diff --git a/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_datasets.py b/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_datasets.py
index 605f0cb..3fe3848 100644
--- a/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_datasets.py
+++ b/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_datasets.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         merge_sites_df,
         anisotropy=(1.0, 1.0, 1.0),
-        brightness_clip=500,
+        brightness_clip=400,
         subgraph_radius=100,
         node_spacing=5,
         patch_shape=(128, 128, 128),
diff --git a/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_inference.py b/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_inference.py
index 6c3aa9c..7543dc2 100644
--- a/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_inference.py
+++ b/src/neuron_proofreader/merge_proofreading/merge_inference.py
@@ -350,9 +350,31 @@ def read_superchunk(self, nodes):
         superchunk = img_util.normalize(superchunk)
         return superchunk, start.astype(int)
 
+    def is_near_leaf(self, node, threshold=50):
+        # Check if node is branching
+        if self.graph.degree[node] > 2:
+            return False
+
+        # Search neighborhood
+        queue = [(node, 0)]
+        visited = {node}
+        while len(queue) > 0:
+            # Visit node
+            i, dist_i = queue.pop()
+            if self.graph.degree[i] == 1:
+                return True
+
+            # Update queue
+            for j in self.graph.neighbors(i):
+                dist_j = dist_i + self.graph.dist(i, j)
+                if j not in visited and dist_j < threshold:
+                    queue.append((j, dist_j))
+                    visited.add(j)
+        return False
+
     def is_node_valid(self, node):
         is_contained = self.is_contained(node)
-        is_nonleaf = self.graph.degree[node] > 1
+        is_nonleaf = self.is_near_leaf(node)
         return is_contained and is_nonleaf
 
 
diff --git a/src/neuron_proofreader/utils/ml_util.py b/src/neuron_proofreader/utils/ml_util.py
index b21a6aa..14cbe77 100644
--- a/src/neuron_proofreader/utils/ml_util.py
+++ b/src/neuron_proofreader/utils/ml_util.py
@@ -106,8 +106,7 @@ def init_mlp(input_dim, hidden_dim, output_dim, dropout=0.1):
     """
     mlp = nn.Sequential(
         nn.Linear(input_dim, hidden_dim),
-        #nn.LeakyReLU(),
-        nn.GELU(),
+        nn.LeakyReLU(),
         nn.Dropout(p=dropout),
         nn.Linear(hidden_dim, output_dim),
     )