diff --git a/crates/esplora/tests/async_ext.rs b/crates/esplora/tests/async_ext.rs
index e8ce24d064..a1eea7ba92 100644
--- a/crates/esplora/tests/async_ext.rs
+++ b/crates/esplora/tests/async_ext.rs
@@ -123,23 +123,3 @@ pub async fn test_update_tx_graph_without_keychain() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     assert_eq!(graph_update_txids, expected_txids);
     Ok(())
 }
-#[test]
-fn simple_test() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let bitcoind_exe =
-            bitcoind::exe_path().expect("Cannot find bitcoind daemon, set BITCOIND_EXEC environment variable with the path to bitcoind");
-    let mut bitcoind_conf = bitcoind::Conf::default();
-    bitcoind_conf.p2p = bitcoind::P2P::Yes;
-    let bitcoind = BitcoinD::with_conf(&bitcoind_exe, &bitcoind_conf)?;
-
-    let mut electrs_conf = Conf::default();
-    electrs_conf.http_enabled = true;
-    let electrs_exe = electrsd::exe_path().expect("Cannot find electrs daemon, set ELECTRS_EXEC environment variable with the path to electrs");
-    let electrsd = ElectrsD::with_conf(&electrs_exe, &bitcoind, &electrs_conf)?;
-
-    // Alive checks
-    let _ = bitcoind.client.ping().unwrap(); // without using bitcoind, it is dropped and all the rest fails.
-    let _ = electrsd.client.ping().unwrap();
-    assert!(bitcoind.client.ping().is_ok());
-    assert!(electrsd.client.ping().is_ok());
-    Ok(())
-}
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index ecf6c9d617..ab0d804033 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -32,12 +32,45 @@
       let
         overlays = [ (import rust-overlay) ];
         lib = pkgs.lib;
+        stdenv = pkgs.stdenv;
+        isDarwin = stdenv.isDarwin;
+        libsDarwin = with pkgs.darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks; [
+          # Additional darwin specific inputs can be set here
+          Security
+          SystemConfiguration
+          CoreServices
+        ];
+
         pkgs = import nixpkgs {
           inherit system overlays;
         };
         pkgs-bitcoind = import nixpkgs-bitcoind {
           inherit system overlays;
         };
+        # pin electrs to a specific version
+        # pinned to esplora_a33e97e1
+        electrs_base_url = "https://github.com/RCasatta/electrsd/releases/download/electrs_releases/";
+        electrs_url =
+          if isDarwin then
+            electrs_base_url + "electrs_macos_esplora_a33e97e1a1fc63fa9c20a116bb92579bbf43b254.zip"
+          else
+            electrs_base_url + "electrs_linux_esplora_a33e97e1a1fc63fa9c20a116bb92579bbf43b254.zip";
+        electrs_hash =
+          if isDarwin then
+            "sha256-xfkllY8ovVih469hJuw+GTcf2kZ0g0JAK8diEh5FFsw="
+          else
+            lib.fakeHash;
+        electrs = stdenv.mkDerivation {
+          name = "electrs";
+          src = pkgs.fetchzip {
+            url = electrs_url;
+            hash = electrs_hash;
+          };
+          installPhase = ''
+            mkdir -p $out/bin
+            cp electrs $out/bin
+          '';
+        };
 
         # Toolchains
         # latest stable
@@ -67,18 +100,13 @@
         buildInputs = [
           # Add additional build inputs here
           pkgs-bitcoind.bitcoind
-          pkgs.electrs
+          electrs
           pkgs.openssl
           pkgs.openssl.dev
           pkgs.pkg-config
           pkgs.curl
           pkgs.libiconv
-        ] ++ lib.optionals pkgs.stdenv.isDarwin [
-          # Additional darwin specific inputs can be set here
-          pkgs.darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.Security
-          pkgs.darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.SystemConfiguration
-          pkgs.darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices
-        ];
+        ] ++ lib.optionals isDarwin libsDarwin;
 
         # WASM deps
         wasmInputs = [
@@ -89,7 +117,7 @@
         nativeBuildInputs = [
           # Add additional build inputs here
           pkgs.python3
-        ] ++ lib.optionals pkgs.stdenv.isDarwin [
+        ] ++ lib.optionals isDarwin [
           # Additional darwin specific native inputs can be set here
         ];
 
@@ -118,7 +146,7 @@
           inherit nativeBuildInputs;
           # Additional environment variables can be set directly
           BITCOIND_EXEC = "${pkgs.bitcoind}/bin/bitcoind";
-          ELECTRS_EXEC = "${pkgs.electrs}/bin/electrs";
+          ELECTRS_EXEC = "${electrs}/bin/electrs";
         };
 
         # MSRV derivation arguments