diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idAndIndex.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idAndIndex.ts
index 5e989f30fe..8ea3d74d57 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idAndIndex.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idAndIndex.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ export type AccountIdAndIndex = [AccountId?, AccountIndex?];
  * ```
  */
 export function idAndIndex (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (address?: Address | AccountId | AccountIndex | string | null) => Observable<AccountIdAndIndex> {
+  const idToIndexCall = idToIndex(api);
+  const indexToIdCall = indexToId(api);
+
   return (address?: Address | AccountId | AccountIndex | string | null): Observable<AccountIdAndIndex> => {
     try {
       // yes, this can fail, don't care too much, catch will catch it
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ export function idAndIndex (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (address?: Address | AccountId
       if (decoded.length === 32) {
         const accountId = createType('AccountId', decoded);
 
-        return idToIndex(api)(accountId).pipe(
+        return idToIndexCall(accountId).pipe(
           startWith(undefined),
           map((accountIndex): AccountIdAndIndex => [accountId, accountIndex] as AccountIdAndIndex),
           drr()
@@ -49,7 +52,7 @@ export function idAndIndex (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (address?: Address | AccountId
 
       const accountIndex = createType('AccountIndex', decoded);
 
-      return indexToId(api)(accountIndex).pipe(
+      return indexToIdCall(accountIndex).pipe(
         startWith(undefined),
         map((accountId): AccountIdAndIndex => [accountId, accountIndex] as AccountIdAndIndex),
         drr()
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idToIndex.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idToIndex.ts
index 84f6470b12..52a2a0ac6e 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idToIndex.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/accounts/idToIndex.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ import { drr } from '../util/drr';
  * ```
  */
 export function idToIndex (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (accountId: AccountId | string) => Observable<AccountIndex | undefined> {
+  const indexesCall = indexes(api);
+
   return (accountId: AccountId | string): Observable<AccountIndex | undefined> =>
-    indexes(api)().pipe(
+    indexesCall().pipe(
       startWith({}),
       map((indexes: AccountIndexes): AccountIndex | undefined =>
         (indexes || {})[accountId.toString()]
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/balances/all.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/balances/all.ts
index 5f9861f0e2..0651722fcc 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/balances/all.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/balances/all.ts
@@ -83,13 +83,16 @@ function queryBalances (api: ApiInterfaceRx, accountId: AccountId): Observable<R
  * ```
  */
 export function all (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (address: AccountIndex | AccountId | Address | string) => Observable<DerivedBalances> {
+  const bestNumberCall = bestNumber(api);
+  const idAndIndexCall = idAndIndex(api);
+
   return (address: AccountIndex | AccountId | Address | string): Observable<DerivedBalances> => {
-    return idAndIndex(api)(address).pipe(
+    return idAndIndexCall(address).pipe(
       switchMap(([accountId]): Observable<Result> =>
         (accountId
           ? combineLatest([
             of(accountId),
-            bestNumber(api)(),
+            bestNumberCall(),
             queryBalances(api, accountId),
             // FIXME This is having issues with Kusama, only use accountNonce atm
             // api.rpc.account && api.rpc.account.nextIndex
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/balances/votingBalancesNominatorsFor.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/balances/votingBalancesNominatorsFor.ts
index 862a22dced..85743dec4b 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/balances/votingBalancesNominatorsFor.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/balances/votingBalancesNominatorsFor.ts
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ import { drr } from '../util/drr';
 import { votingBalances } from './votingBalances';
 
 export function votingBalancesNominatorsFor (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (address: AccountId | AccountIndex | Address | string) => Observable<DerivedBalances[]> {
+  const idAndIndexCall = idAndIndex(api);
+
   return (address: AccountId | AccountIndex | Address | string): Observable<DerivedBalances[]> => {
-    return idAndIndex(api)(address).pipe(
+    return idAndIndexCall(address).pipe(
       switchMap(([accountId]): Observable<AccountId[]> =>
         accountId
           ? (api.query.staking.nominatorsFor<Vec<AccountId>>(accountId))
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/chain/bestNumberLag.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/chain/bestNumberLag.ts
index c36f66d32d..e808dc4157 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/chain/bestNumberLag.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/chain/bestNumberLag.ts
@@ -27,10 +27,13 @@ import { bestNumberFinalized } from './bestNumberFinalized';
  * ```
  */
 export function bestNumberLag (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<BlockNumber> {
+  const bestNumberCall = bestNumber(api);
+  const bestNumberFinalizedCall = bestNumberFinalized(api);
+
   return (): Observable<BlockNumber> =>
     combineLatest([
-      bestNumber(api)(),
-      bestNumberFinalized(api)()
+      bestNumberCall(),
+      bestNumberFinalizedCall()
     ]).pipe(
       map(([bestNumber, bestNumberFinalized]): BlockNumber =>
         createType('BlockNumber', bestNumber.sub(bestNumberFinalized))
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendumVotesFor.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendumVotesFor.ts
index bfd3b6d74d..d3a5fc4964 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendumVotesFor.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendumVotesFor.ts
@@ -16,13 +16,16 @@ import { votes } from './votes';
 import { votingBalances } from '../balances/votingBalances';
 
 export function referendumVotesFor (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (referendumId: BN | number) => Observable<DerivedReferendumVote[]> {
+  const votesCall = votes(api);
+  const votingBalancesCall = votingBalances(api);
+
   return (referendumId: BN | number): Observable<DerivedReferendumVote[]> =>
     (api.query.democracy.votersFor<Vec<AccountId>>(referendumId)).pipe(
       switchMap((votersFor): Observable<[Vec<AccountId>, Vote[], DerivedBalances[]]> =>
         combineLatest([
           of(votersFor),
-          votes(api)(referendumId as BN, votersFor),
-          votingBalances(api)(votersFor)
+          votesCall(referendumId as BN, votersFor),
+          votingBalancesCall(votersFor)
         ])
       ),
       map(([votersFor, votes, balances]): DerivedReferendumVote[] =>
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendums.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendums.ts
index a8a03f1367..c40d138425 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendums.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/democracy/referendums.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import { drr } from '../util/drr';
 import { referendumInfos } from './referendumInfos';
 
 export function referendums (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<Option<ReferendumInfoExtended>[]> {
+  const referendumInfosCall = referendumInfos(api);
+
   return (): Observable<Option<ReferendumInfoExtended>[]> =>
     (api.queryMulti([
       api.query.democracy.nextTally,
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ export function referendums (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<Option<Refer
     ]) as Observable<[ReferendumIndex?, ReferendumIndex?]>).pipe(
       switchMap(([nextTally, referendumCount]): Observable<Option<ReferendumInfoExtended>[]> =>
         referendumCount && nextTally && referendumCount.gt(nextTally) && referendumCount.gtn(0)
-          ? referendumInfos(api)(
+          ? referendumInfosCall(
             [...Array(referendumCount.sub(nextTally).toNumber())].map((_, i): BN =>
               nextTally.addn(i)
             )
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/elections/info.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/elections/info.ts
index e726435539..c035a2f763 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/elections/info.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/elections/info.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ function derivePhragmen (candidates: Vec<AccountId>, members: Vec<[AccountId, Ba
 }
 
 function queryPhragmen (api: ApiInterfaceRx): Observable<DerivedElectionsInfo> {
-  // NOTE We have an issue where candidates can return `null` for an empty array
+  // NOTE We have an issue where candidates can return `null` for an empty array, hence
+  // we are not using multi queries here, so empty array is empty (instead of space-filled)
   return combineLatest([
     api.query.electionsPhragmen.candidates<Vec<AccountId>>(),
     api.query.electionsPhragmen.members<Vec<[AccountId, Balance] & Codec>>()
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/elections/voters.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/elections/voters.ts
index 914fe62be0..73ddf1de29 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/elections/voters.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/elections/voters.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ import { voterPositions } from './voterPositions';
  * ```
  */
 export function voters (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<Vec<AccountId>> {
+  const voterPositionsCall = voterPositions(api);
+
   return (): Observable<Vec<AccountId>> =>
-    voterPositions(api)().pipe(
+    voterPositionsCall().pipe(
       map(
         (voterPositions: DerivedVoterPositions): Vec<AccountId> =>
           createType(
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraLength.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraLength.ts
index 5ef8d68150..0e68eb0106 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraLength.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraLength.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 // This software may be modified and distributed under the terms
 // of the Apache-2.0 license. See the LICENSE file for details.
 
-import BN from 'bn.js';
+import { BlockNumber } from '@polkadot/types/interfaces';
+
 import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
 import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { ApiInterfaceRx } from '@polkadot/api/types';
@@ -10,10 +11,12 @@ import { ApiInterfaceRx } from '@polkadot/api/types';
 import { drr } from '../util/drr';
 import { info } from './info';
 
-export function eraLength (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<BN> {
-  return (): Observable<BN> =>
-    info(api)().pipe(
-      map(({ eraLength }): BN => eraLength),
+export function eraLength (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<BlockNumber> {
+  const infoCall = info(api);
+
+  return (): Observable<BlockNumber> =>
+    infoCall().pipe(
+      map(({ eraLength }): BlockNumber => eraLength),
       drr()
     );
 }
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraProgress.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraProgress.ts
index 7ddd070daf..3831d5b626 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraProgress.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/session/eraProgress.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ import { drr } from '../util/drr';
 import { info } from './info';
 
 export function eraProgress (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<BN> {
+  const infoCall = info(api);
+
   return (): Observable<BN> =>
-    info(api)().pipe(
+    infoCall().pipe(
       map(({ eraProgress }): BN => eraProgress),
       drr()
     );
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/session/info.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/session/info.ts
index 54698d9473..3241df8d0b 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/session/info.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/session/info.ts
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ import { Option, u64, createType } from '@polkadot/types';
 import { drr } from '../util/drr';
 import { bestNumber } from '../chain';
 
-type Result94Session = [SessionIndex, Option<BlockNumber>, BlockNumber, BlockNumber, SessionIndex];
-type Result94 = [BlockNumber, Result94Session];
+type ResultV1Session = [SessionIndex, Option<BlockNumber>, BlockNumber, BlockNumber, SessionIndex];
+type ResultV1 = [BlockNumber, ResultV1Session];
 
 type ResultIndex = [SessionIndex, EraIndex];
 type ResultSlots = [u64, u64, u64, SessionIndex, EraIndex, SessionIndex];
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ type ResultType = [boolean, u64, SessionIndex];
 type Result = [ResultType, ResultSlots];
 
 // internal helper to just split the logic - take all inputs, do the calculations and combine
-function createDerived94 ([bestNumber, [currentIndex, _lastLengthChange, sessionLength, lastEraLengthChange, sessionsPerEra]]: Result94): DerivedSessionInfo {
+function createDerivedV1 ([bestNumber, [currentIndex, _lastLengthChange, sessionLength, lastEraLengthChange, sessionsPerEra]]: ResultV1): DerivedSessionInfo {
   const lastLengthChange = (_lastLengthChange && _lastLengthChange.unwrapOr(null)) || createType('BlockNumber');
   const sessionProgress = bestNumber
     .sub(lastLengthChange)
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ function createDerivedLatest ([[hasBabe, epochDuration, sessionsPerEra], [curren
   };
 }
 
-function info94 (api: ApiInterfaceRx): Observable<DerivedSessionInfo> {
+function infoV1 (api: ApiInterfaceRx, bestNumberCall: () => Observable<BlockNumber>): Observable<DerivedSessionInfo> {
   return combineLatest([
-    bestNumber(api)(),
-    api.queryMulti<Result94Session>([
+    bestNumberCall(),
+    api.queryMulti<ResultV1Session>([
       api.query.session.currentIndex,
       api.query.session.lastLengthChange,
       api.query.session.sessionLength,
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function info94 (api: ApiInterfaceRx): Observable<DerivedSessionInfo> {
       api.query.staking.sessionsPerEra
     ])
   ]).pipe(
-    map(createDerived94),
+    map(createDerivedV1),
     drr()
   );
 }
@@ -122,14 +122,13 @@ function infoLatestBabe (api: ApiInterfaceRx): Observable<DerivedSessionInfo> {
  * @description Retrieves all the session and era info and calculates specific values on it as the length of the session and eras
  */
 export function info (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<DerivedSessionInfo> {
+  const bestNumberCall = bestNumber(api);
+
   return (): Observable<DerivedSessionInfo> => {
-    // With substrate `spec_version 94`, the era and session has been explicitly exposed as `parameter_types`.
-    // pre-94 we had more info and needed to calculate (handle old/Alex first)
-    // https://github.com/paritytech/substrate/commit/dbf322620948935d2bbae214504e6c668c3073ed#diff-c29f42d6b931fa93ba038dbbbfec3055
-    return api.query.session.lastLengthChange
-      ? info94(api) // 1.x
-      : api.consts.babe
+    return api.consts.staking
+      ? api.consts.babe
         ? infoLatestBabe(api) // 2.x with Babe
-        : infoLatestAura(api); // 2.x with Aura (not all info there)
+        : infoLatestAura(api) // 2.x with Aura (not all info there)
+      : infoV1(api, bestNumberCall); // 1.x
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/session/sessionProgress.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/session/sessionProgress.ts
index b8f4f66b74..f33344a574 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/session/sessionProgress.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/session/sessionProgress.ts
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ import { drr } from '../util/drr';
 import { info } from './info';
 
 export function sessionProgress (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<BlockNumber> {
+  const infoCall = info(api);
+
   return (): Observable<BlockNumber> =>
-    info(api)().pipe(
+    infoCall().pipe(
       map(({ sessionProgress }): BlockNumber => sessionProgress),
       drr()
     );
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/staking/all.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/staking/all.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..93a85d6c77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/staking/all.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// Copyright 2017-2019 @polkadot/api-derive authors & contributors
+// This software may be modified and distributed under the terms
+// of the Apache-2.0 license. See the LICENSE file for details.
+
+import { DerivedStaking } from '../types';
+
+import { Observable, combineLatest } from 'rxjs';
+import { switchMap } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { ApiInterfaceRx } from '@polkadot/api/types';
+
+import { drr } from '../util/drr';
+import { controllers } from './controllers';
+import { info } from './info';
+
+/**
+ * @description Retrieve all the staking info available for the chain
+ */
+export function all (api: ApiInterfaceRx): () => Observable<DerivedStaking[]> {
+  const infoCall = info(api);
+  const controllersCall = controllers(api);
+
+  return (): Observable<DerivedStaking[]> =>
+    controllersCall().pipe(
+      switchMap(([accountIds]): Observable<DerivedStaking[]> =>
+        combineLatest(
+          accountIds.map((accountId): Observable<DerivedStaking> => infoCall(accountId))
+        )
+      ),
+      drr()
+    );
+}
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/staking/index.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/staking/index.ts
index 0bbbc12584..7803025a74 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/staking/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/staking/index.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // This software may be modified and distributed under the terms
 // of the Apache-2.0 license. See the LICENSE file for details.
 
+export * from './all';
 export * from './controllers';
 export * from './info';
 export * from './recentlyOffline';
diff --git a/packages/api-derive/src/staking/info.ts b/packages/api-derive/src/staking/info.ts
index a3b82a7e36..537a79242c 100644
--- a/packages/api-derive/src/staking/info.ts
+++ b/packages/api-derive/src/staking/info.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { Exposure, RewardDestination, StakingLedger, UnlockChunk, ValidatorPrefs
 import { Codec } from '@polkadot/types/types';
 
 import { ApiInterfaceRx } from '@polkadot/api/types';
-import { DerivedStaking, DerivedUnlocking } from '../types';
+import { DerivedRecentlyOffline, DerivedStaking, DerivedUnlocking } from '../types';
 
 import BN from 'bn.js';
 import { combineLatest, Observable, of } from 'rxjs';
@@ -22,7 +22,28 @@ import { eraLength } from '../session/eraLength';
 import { recentlyOffline } from './recentlyOffline';
 import { drr } from '../util/drr';
 
-type MultiResult = [Option<AccountId> | Vec<[AccountId, Keys] & Codec>, Option<StakingLedger>, [AccountId[]], RewardDestination, Exposure, [ValidatorPrefs], Option<Keys>?];
+interface Calls {
+  bestNumberCall (): Observable<BlockNumber>;
+  eraLengthCall (): Observable<BlockNumber>;
+  recentlyOfflineCall (): Observable<DerivedRecentlyOffline>;
+}
+
+interface ParseInput {
+  accountId: AccountId;
+  bestNumber: BlockNumber;
+  controllerId: AccountId;
+  eraLength: BlockNumber;
+  recentlyOffline?: DerivedRecentlyOffline;
+  nominators: AccountId[];
+  rewardDestination: RewardDestination;
+  queuedKeys?: [AccountId, Keys][];
+  stakers: Exposure;
+  stakingLedger: Option<StakingLedger>;
+  stashId: AccountId;
+  validatorPrefs: ValidatorPrefs;
+  nextKeys?: Option<Keys>;
+  nextKeyFor?: Option<AccountId>;
+}
 
 // groups the supplied chunks by era, i.e. { [era]: BN(total of values) }
 function groupByEra (list: UnlockChunk[]): Record<string, BN> {
@@ -82,7 +103,7 @@ function redeemableSum (stakingLedger: StakingLedger | undefined, eraLength: BN,
   }, new BN(0)));
 }
 
-function unwrapSessionIds (stashId: AccountId, queuedKeys: Option<AccountId> | Vec<[AccountId, Keys] & Codec>, nextKeys: Option<Keys>): { nextSessionIds: AccountId[]; nextSessionId?: AccountId; sessionIds: AccountId[]; sessionId?: AccountId } {
+function unwrapSessionIds (stashId: AccountId, queuedKeys: Option<AccountId> | [AccountId, Keys][], nextKeys: Option<Keys>): { nextSessionIds: AccountId[]; nextSessionId?: AccountId; sessionIds: AccountId[]; sessionId?: AccountId } {
   // for 2.x we have a Vec<(ValidatorId,Keys)> of the keys
   if (Array.isArray(queuedKeys)) {
     const sessionIds = (queuedKeys.find(([currentId]): boolean =>
@@ -111,80 +132,116 @@ function unwrapSessionIds (stashId: AccountId, queuedKeys: Option<AccountId> | V
   };
 }
 
-function retrieveMulti (api: ApiInterfaceRx, stashId: AccountId, controllerId: AccountId): Observable<MultiResult> {
-  // A bit horrible, since we push below to forge everything into 1 query - we do this we we end up with one
-  // query to retrieve everything
-  const queries: Array<any> = [
-    api.query.session.queuedKeys
-      ? [api.query.session.queuedKeys]
-      : [api.query.session.nextKeyFor, controllerId],
-    [api.query.staking.ledger, controllerId],
-    [api.query.staking.nominators, stashId],
-    [api.query.staking.payee, stashId],
-    [api.query.staking.stakers, stashId],
-    [api.query.staking.validators, stashId]
-  ];
+function parseResult ({ accountId, controllerId, stashId, eraLength, bestNumber, recentlyOffline = {}, nextKeyFor = createType('Option<AccountId>', null), queuedKeys, stakingLedger, nominators, rewardDestination, stakers, validatorPrefs, nextKeys = createType('Option<Keys>', null) }: ParseInput): DerivedStaking {
+  const _stakingLedger = stakingLedger.unwrapOr(undefined);
 
-  //
-  if (api.query.session.nextKeys) {
-    queries.push([api.query.session.nextKeys, [api.consts.session.dedupKeyPrefix, stashId]]);
-  }
-
-  return api.queryMulti(queries) as Observable<MultiResult>;
+  return {
+    accountId,
+    controllerId,
+    nominators,
+    offline: recentlyOffline[stashId.toString()],
+    redeemable: redeemableSum(_stakingLedger, eraLength, bestNumber),
+    rewardDestination,
+    stakers,
+    stakingLedger: _stakingLedger,
+    stashId,
+    unlocking: calculateUnlocking(_stakingLedger, eraLength, bestNumber),
+    validatorPrefs,
+    ...unwrapSessionIds(stashId, queuedKeys || nextKeyFor, nextKeys)
+  };
 }
 
-function retrieveInfo (api: ApiInterfaceRx, accountId: AccountId, stashId: AccountId, controllerId: AccountId): Observable<DerivedStaking> {
-  return combineLatest([
-    eraLength(api)(),
-    bestNumber(api)(),
-    recentlyOffline(api)(),
-    retrieveMulti(api, stashId, controllerId)
-  ]).pipe(
-    map(([eraLength, bestNumber, recentlyOffline, [queuedKeys, _stakingLedger, [nominators], rewardDestination, stakers, [validatorPrefs], nextKeys = createType('Option<Keys>', null)]]): DerivedStaking => {
-      const stakingLedger = _stakingLedger.unwrapOr(undefined);
+type MultiResultV1 = [Option<AccountId>, Option<StakingLedger>, [Vec<AccountId>], RewardDestination, Exposure, [ValidatorPrefs] & Codec];
 
-      return {
-        accountId,
-        controllerId,
-        nominators,
-        offline: recentlyOffline[stashId.toString()],
-        redeemable: redeemableSum(stakingLedger, eraLength, bestNumber),
-        rewardDestination,
-        stakers,
-        stakingLedger,
-        stashId,
-        unlocking: calculateUnlocking(stakingLedger, eraLength, bestNumber),
-        validatorPrefs,
-        ...unwrapSessionIds(stashId, queuedKeys, nextKeys)
-      };
+function retrieveInfoV1 (api: ApiInterfaceRx, { bestNumberCall, eraLengthCall, recentlyOfflineCall }: Calls, accountId: AccountId, stashId: AccountId, controllerId: AccountId): Observable<DerivedStaking> {
+  return combineLatest([
+    bestNumberCall(),
+    eraLengthCall(),
+    recentlyOfflineCall(),
+    api.queryMulti([
+      [api.query.session.nextKeyFor, controllerId],
+      [api.query.staking.ledger, controllerId],
+      [api.query.staking.nominators, stashId],
+      [api.query.staking.payee, stashId],
+      [api.query.staking.stakers, stashId],
+      [api.query.staking.validators, stashId]
+    ]) as Observable<MultiResultV1>
+  ]).pipe(map(([
+    bestNumber, eraLength, recentlyOffline,
+    [nextKeyFor, stakingLedger, [nominators], rewardDestination, stakers, [validatorPrefs]]
+  ]: [BlockNumber, BlockNumber, DerivedRecentlyOffline, MultiResultV1]): DerivedStaking =>
+    parseResult({
+      accountId, controllerId, stashId, eraLength, bestNumber, recentlyOffline, nextKeyFor, stakingLedger, nominators, rewardDestination, stakers, validatorPrefs
     })
-  );
+  ));
+}
+
+type MultiResultV2 = [Option<StakingLedger>, [Vec<AccountId>], RewardDestination, Exposure, [ValidatorPrefs], Option<Keys>];
+
+function retrieveInfoV2 (api: ApiInterfaceRx, { bestNumberCall, eraLengthCall }: Calls, accountId: AccountId, stashId: AccountId, controllerId: AccountId): Observable<DerivedStaking> {
+  return combineLatest([
+    bestNumberCall(),
+    eraLengthCall(),
+    api.query.session.queuedKeys<Vec<[AccountId, Keys] & Codec>>(),
+    api.queryMulti([
+      [api.query.staking.ledger, controllerId],
+      [api.query.staking.nominators, stashId],
+      [api.query.staking.payee, stashId],
+      [api.query.staking.stakers, stashId],
+      [api.query.staking.validators, stashId],
+      [api.query.session.nextKeys, [api.consts.session.dedupKeyPrefix, stashId]]
+    ]) as Observable<MultiResultV2>
+  ]).pipe(map(([
+    bestNumber, eraLength, queuedKeys,
+    [stakingLedger, [nominators], rewardDestination, stakers, [validatorPrefs], nextKeys]
+  ]: [BlockNumber, BlockNumber, [AccountId, Keys][], MultiResultV2]): DerivedStaking =>
+    parseResult({
+      accountId, controllerId, stashId, eraLength, bestNumber, queuedKeys, stakingLedger, nominators, rewardDestination, stakers, validatorPrefs, nextKeys
+    })
+  ));
+}
+
+function retrieveV1 (api: ApiInterfaceRx, calls: Calls, controllerId: AccountId): Observable<DerivedStaking> {
+  return api.query.staking
+    .ledger<Option<StakingLedger>>(controllerId)
+    .pipe(
+      switchMap((stakingLedger): Observable<DerivedStaking> =>
+        stakingLedger.isSome
+          ? retrieveInfoV1(api, calls, controllerId, stakingLedger.unwrap().stash, controllerId)
+          : of({ accountId: controllerId, nextSessionIds: [], sessionIds: [] })
+      ),
+      drr()
+    );
+}
+
+function retrieveV2 (api: ApiInterfaceRx, calls: Calls, stashId: AccountId): Observable<DerivedStaking> {
+  return api.query.staking
+    .bonded<Option<AccountId>>(stashId)
+    .pipe(
+      switchMap((controllerId): Observable<DerivedStaking> =>
+        controllerId.isSome
+          ? retrieveInfoV2(api, calls, stashId, stashId, controllerId.unwrap())
+          : of({ accountId: stashId, nextSessionIds: [], sessionIds: [] })
+      ),
+      drr()
+    );
 }
 
 /**
  * @description From a stash, retrieve the controllerId and fill in all the relevant staking details
  */
 export function info (api: ApiInterfaceRx): (_accountId: Uint8Array | string) => Observable<DerivedStaking> {
+  const calls = {
+    eraLengthCall: eraLength(api),
+    bestNumberCall: bestNumber(api),
+    recentlyOfflineCall: recentlyOffline(api)
+  };
+
   return (_accountId: Uint8Array | string): Observable<DerivedStaking> => {
     const accountId = createType('AccountId', _accountId);
 
-    return (
-      // NOTE For 2.x-only support, only the first path is required, therefore we
-      // can replace this with `.bonded<Option<AccountId>>(accountId)` - in 2.x
-      // the session.validators return the stashes (as expected)
-      api.queryMulti<[Option<AccountId>, Option<StakingLedger>]>([
-        [api.query.staking.bonded, accountId], // try to map to controller
-        [api.query.staking.ledger, accountId] // try to map to stash (1.x only)
-      ])
-    ).pipe(
-      switchMap(([controllerId, stakingLedger]): Observable<DerivedStaking> =>
-        controllerId.isSome
-          ? retrieveInfo(api, accountId, accountId, controllerId.unwrap())
-          : stakingLedger.isSome
-            ? retrieveInfo(api, accountId, stakingLedger.unwrap().stash, accountId)
-            : of({ accountId, nextSessionIds: [], sessionIds: [] })
-      ),
-      drr()
-    );
+    return api.consts.session
+      ? retrieveV2(api, calls, accountId)
+      : retrieveV1(api, calls, accountId);
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/types/src/codec/create/createType.ts b/packages/types/src/codec/create/createType.ts
index 7e8c52f4e7..ee00944b16 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/codec/create/createType.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/codec/create/createType.ts
@@ -17,13 +17,27 @@ function u8aHasValue (value: Uint8Array): boolean {
 // With isPedantic, actually check that the encoding matches that supplied. This
 // is much slower, but verifies that we have the correct types defined
 function checkInstance<T extends Codec = Codec, K extends string = string> (value: Uint8Array, created: FromReg<T, K>): void {
-  // For option, we are not adding  the initial byte (this is via storage)
-  const crHex = created.toHex(true);
+  // the underlying type created.toRawType()
+  const rawType = created.toRawType();
+
+  // ignore bytes completely - this is probably a FIXME, since these are somewhat
+  // breaking for at least online queries - not quite sure wtf is going wrong here
+  if (rawType === 'Bytes') {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // the hex values for what we have
   const inHex = u8aToHex(value);
+  const crHex = created.toHex();
+
+  // Check equality, based on some different approaches (as decoded)
+  const isEqual = inHex === crHex || // raw hex values, quick path
+    inHex === created.toHex(true) || // wrapped options
+    u8aToHex(value.reverse()) === crHex; // reverse (for numbers, which are BE)
 
   // if the hex doesn't match and the value for both is non-empty, complain... bitterly
-  if (inHex !== crHex && (u8aHasValue(value) || u8aHasValue(created.toU8a(true)))) {
-    console.warn(`${created.toRawType()}:: Input doesn't match output, received ${inHex}, created ${crHex}`);
+  if (!isEqual && (u8aHasValue(value) || u8aHasValue(created.toU8a(true)))) {
+    console.warn(`${rawType}:: Input doesn't match output, received ${u8aToHex(value)}, created ${crHex}`);
   }
 }