diff --git a/code/go/0chain.net/blobbercore/handler/auth_ticket.go b/code/go/0chain.net/blobbercore/handler/auth_ticket.go
index c33db62d6..91d7b9e5c 100644
--- a/code/go/0chain.net/blobbercore/handler/auth_ticket.go
+++ b/code/go/0chain.net/blobbercore/handler/auth_ticket.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/0chain/blobber/code/go/0chain.net/core/encryption"
 	"github.com/0chain/blobber/code/go/0chain.net/core/node"
 	"github.com/0chain/common/core/common"
+	"github.com/0chain/gosdk/zcncore"
 	"net/http"
 )
 
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ type AuthTicketResponse struct {
 //
 //	200: AuthTicketResponse
 func GenerateAuthTicket(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request) (interface{}, error) {
+
 	clientID := r.URL.Query().Get("client_id")
 	if clientID == "" {
 		return nil, common.NewError("missing_client_id", "client_id is required")
@@ -41,7 +43,13 @@ func GenerateAuthTicket(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request) (interface{}, erro
 
 	round := r.URL.Query().Get("round")
 
-	signature, err := node.Self.Sign(encryption.Hash(fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s", clientID, round)))
+	payload := encryption.Hash(fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s", clientID, round))
+
+	if isActivated, err := zcncore.IsHardforkActivated("hermes"); err != nil || !isActivated {
+		payload = clientID
+	}
+
+	signature, err := node.Self.Sign(payload)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, common.NewError("signature_failed", "signature failed")
 	}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 1910ed238..fee3f48cc 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ toolchain go1.22.5
 
 require (
 	github.com/0chain/errors v1.0.3
-	github.com/0chain/gosdk v1.18.15
+	github.com/0chain/gosdk v1.18.18-0.20250106145917-0f4cb303af5c
 	github.com/DATA-DOG/go-sqlmock v1.5.0
 	github.com/didip/tollbooth/v6 v6.1.2
 	github.com/go-openapi/runtime v0.26.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index b6f2abfff..ba1ea225c 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ github.com/0chain/common v1.18.3 h1:42dYOv2KyMTSanuS67iDtfv+ErbSRqR8NJ3MG72MwaI=
 github.com/0chain/common v1.18.3/go.mod h1:Lapu2Tj7z5Sm4r+X141e7vsz4NDODTEypeElYAP3iSw=
 github.com/0chain/errors v1.0.3 h1:QQZPFxTfnMcRdt32DXbzRQIfGWmBsKoEdszKQDb0rRM=
 github.com/0chain/errors v1.0.3/go.mod h1:xymD6nVgrbgttWwkpSCfLLEJbFO6iHGQwk/yeSuYkIc=
-github.com/0chain/gosdk v1.18.15 h1:jujBBRAv2xendebjdoC6nMmoVl5w+uhDrKBqokIvxKI=
-github.com/0chain/gosdk v1.18.15/go.mod h1:8unFy9Dx2YyPKMYPDGR3MFhUEymbAfQcRDm9bobVLGw=
+github.com/0chain/gosdk v1.18.18-0.20250106145917-0f4cb303af5c h1:OhtnsZKkWJpUzzDJdsPpBeOv5qhksPbQ1QL2exxsQgY=
+github.com/0chain/gosdk v1.18.18-0.20250106145917-0f4cb303af5c/go.mod h1:8unFy9Dx2YyPKMYPDGR3MFhUEymbAfQcRDm9bobVLGw=
 github.com/BurntSushi/toml v0.3.1/go.mod h1:xHWCNGjB5oqiDr8zfno3MHue2Ht5sIBksp03qcyfWMU=
 github.com/BurntSushi/xgb v0.0.0-20160522181843-27f122750802/go.mod h1:IVnqGOEym/WlBOVXweHU+Q+/VP0lqqI8lqeDx9IjBqo=
 github.com/DATA-DOG/go-sqlmock v1.5.0 h1:Shsta01QNfFxHCfpW6YH2STWB0MudeXXEWMr20OEh60=