diff --git a/.changeset/shiny-wings-play.md b/.changeset/shiny-wings-play.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d8b5a87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/shiny-wings-play.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@cartesi/sdk": patch
+---
+
+raise the devnet anvil's state retention from 3,600 to 86,400 past blocks (--max-persisted-states 86400, the value the rollups-node devnet uses), so reads at older blocks keep working through long cartesi run sessions
diff --git a/packages/sdk/devnet b/packages/sdk/devnet
index 960f2d6c..418adf17 100755
--- a/packages/sdk/devnet
+++ b/packages/sdk/devnet
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env sh
 set -e
-exec anvil --load-state /usr/share/cartesi/anvil_state.json "$@"
+exec anvil --load-state /usr/share/cartesi/anvil_state.json --preserve-historical-states --max-persisted-states 86400 "$@"