajorMatrix::new(rows.into_iter().flatten().collect(), NUM_FRI_FOLD_COLS);
diff --git a/recursion/core/src/multi/mod.rs b/recursion/core/src/multi/mod.rs
index 10a9c3db0d..0b93f52aa2 100644
--- a/recursion/core/src/multi/mod.rs
+++ b/recursion/core/src/multi/mod.rs
@@ -66,8 +66,14 @@ impl<F: PrimeField32, const DEGREE: usize> MachineAir<F> for MultiChip<DEGREE> {
         input: &ExecutionRecord<F>,
         output: &mut ExecutionRecord<F>,
     ) -> RowMajorMatrix<F> {
-        let fri_fold_chip = FriFoldChip::<3>::default();
-        let poseidon2 = Poseidon2Chip::default();
+        let fri_fold_chip = FriFoldChip::<3> {
+            fixed_log2_rows: None,
+            pad: false,
+        };
+        let poseidon2 = Poseidon2Chip {
+            fixed_log2_rows: None,
+            pad: false,
+        };
         let fri_fold_trace = fri_fold_chip.generate_trace(input, output);
         let mut poseidon2_trace = poseidon2.generate_trace(input, output);
 
@@ -145,14 +151,12 @@ where
         // all the fri fold rows are first, then the posiedon2 rows, and finally any padded (non-real) rows.
 
         // First verify that all real rows are contiguous.
-        builder.when_first_row().assert_one(local_is_real.clone());
         builder
             .when_transition()
             .when_not(local_is_real.clone())
             .assert_zero(next_is_real.clone());
 
         // Next, verify that all fri fold rows are before the poseidon2 rows within the real rows section.
-        builder.when_first_row().assert_one(local.is_fri_fold);
         builder
             .when_transition()
             .when(next_is_real)
diff --git a/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/external.rs b/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/external.rs
index d340ba2b41..21f56edb0b 100644
--- a/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/external.rs
+++ b/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/external.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub const WIDTH: usize = 16;
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct Poseidon2Chip {
     pub fixed_log2_rows: Option<usize>,
+    pub pad: bool,
 }
 
 impl<F> BaseAir<F> for Poseidon2Chip {
@@ -449,6 +450,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn generate_trace() {
         let chip = Poseidon2Chip {
             fixed_log2_rows: None,
+            pad: true,
         };
 
         let rng = &mut rand::thread_rng();
@@ -498,6 +500,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let chip = Poseidon2Chip {
             fixed_log2_rows: None,
+            pad: true,
         };
         let trace: RowMajorMatrix<BabyBear> =
             chip.generate_trace(&input_exec, &mut ExecutionRecord::<BabyBear>::default());
diff --git a/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/trace.rs b/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/trace.rs
index 2d5639edd2..567c09fc7d 100644
--- a/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/trace.rs
+++ b/recursion/core/src/poseidon2/trace.rs
@@ -174,11 +174,13 @@ impl<F: PrimeField32> MachineAir<F> for Poseidon2Chip {
         let num_real_rows = rows.len();
 
         // Pad the trace to a power of two.
-        pad_rows_fixed(
-            &mut rows,
-            || [F::zero(); NUM_POSEIDON2_COLS],
-            self.fixed_log2_rows,
-        );
+        if self.pad {
+            pad_rows_fixed(
+                &mut rows,
+                || [F::zero(); NUM_POSEIDON2_COLS],
+                self.fixed_log2_rows,
+            );
+        }
 
         let mut round_num = 0;
         for row in rows[num_real_rows..].iter_mut() {
diff --git a/recursion/core/src/stark/mod.rs b/recursion/core/src/stark/mod.rs
index 540dcb613b..7753c73f83 100644
--- a/recursion/core/src/stark/mod.rs
+++ b/recursion/core/src/stark/mod.rs
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ impl<F: PrimeField32 + BinomiallyExtendable<D>, const DEGREE: usize> RecursionAi
             })))
             .chain(once(RecursionAir::FriFold(FriFoldChip::<DEGREE> {
                 fixed_log2_rows: None,
+                pad: true,
             })))
             .chain(once(RecursionAir::RangeCheck(RangeCheckChip::default())))
             .collect()
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ impl<F: PrimeField32 + BinomiallyExtendable<D>, const DEGREE: usize> RecursionAi
                 fixed_log2_rows: Some(19),
             })))
             .chain(once(RecursionAir::Multi(MultiChip {
-                fixed_log2_rows: Some(20),
+                fixed_log2_rows: Some(19),
             })))
             .chain(once(RecursionAir::RangeCheck(RangeCheckChip::default())))
             .collect()
diff --git a/recursion/program/Cargo.toml b/recursion/program/Cargo.toml
index 47dd52380c..7bfb8a3792 100644
--- a/recursion/program/Cargo.toml
+++ b/recursion/program/Cargo.toml
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@ itertools = "0.12.1"
 serde = { version = "1.0.201", features = ["derive"] }
 rand = "0.8.5"
 tracing = "0.1.40"
+
+[features]
+debug = ["sp1-core/debug"]
\ No newline at end of file