diff --git a/operator/Cargo.lock b/operator/Cargo.lock
index 1bb89b48..73cdab03 100644
--- a/operator/Cargo.lock
+++ b/operator/Cargo.lock
@@ -9479,6 +9479,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "pallet-timestamp",
  "parity-scale-codec",
  "scale-info",
+ "serde",
  "snowbridge-core 0.3.1",
  "snowbridge-outbound-queue-primitives",
  "sp-core",
diff --git a/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/Cargo.toml b/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/Cargo.toml
index d8b75886..cf9a9804 100644
--- a/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/Cargo.toml
+++ b/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/Cargo.toml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ sp-core = { workspace = true }
 sp-runtime = { workspace = true }
 pallet-external-validators = { workspace = true }
 sp-staking = { workspace = true }
+serde = { features = ["alloc", "derive"], workspace = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 pallet-timestamp = { workspace = true, features = ["std"] }
diff --git a/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/src/lib.rs b/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/src/lib.rs
index 025d5a09..e851f993 100644
--- a/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/src/lib.rs
+++ b/operator/pallets/external-validator-slashes/src/lib.rs
@@ -186,7 +186,9 @@ pub mod pallet {
     }
 
     #[apply(derive_storage_traits)]
-    #[derive(MaxEncodedLen, DecodeWithMemTracking, Default)]
+    #[derive(
+        MaxEncodedLen, DecodeWithMemTracking, serde::Deserialize, serde::Serialize, Default,
+    )]
     pub enum SlashingModeOption {
         #[default]
         Enabled,
@@ -235,6 +237,22 @@ pub mod pallet {
     #[pallet::storage]
     pub type SlashingMode<T: Config> = StorageValue<_, SlashingModeOption, ValueQuery>;
 
+    #[pallet::genesis_config]
+    #[derive(frame_support::DefaultNoBound)]
+    pub struct GenesisConfig<T: Config> {
+        // Slashing mode
+        pub slashing_mode: SlashingModeOption,
+        #[serde(skip)]
+        pub _config: PhantomData<T>,
+    }
+
+    #[pallet::genesis_build]
+    impl<T: Config> BuildGenesisConfig for GenesisConfig<T> {
+        fn build(&self) {
+            <SlashingMode<T>>::put(self.slashing_mode.clone());
+        }
+    }
+
     #[pallet::call]
     impl<T: Config> Pallet<T> {
         /// Cancel a slash that was deferred for a later era
diff --git a/operator/runtime/mainnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs b/operator/runtime/mainnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
index 82cab44e..85143732 100644
--- a/operator/runtime/mainnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
+++ b/operator/runtime/mainnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
 use alloc::{format, vec, vec::Vec};
 use fp_evm::GenesisAccount;
 use hex_literal::hex;
+use pallet_external_validator_slashes::SlashingModeOption;
 use pallet_im_online::sr25519::AuthorityId as ImOnlineId;
 use serde_json::Value;
 use sp_consensus_babe::AuthorityId as BabeId;
@@ -106,6 +107,10 @@ fn testnet_genesis(
             phantom: Default::default(),
             members: treasury_council_members,
         },
+        external_validators_slashes: pallet_external_validator_slashes::GenesisConfig {
+            slashing_mode: SlashingModeOption::Disabled,
+            ..Default::default()
+        },
         ..Default::default()
     };
 
diff --git a/operator/runtime/stagenet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs b/operator/runtime/stagenet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
index 15167767..844ade99 100644
--- a/operator/runtime/stagenet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
+++ b/operator/runtime/stagenet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
 use alloc::{format, vec, vec::Vec};
 use fp_evm::GenesisAccount;
 use hex_literal::hex;
+use pallet_external_validator_slashes::SlashingModeOption;
 use pallet_im_online::sr25519::AuthorityId as ImOnlineId;
 use serde_json::Value;
 use sp_consensus_babe::AuthorityId as BabeId;
@@ -106,6 +107,10 @@ fn testnet_genesis(
             phantom: Default::default(),
             members: treasury_council_members,
         },
+        external_validators_slashes: pallet_external_validator_slashes::GenesisConfig {
+            slashing_mode: SlashingModeOption::LogOnly,
+            ..Default::default()
+        },
         ..Default::default()
     };
 
diff --git a/operator/runtime/testnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs b/operator/runtime/testnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
index 8ffdd83f..9f23b0dd 100644
--- a/operator/runtime/testnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
+++ b/operator/runtime/testnet/src/genesis_config_presets.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::{
 use alloc::{format, vec, vec::Vec};
 use fp_evm::GenesisAccount;
 use hex_literal::hex;
+use pallet_external_validator_slashes::SlashingModeOption;
 use pallet_im_online::sr25519::AuthorityId as ImOnlineId;
 use serde_json::Value;
 use sp_consensus_babe::AuthorityId as BabeId;
@@ -106,6 +107,10 @@ fn testnet_genesis(
             phantom: Default::default(),
             members: treasury_council_members,
         },
+        external_validators_slashes: pallet_external_validator_slashes::GenesisConfig {
+            slashing_mode: SlashingModeOption::Disabled,
+            ..Default::default()
+        },
         ..Default::default()
     };