diff --git a/scripts/deploy-predeploys.ts b/scripts/deploy-predeploys.ts
index 06fdf47..312a862 100644
--- a/scripts/deploy-predeploys.ts
+++ b/scripts/deploy-predeploys.ts
@@ -203,12 +203,19 @@ function formatEther(wei: bigint): string {
 async function gasEstimateOnL2(params: {
   deployments: PreSignedDeployment[]
   rpcUrl: string
-}): Promise<GasEstimateResult[]> {
+}): Promise<{ results: GasEstimateResult[]; chainGasPrice: bigint }> {
   const { deployments, rpcUrl } = params
   const provider = new JsonRpcProvider(rpcUrl)
   const results: GasEstimateResult[] = []
 
+  // Fetch the chain's current gas price so we can produce accurate cost estimates.
+  // Pre-signed txs embed a gas price (e.g. 100 gwei) that may differ wildly from the
+  // L2's actual pricing — especially on zkSync-style chains with a different gas model.
+  const feeData = await provider.getFeeData()
+  const chainGasPrice = feeData.gasPrice ?? BigInt(0)
+
   console.log('\n[L2] Running gas estimation...')
+  console.log(`  Chain gas price: ${formatUnits(chainGasPrice, 'gwei')} gwei`)
 
   for (const deployment of deployments) {
     console.log(`\n  ${deployment.label}`)
@@ -256,8 +263,13 @@ async function gasEstimateOnL2(params: {
       console.log(`    ⚠ Gas estimation failed: ${err.message}`)
     }
 
-    const estimatedCost = estimatedGasUsed !== null ? estimatedGasUsed * txGasPrice : null
-    const expectedLeftover = estimatedCost !== null ? maxCost - estimatedCost : null
+    // Use the chain's actual gas price for cost estimates instead of the gas price
+    // embedded in the pre-signed tx.  On L2s (especially zkSync-style chains) the
+    // gas model differs from L1 — estimateGas returns L2 gas units which should be
+    // priced at the L2 gas price, not the 100 gwei baked into the legacy tx.
+    const effectiveGasPrice = chainGasPrice > BigInt(0) ? chainGasPrice : txGasPrice
+    const estimatedCost = estimatedGasUsed !== null ? estimatedGasUsed * effectiveGasPrice : null
+    const expectedLeftover = estimatedCost !== null && maxCost > estimatedCost ? maxCost - estimatedCost : null
 
     results.push({
       key: deployment.key,
@@ -276,7 +288,7 @@ async function gasEstimateOnL2(params: {
     })
   }
 
-  return results
+  return { results, chainGasPrice }
 }
 
 async function deployOnL2(params: {
@@ -332,14 +344,21 @@ async function deployOnL2(params: {
       continue
     }
 
-    // Estimate actual gas cost for this deployment and use that instead of the
-    // hardcoded fundingAmount, so we don't over-fund the deployer address.
+    // The node requires the deployer to hold at least gasLimit × txGasPrice to
+    // accept the pre-signed transaction.  We use gas estimation only to decide
+    // whether we can send *less* than the hardcoded amount — but we must never
+    // go below the node's minimum (gasLimit × txGasPrice).
     const parsedTx = Transaction.from(deployment.rawTransaction)
     const txGasPrice = parsedTx.gasPrice ?? BigInt(0)
     const txGasLimit = BigInt(parsedTx.gasLimit)
+    const nodeMinimum = txGasPrice * txGasLimit
     let requiredWei: bigint
 
     try {
+      const feeData = await provider.getFeeData()
+      const chainGasPrice = feeData.gasPrice ?? BigInt(0)
+      const effectiveGasPrice = chainGasPrice > BigInt(0) ? chainGasPrice : txGasPrice
+
       const estimatedGas = await provider.estimateGas({
         from: deployment.fundingAddress,
         data: parsedTx.data,
@@ -347,7 +366,9 @@ async function deployOnL2(params: {
       })
       // Apply the configurable buffer on top of the estimate
       const bufferedGas = estimatedGas * BigInt(100 + gasBuffer) / BigInt(100)
-      requiredWei = bufferedGas * txGasPrice
+      const estimatedCost = bufferedGas * effectiveGasPrice
+      // Never fund below the node's minimum acceptance threshold
+      requiredWei = estimatedCost > nodeMinimum ? estimatedCost : nodeMinimum
       console.log(`  Gas estimate: ${estimatedGas.toLocaleString()} (+ ${gasBuffer}% buffer → funding ${formatEther(requiredWei)} ETH vs hardcoded ${deployment.fundingAmount} ETH)`)
     } catch (err: any) {
       // Fall back to the hardcoded amount if estimation fails
@@ -493,7 +514,7 @@ async function main() {
 
   // Gas estimate mode: connect to L2, estimate actual costs, check deployer nonces
   if (options.gasEstimate) {
-    const estimates = await gasEstimateOnL2({
+    const { results: estimates, chainGasPrice } = await gasEstimateOnL2({
       deployments,
       rpcUrl: options.l2Rpc!
     })
@@ -533,13 +554,16 @@ async function main() {
       }
 
       console.log(`  Gas price (tx):  ${formatUnits(est.txGasPrice, 'gwei')} gwei`)
+      console.log(`  Gas price (chain): ${formatUnits(chainGasPrice, 'gwei')} gwei`)
       console.log(`  Gas limit (tx):  ${est.txGasLimit.toLocaleString()}`)
 
-      if (est.estimatedGasUsed !== null && est.estimatedCost !== null && est.expectedLeftover !== null) {
+      if (est.estimatedGasUsed !== null && est.estimatedCost !== null) {
         if (!est.alreadyDeployed) totalEstimated += est.estimatedCost
         console.log(`  Estimated gas:   ${est.estimatedGasUsed.toLocaleString()} used`)
-        console.log(`  Estimated cost:  ${formatEther(est.estimatedCost)} ETH`)
-        console.log(`  Expected refund: ${formatEther(est.expectedLeftover)} ETH left in deployer after tx`)
+        console.log(`  Estimated cost:  ${formatEther(est.estimatedCost)} ETH  (estimatedGas × chain gas price)`)
+        if (est.expectedLeftover !== null) {
+          console.log(`  Expected refund: ${formatEther(est.expectedLeftover)} ETH left in deployer after tx`)
+        }
       } else if (est.estimateError) {
         if (!est.alreadyDeployed) totalEstimated += est.maxCost // fall back to max cost if estimation failed
         console.log(`  Gas estimate:    ⚠ Failed (${est.estimateError})`)
@@ -553,7 +577,7 @@ async function main() {
       console.log(`  Hardcoded total:   ${formatEther(totalHardcoded)} ETH`)
       console.log(`  Min required:      ${formatEther(totalMaxCost)} ETH  (sum of gasPrice × gasLimit per tx)`)
       if (totalEstimated > BigInt(0)) {
-        console.log(`  Estimated actual:  ${formatEther(totalEstimated)} ETH  (likely spend based on gas estimation)`)
+        console.log(`  Estimated actual:  ${formatEther(totalEstimated)} ETH  (based on chain gas price: ${formatUnits(chainGasPrice, 'gwei')} gwei)`)
       }
       const hardcodedSavings = totalHardcoded - totalMaxCost
       if (hardcodedSavings > BigInt(0)) {