diff --git a/crates/actors/src/packing.rs b/crates/actors/src/packing.rs
index 8c5801031..12c60566d 100644
--- a/crates/actors/src/packing.rs
+++ b/crates/actors/src/packing.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ pub struct PackingRequest {
 }
 
 pub type AtomicPackingJobQueue = Arc<RwLock<VecDeque<PackingRequest>>>;
-pub type PackingJobsBySM = HashMap<usize, AtomicPackingJobQueue>;
+pub type PackingJobsBySM = Arc<HashMap<usize, AtomicPackingJobQueue>>;
 
 pub type PackingSemaphore = Arc<Semaphore>;
 
@@ -76,10 +76,12 @@ impl PackingActor {
         config: PackingConfig,
     ) -> Self {
         let semaphore = Arc::new(Semaphore::new(config.concurrency.into()));
-        let pending_jobs = storage_module_ids
-            .iter()
-            .map(|s| (*s, Arc::new(RwLock::new(VecDeque::with_capacity(32)))))
-            .collect();
+        let pending_jobs = Arc::new(
+            storage_module_ids
+                .iter()
+                .map(|s| (*s, Arc::new(RwLock::new(VecDeque::with_capacity(32)))))
+                .collect(),
+        );
 
         Self {
             task_executor,
@@ -321,9 +323,9 @@ pub struct GetInternals();
 
 #[derive(Debug, MessageResponse, Clone)]
 pub struct Internals {
-    pending_jobs: PackingJobsBySM,
-    semaphore: PackingSemaphore,
-    config: PackingConfig,
+    pub pending_jobs: PackingJobsBySM,
+    pub semaphore: PackingSemaphore,
+    pub config: PackingConfig,
 }
 
 impl Handler<GetInternals> for PackingActor {
diff --git a/crates/chain/tests/multi_node/fork_recovery_epoch.rs b/crates/chain/tests/multi_node/fork_recovery_epoch.rs
index c942372e3..4d2d0f1f7 100644
--- a/crates/chain/tests/multi_node/fork_recovery_epoch.rs
+++ b/crates/chain/tests/multi_node/fork_recovery_epoch.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::utils::IrysNodeTest;
+use irys_actors::packing::GetInternals;
 use irys_testing_utils::*;
 use irys_types::{NodeConfig, H256};
 use tracing::debug;
@@ -66,6 +67,32 @@ async fn heavy_fork_recovery_epoch_test() -> eyre::Result<()> {
         .wait_for_mempool(peer2_pledge_tx.id, seconds_to_wait)
         .await?;
 
+    // grab the packing actor's semaphores for peer1 & 2
+
+    let peer1_internals = peer1_node
+        .node_ctx
+        .actor_addresses
+        .packing
+        .send(GetInternals())
+        .await?;
+    // grab all of peer1's semaphores
+    let peer1_permits = peer1_internals
+        .semaphore
+        .acquire_many(peer1_internals.semaphore.available_permits().try_into()?)
+        .await?;
+
+    let peer2_internals = peer2_node
+        .node_ctx
+        .actor_addresses
+        .packing
+        .send(GetInternals())
+        .await?;
+    // grab all of peer2's semaphores
+    let peer2_permits = peer2_internals
+        .semaphore
+        .acquire_many(peer2_internals.semaphore.available_permits().try_into()?)
+        .await?;
+
     // Mine a block to get the commitments included
     genesis_node.mine_block().await.unwrap();
 
@@ -84,6 +111,37 @@ async fn heavy_fork_recovery_epoch_test() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let _block_hash = peer1_node.wait_until_height(2, seconds_to_wait).await?;
     let _block_hash = peer2_node.wait_until_height(2, seconds_to_wait).await?;
 
+    // assert that the packing actors internal state has some pending jobs for the new assignment
+    // (it shouldn't dequeue any as we have all the semaphores)
+
+    let found_peer1_packing_job = peer1_internals.pending_jobs.iter().any(|(_id, jobs)| {
+        return jobs.read().unwrap().iter().any(|job| {
+            job.storage_module.partition_assignment() == peer1_assignments.first().copied()
+        });
+    });
+
+    assert!(
+        found_peer1_packing_job,
+        "Unable to get peer1 packing job for {}",
+        &peer1_assignments.first().unwrap().partition_hash
+    );
+
+    let found_peer2_packing_job = peer2_internals.pending_jobs.iter().any(|(_id, jobs)| {
+        return jobs.read().unwrap().iter().any(|job| {
+            job.storage_module.partition_assignment() == peer2_assignments.first().copied()
+        });
+    });
+
+    assert!(
+        found_peer2_packing_job,
+        "Unable to get peer2 packing job for {}",
+        &peer2_assignments.first().unwrap().partition_hash
+    );
+
+    // give back all the semaphores
+    drop(peer1_permits);
+    drop(peer2_permits);
+
     // Wait for them to pack their storage modules with the partition_hashes
     peer1_node.wait_for_packing(seconds_to_wait).await;
     peer2_node.wait_for_packing(seconds_to_wait).await;