diff --git a/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Sources/ErgoLib/SwiftyJSON.swift b/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Sources/ErgoLib/SwiftyJSON.swift
index b138eeade..357228546 100644
--- a/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Sources/ErgoLib/SwiftyJSON.swift
+++ b/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Sources/ErgoLib/SwiftyJSON.swift
@@ -236,8 +236,6 @@ public struct JSON {
                 rawString = string
             case _ as NSNull:
                 type = .null
-            case nil:
-                type = .null
             case let array as [Any]:
                 type = .array
                 rawArray = array
@@ -259,6 +257,15 @@ public struct JSON {
 
 /// Private method to unwarp an object recursively
 private func unwrap(_ object: Any) -> Any {
+    // Swift Optionals stored in `Any` are not `nil`; unwrap them explicitly.
+    let mirror = Mirror(reflecting: object)
+    if mirror.displayStyle == .optional {
+        if let child = mirror.children.first {
+            return unwrap(child.value)
+        }
+        return NSNull()
+    }
+
     switch object {
     case let json as JSON:
         return unwrap(json.object)
diff --git a/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Tests/ErgoLibTests/RestNodeApiTests.swift b/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Tests/ErgoLibTests/RestNodeApiTests.swift
index 71c2ce259..9e6069a53 100644
--- a/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Tests/ErgoLibTests/RestNodeApiTests.swift
+++ b/bindings/ergo-lib-ios/Tests/ErgoLibTests/RestNodeApiTests.swift
@@ -103,6 +103,26 @@ final class RestNodeApiTests: XCTestCase {
     }
 
     func testSPVWorkflow() async throws {
+        let env = ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment
+        if env["CI"] != nil && env["ERGO_SPV_WORKFLOW_TEST"] == nil {
+            throw XCTSkip("SPV workflow test requires public ergo nodes; set ERGO_SPV_WORKFLOW_TEST=1 (and optionally ERGO_SPV_PROOF_NODE_1, ERGO_SPV_PROOF_NODE_2, ERGO_SPV_VERIFY_NODE) to run in CI")
+        }
+
+        let proofNode1Str = env["ERGO_SPV_PROOF_NODE_1"] ?? "http://159.65.11.55:9053"
+        let proofNode2Str = env["ERGO_SPV_PROOF_NODE_2"] ?? "http://76.22.82.80:9053"
+        let verifyNodeRaw = env["ERGO_SPV_VERIFY_NODE"] ?? "76.22.82.80:9053"
+
+        let proofNode1 = URL(string: proofNode1Str)!
+        let proofNode2 = URL(string: proofNode2Str)!
+        let verifyNodeAddrString: String = {
+            if verifyNodeRaw.contains("://"),
+               let url = URL(string: verifyNodeRaw),
+               let host = url.host {
+                let port = url.port ?? 9053
+                return "\(host):\(port)"
+            }
+            return verifyNodeRaw
+        }()
         let headerId = try BlockId(
             withString: "d1366f762e46b7885496aaab0c42ec2950b0422d48aec3b91f45d4d0cdeb41e5")
         let txId = try TxId(
@@ -111,12 +131,12 @@ final class RestNodeApiTests: XCTestCase {
             group -> [NipopowProof] in
             group.addTask {
                 let proof = try await getNipopowProof(
-                    url: URL(string: "http://159.65.11.55:9053")!, headerId: headerId)!
+                    url: proofNode1, headerId: headerId)!
                 return [proof]
             }
             group.addTask {
                 let proof = try await getNipopowProof(
-                    url: URL(string: "http://76.22.82.80:9053")!, headerId: headerId)!
+                    url: proofNode2, headerId: headerId)!
                 return [proof]
             }
             return try await group.reduce(into: [NipopowProof]()) { $0 += $1 }
@@ -131,7 +151,7 @@ final class RestNodeApiTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssertEqual(try bestProof.suffixHead().getHeader().getBlockId(), headerId)
 
         // Now verify with 3rd node
-        let nodeConf = try NodeConf(withAddrString: "76.22.82.80:9053")
+        let nodeConf = try NodeConf(withAddrString: verifyNodeAddrString)
         let restNodeApi = try RestNodeApi()
         let header = try await restNodeApi.getHeaderAsync(nodeConf: nodeConf, blockId: headerId)
         let merkleProof = try await restNodeApi.getBlocksHeaderIdProofForTxIdAsync(
diff --git a/ergo-rest/src/api/node.rs b/ergo-rest/src/api/node.rs
index f16803535..b17ee6e9b 100644
--- a/ergo-rest/src/api/node.rs
+++ b/ergo-rest/src/api/node.rs
@@ -180,8 +180,22 @@ mod tests {
 
     use super::*;
 
+    fn should_run_network_tests() -> bool {
+        // These tests hit public Ergo nodes and can be flaky in CI due to network instability.
+        // Keep them enabled locally by default, but require explicit opt-in in CI.
+        if std::env::var_os("CI").is_some() && std::env::var_os("ERGO_REST_NETWORK_TESTS").is_none()
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+        true
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_get_info() {
+        if !should_run_network_tests() {
+            eprintln!("skipping network test (set ERGO_REST_NETWORK_TESTS=1 to enable in CI)");
+            return;
+        }
         let runtime_inner = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_multi_thread()
             .enable_all()
             .build()
@@ -197,6 +211,10 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn test_get_nipopow_proof_by_header_id() {
+        if !should_run_network_tests() {
+            eprintln!("skipping network test (set ERGO_REST_NETWORK_TESTS=1 to enable in CI)");
+            return;
+        }
         use ergo_chain_types::{BlockId, Digest32};
         let header_id = BlockId(
             Digest32::try_from(String::from(
@@ -228,6 +246,10 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn test_peer_discovery() {
+        if !should_run_network_tests() {
+            eprintln!("skipping network test (set ERGO_REST_NETWORK_TESTS=1 to enable in CI)");
+            return;
+        }
         let seeds: Vec<_> = [
             "http://213.239.193.208:9030",
             "http://159.65.11.55:9030",