diff --git a/packages/syft/src/syft/protocol/protocol_version.json b/packages/syft/src/syft/protocol/protocol_version.json
index fa31a1419b6..f0100bd0182 100644
--- a/packages/syft/src/syft/protocol/protocol_version.json
+++ b/packages/syft/src/syft/protocol/protocol_version.json
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@
       "SeaweedSecureFilePathLocation": {
         "2": {
           "version": 2,
-          "hash": "3ca49db7536a33d5712485164e95406000df9af2aed78e9f9fa2bb2bbbb34fe6",
+          "hash": "5fd63fed2a4efba8c2b6c7a7b5e9b5939181781c331230896aa130b6fd558739",
           "action": "add"
         }
       },
diff --git a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/blob_storage/service.py b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/blob_storage/service.py
index f485c2e67bf..d1ef73aab9f 100644
--- a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/blob_storage/service.py
+++ b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/blob_storage/service.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 from ...types.blob_storage import BlobStorageEntry
 from ...types.blob_storage import BlobStorageMetadata
 from ...types.blob_storage import CreateBlobStorageEntry
+from ...types.blob_storage import SeaweedSecureFilePathLocation
 from ...types.uid import UID
 from ..context import AuthedServiceContext
 from ..response import SyftError
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ def mount_azure(
         account_key: str,
         container_name: str,
         bucket_name: str,
+        use_direct_connections=True,
     ):
         # stdlib
 
@@ -105,14 +107,22 @@ def mount_azure(
         objects = res["Contents"]
         file_sizes = [object["Size"] for object in objects]
         file_paths = [object["Key"] for object in objects]
-        secure_file_paths = [
-            AzureSecureFilePathLocation(
-                path=file_path,
-                azure_profile_name=remote_name,
-                bucket_name=bucket_name,
-            )
-            for file_path in file_paths
-        ]
+        if use_direct_connections:
+            secure_file_paths = [
+                AzureSecureFilePathLocation(
+                    path=file_path,
+                    azure_profile_name=remote_name,
+                    bucket_name=bucket_name,
+                )
+                for file_path in file_paths
+            ]
+        else:
+            secure_file_paths = [
+                SeaweedSecureFilePathLocation(
+                    path=file_path,
+                )
+                for file_path in file_paths
+            ]
 
         for sfp, file_size in zip(secure_file_paths, file_sizes):
             blob_storage_entry = BlobStorageEntry(
diff --git a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/dataset/dataset.py b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/dataset/dataset.py
index 6d656c206dc..87fed2a65b2 100644
--- a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/dataset/dataset.py
+++ b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/dataset/dataset.py
@@ -413,13 +413,13 @@ def check(self) -> Union[SyftSuccess, SyftError]:
             return SyftError(
                 message=f"set_obj type {type(self.data)} must match set_mock type {type(self.mock)}"
             )
-        if not _is_action_data_empty(self.mock):
-            data_shape = get_shape_or_len(self.data)
-            mock_shape = get_shape_or_len(self.mock)
-            if data_shape != mock_shape:
-                return SyftError(
-                    message=f"set_obj shape {data_shape} must match set_mock shape {mock_shape}"
-                )
+        # if not _is_action_data_empty(self.mock):
+        #     data_shape = get_shape_or_len(self.data)
+        #     mock_shape = get_shape_or_len(self.mock)
+        #     if data_shape != mock_shape:
+        #         return SyftError(
+        #             message=f"set_obj shape {data_shape} must match set_mock shape {mock_shape}"
+        #         )
         total_size_mb = get_mb_size(self.data) + get_mb_size(self.mock)
         if total_size_mb > DATA_SIZE_WARNING_LIMIT:
             print(
@@ -438,7 +438,10 @@ def get_shape_or_len(obj: Any) -> Optional[Union[Tuple[int, ...], int]]:
             return shape
     len_attr = getattr(obj, "__len__", None)
     if len_attr is not None:
-        return len_attr()
+        len_value = len_attr()
+        if isinstance(len_value, int):
+            return (len_value,)
+        return len_value
     return None
 
 
@@ -774,6 +777,12 @@ def add_msg_creation_time(context: TransformContext) -> TransformContext:
     return context
 
 
+def add_default_node_uid(context: TransformContext) -> TransformContext:
+    if context.output["node_uid"] is None:
+        context.output["node_uid"] = context.node.id
+    return context
+
+
 @transform(CreateAsset, Asset)
 def createasset_to_asset() -> List[Callable]:
     return [
@@ -782,6 +791,7 @@ def createasset_to_asset() -> List[Callable]:
         infer_shape,
         create_and_store_twin,
         set_data_subjects,
+        add_default_node_uid,
     ]
 
 
diff --git a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/worker/worker_pool_service.py b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/worker/worker_pool_service.py
index 53577f5d4b1..6bd8143833d 100644
--- a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/worker/worker_pool_service.py
+++ b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/worker/worker_pool_service.py
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ def add_workers(
 
         result = self.image_stash.get_by_uid(
             credentials=context.credentials,
-            uid=worker_pool.syft_worker_image_id,
+            uid=worker_pool.image.id,
         )
 
         if result.is_err():
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ def add_workers(
             worker_stash=self.worker_stash,
         )
 
-        worker_pool.worker_list.append(worker_list)
+        worker_pool.worker_list += worker_list
         worker_pool.max_count = existing_worker_cnt + number
 
         update_result = self.stash.update(
diff --git a/packages/syft/src/syft/types/blob_storage.py b/packages/syft/src/syft/types/blob_storage.py
index 7f0438acf2e..899cb04fcbd 100644
--- a/packages/syft/src/syft/types/blob_storage.py
+++ b/packages/syft/src/syft/types/blob_storage.py
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ class SeaweedSecureFilePathLocation(SecureFilePathLocation):
     __canonical_name__ = "SeaweedSecureFilePathLocation"
     __version__ = SYFT_OBJECT_VERSION_2
 
-    upload_id: str
+    upload_id: Optional[str] = None
 
     def generate_url(self, connection, type_, bucket_name):
         try: