diff --git a/app/igneum-app/src/prover.rs b/app/igneum-app/src/prover.rs
index 148993bb3..91f1077ab 100644
--- a/app/igneum-app/src/prover.rs
+++ b/app/igneum-app/src/prover.rs
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ fn run_tool(t: &Tools, exe: &Path, args: &[String], env: &[(&str, &str)], limit:
     }
 }
 
+fn payout_address(shared: &Shared) -> String {
+    shared.settings.lock().unwrap().address.clone()
+}
+
 fn set<F: FnOnce(&mut crate::state::ProvingState)>(shared: &Shared, f: F) {
     let mut st = shared.state.lock().unwrap();
     f(&mut st.proving);
@@ -298,9 +302,14 @@ fn loop_forever(shared: Arc<Shared>, bin_dir: PathBuf) {
                 continue;
             }
         };
-        // paid shards among what we submitted
+        // paid shards among what we submitted: asked per segment (a slow proof outlives the work list's window)
         for (n, h, s, wei) in submitted.clone() {
-            if work.iter().any(|w| w.hash == h && w.shard == s && w.paid) {
+            let paid = evm_rpc(&shared, "igneum_getProofRecords", json!([format!("{n:#x}")]), Duration::from_secs(10))
+                .ok()
+                .and_then(|r| r["paid"].as_array().and_then(|p| p.get(s as usize)).cloned())
+                .map(|p| !p.is_null() && p["payout"].as_str().map(|a| a.eq_ignore_ascii_case(&payout_address(&shared))).unwrap_or(false))
+                .unwrap_or(false);
+            if paid {
                 submitted.retain(|x| !(x.1 == h && x.2 == s));
                 shared.event("proving", &format!("block {n} shard {s} paid {} IGN", wei as f64 / 1e18));
                 set(&shared, |p| {