diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/.env.localhost b/packages/stream-metadata/.env.local.sample
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/stream-metadata/.env.localhost
rename to packages/stream-metadata/.env.local.sample
diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/.prettierrc.cjs b/packages/stream-metadata/.prettierrc.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0bd0b4deb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/stream-metadata/.prettierrc.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/**
+ * @see https://prettier.io/docs/en/configuration.html
+ * @type {import("prettier").Config}
+ */
+module.exports = {
+	...require("@river-build/prettier-config"),
+};
diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/README.md b/packages/stream-metadata/README.md
index d91379e4c..5f0e52787 100644
--- a/packages/stream-metadata/README.md
+++ b/packages/stream-metadata/README.md
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@ Start the river image service:
 # if the dependencies are not present, run:
 # ./<projectRoot>/scripts/start_dev.sh
 
+cp .env.local.sample .env.local
 yarn dev
 ```
diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/package.json b/packages/stream-metadata/package.json
index eb42cc84b..b00388875 100644
--- a/packages/stream-metadata/package.json
+++ b/packages/stream-metadata/package.json
@@ -8,25 +8,29 @@
 	"scripts": {
 		"build": "node ./esbuild.config.mjs",
 		"dev": "yarn build && NODE_ENV=development node --experimental-detect-module ./dist/node_esbuild.cjs",
-		"prettier": "prettier --config ../../packages/prettier-config/config.js --ignore-path .prettierignore .",
+		"prettier": "prettier --config ../prettier-config/config.js --ignore-path .prettierignore .",
 		"start": "NODE_ENV=production node --experimental-detect-module ./dist/node_esbuild.cjs"
 	},
 	"dependencies": {
 		"@bufbuild/buf": "^1.32.0",
 		"@bufbuild/protobuf": "^1.9.0",
+		"@connectrpc/connect": "^1.4.0",
 		"@connectrpc/connect-web": "^1.4.0",
 		"@fastify/cors": "^9.0.1",
 		"@river-build/generated": "workspace:^",
 		"@river-build/proto": "workspace:^",
 		"@river-build/sdk": "workspace:^",
+		"@river-build/web3": "workspace:^",
 		"dotenv": "^16.4.5",
 		"ethers": "^5.7.2",
 		"fastify": "^4.28.1",
 		"magic-bytes.js": "^1.10.0",
-		"viem": "^1.18.2"
+		"zod": "^3.21.4"
 	},
 	"devDependencies": {
+		"@river-build/prettier-config": "workspace:^",
 		"@types/node": "^20.5.0",
+		"@typescript-eslint/parser": "^7.14.1",
 		"esbuild": "^0.21.5",
 		"rollup": "^4.18.1",
 		"ts-node": "^10.9.1",
diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/src/contracts.ts b/packages/stream-metadata/src/contracts.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 842c4bac9..000000000
--- a/packages/stream-metadata/src/contracts.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-import { Address } from './types'
-import NodeRegistryAbi from '@river-build/generated/dev/abis/NodeRegistry.abi'
-import StreamRegistryAbi from '@river-build/generated/dev/abis/StreamRegistry.abi'
-import { config } from './environment'
-
-export function getNodeRegistryAbi() {
-	return NodeRegistryAbi
-}
-
-export function getStreamRegistryAbi() {
-	return StreamRegistryAbi
-}
-
-export function getAddress(): Address {
-	if (!config.river.addresses.riverRegistry) {
-		throw new Error(`no riverRegistry address`)
-	}
-	return config.river.addresses.riverRegistry as Address
-}
diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/src/environment.ts b/packages/stream-metadata/src/environment.ts
index 7912ffee3..196a75693 100644
--- a/packages/stream-metadata/src/environment.ts
+++ b/packages/stream-metadata/src/environment.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,32 @@
 import * as dotenv from 'dotenv'
+import { getWeb3Deployment } from '@river-build/web3'
+import { z } from 'zod'
 
 import { Config } from './types'
-import { getWeb3Deployment } from '@river-build/web3'
 
-const isDev = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development'
-const envFile = isDev ? '.env.localhost' : '.env'
+const IntStringSchema = z.string().regex(/^[0-9]+$/)
+const NumberFromIntStringSchema = IntStringSchema.transform((str) => parseInt(str, 10))
+
+const envSchema = z.object({
+	RIVER_ENV: z.string(),
+	RIVER_CHAIN_RPC_URL: z.string().url(),
+	PORT: NumberFromIntStringSchema,
+})
 
 dotenv.config({
-	path: envFile,
+	path: ['.env', '.env.local'],
 })
 
-export const SERVER_PORT = parseInt(process.env.PORT ?? '443', 10)
-export const config = makeConfig(process.env.RIVER_ENV, process.env.RIVER_CHAIN_RPC_URL)
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-process-env -- this is the only line where we're allowed to use process.env
+const env = envSchema.parse(process.env)
+
+export const config = makeConfig(env.RIVER_ENV, env.RIVER_CHAIN_RPC_URL, env.PORT)
 
-function makeConfig(
-	riverEnv = 'omega',
-	riverChainRpcUrl = 'https://mainnet.rpc.river.build/http',
-): Config {
+function makeConfig(riverEnv: string, riverChainRpcUrl: string, port: number): Config {
 	const web3Config = getWeb3Deployment(riverEnv)
 	return {
 		...web3Config,
+		port,
 		riverEnv,
 		riverChainRpcUrl,
 	}
@@ -28,6 +35,7 @@ function makeConfig(
 console.log('config', {
 	riverEnv: config.riverEnv,
 	chainId: config.river.chainId,
+	port: config.port,
 	riverRegistry: config.river.addresses.riverRegistry,
 	riverChainRpcUrl: config.riverChainRpcUrl,
 })
diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/src/node.ts b/packages/stream-metadata/src/node.ts
index 7221c1a0c..ac181e44e 100644
--- a/packages/stream-metadata/src/node.ts
+++ b/packages/stream-metadata/src/node.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
-import Fastify from 'fastify'
 import { Server as HTTPSServer } from 'https'
-import { SERVER_PORT } from './environment'
+
+import Fastify from 'fastify'
 import cors from '@fastify/cors'
+
 import { handleImageRequest } from './handleImageRequest'
 import { handleMetadataRequest } from './handleMetadataRequest'
+import { config } from './environment'
 
 // Set the process title to 'fetch-image' so it can be easily identified
 // or killed with `pkill fetch-image`
@@ -13,10 +15,20 @@ const server = Fastify({
 	logger: true,
 })
 
-server.register(cors, {
-	origin: '*', // Allow any origin
-	methods: ['GET'], // Allowed HTTP methods
-})
+async function registerPlugins() {
+	try {
+		await server.register(cors, {
+			origin: '*', // Allow any origin
+			methods: ['GET'], // Allowed HTTP methods
+		})
+		console.info('CORS registered successfully')
+	} catch (err) {
+		console.error('Error registering CORS', err)
+		process.exit(1) // Exit the process if registration fails
+	}
+}
+
+registerPlugins()
 
 server.get('/space/:spaceAddress', async (request, reply) => {
 	const { spaceAddress } = request.params as { spaceAddress?: string }
@@ -49,8 +61,8 @@ function getServerInfo() {
 }
 
 // Type guard to check if error has code property
-function isAddressInUseError(err: any): err is NodeJS.ErrnoException {
-	return err && typeof err === 'object' && 'code' in err
+function isAddressInUseError(err: unknown): err is NodeJS.ErrnoException {
+	return err instanceof Error && 'code' in err && err.code === 'EADDRINUSE'
 }
 
 // Function to start the server on the first available port
@@ -62,9 +74,9 @@ async function startServer(port: number) {
 			server.log.info(`Server listening on ${addressInfo.address}:${addressInfo.port}`)
 		}
 	} catch (err) {
-		if (isAddressInUseError(err) && err.code === 'EADDRINUSE') {
+		if (isAddressInUseError(err)) {
 			server.log.warn(`Port ${port} is in use, trying port ${port + 1}`)
-			startServer(port + 1) // Try the next port
+			await startServer(port + 1) // Try the next port
 		} else {
 			server.log.error(err)
 			process.exit(1)
@@ -84,4 +96,11 @@ process.on('SIGTERM', async () => {
 })
 
 // Start the server on the port set in the .env, or the next available port
-startServer(SERVER_PORT)
+startServer(config.port)
+	.then(() => {
+		console.log('Server started')
+	})
+	.catch((err) => {
+		console.error('Error starting server', err)
+		process.exit(1)
+	})
diff --git a/packages/stream-metadata/src/types.d.ts b/packages/stream-metadata/src/types.d.ts
index 8b600a595..14ad00034 100644
--- a/packages/stream-metadata/src/types.d.ts
+++ b/packages/stream-metadata/src/types.d.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { getWeb3Deployment } from '@river-build/web3'
 
 export interface Config extends ReturnType<typeof getWeb3Deployment> {
+	port: number
 	riverEnv: string
 	riverChainRpcUrl: string
 }
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index ab57fbe34..1973f462a 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -18281,12 +18281,16 @@ __metadata:
   dependencies:
     "@bufbuild/buf": ^1.32.0
     "@bufbuild/protobuf": ^1.9.0
+    "@connectrpc/connect": ^1.4.0
     "@connectrpc/connect-web": ^1.4.0
     "@fastify/cors": ^9.0.1
     "@river-build/generated": "workspace:^"
+    "@river-build/prettier-config": "workspace:^"
     "@river-build/proto": "workspace:^"
     "@river-build/sdk": "workspace:^"
+    "@river-build/web3": "workspace:^"
     "@types/node": ^20.5.0
+    "@typescript-eslint/parser": ^7.14.1
     dotenv: ^16.4.5
     esbuild: ^0.21.5
     ethers: ^5.7.2
@@ -18295,7 +18299,7 @@ __metadata:
     rollup: ^4.18.1
     ts-node: ^10.9.1
     typescript: ^5.1.6
-    viem: ^1.18.2
+    zod: ^3.21.4
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft