diff --git a/chain/chain/src/tests/simple_chain.rs b/chain/chain/src/tests/simple_chain.rs
index 55afe8ada7d..3243f9c98a4 100644
--- a/chain/chain/src/tests/simple_chain.rs
+++ b/chain/chain/src/tests/simple_chain.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ fn build_chain() {
     //     cargo insta test --accept -p near-chain --features nightly -- tests::simple_chain::build_chain
     let hash = chain.head().unwrap().last_block_hash;
     if cfg!(feature = "nightly") {
-        insta::assert_snapshot!(hash, @"CJaRGRZy7GE3KkSp55HE8VheYHzPr11nRpsh9rK9F1ag");
+        insta::assert_snapshot!(hash, @"C3zeKRZubVungxfrSdq379TSCYnuz2YzjEkcJTdm3pU4");
     } else {
         insta::assert_snapshot!(hash, @"2WHohfYksQnwKwSEoTKpkseu2RWthbGf9kmGetgHgfQQ");
     }
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ fn build_chain() {
 
     let hash = chain.head().unwrap().last_block_hash;
     if cfg!(feature = "nightly") {
-        insta::assert_snapshot!(hash, @"HoQty43QCe2RPp3iZWv61TaJWW18pTqaHu2t5hWtnVir");
+        insta::assert_snapshot!(hash, @"EjLaoHRiAdRp2NcDqwbMcAYYxGfcv5R7GuYUNfRpaJvB");
     } else {
         insta::assert_snapshot!(hash, @"HJuuENeSwwikoR9BZA7cSonxAPZgY5mKQWL2pSXwjAwZ");
     }
diff --git a/core/primitives-core/src/chains.rs b/core/primitives-core/src/chains.rs
index 93d039f28db..5ef7252bb83 100644
--- a/core/primitives-core/src/chains.rs
+++ b/core/primitives-core/src/chains.rs
@@ -8,3 +8,6 @@ pub const TESTNET: &str = "testnet";
 
 /// Temporary StatelessNet active from 2024-02-01.
 pub const STATELESSNET: &str = "statelessnet";
+
+/// Pre-release testing environment.
+pub const MOCKNET: &str = "mocknet";
diff --git a/core/primitives-core/src/version.rs b/core/primitives-core/src/version.rs
index 45b8961518c..36d18036e47 100644
--- a/core/primitives-core/src/version.rs
+++ b/core/primitives-core/src/version.rs
@@ -149,9 +149,8 @@ pub enum ProtocolFeature {
     SingleShardTracking,
     // Stateless validation: state witness size limits.
     StateWitnessSizeLimit,
-    // Stateless validation: in statelessnet, shuffle shard assignments for chunk producers every
-    // epoch.
-    StatelessnetShuffleShardAssignmentsForChunkProducers,
+    // Shuffle shard assignments for chunk producers at every epoch.
+    ShuffleShardAssignments,
     // Stateless validation: limit the size of storage proof generated by a single receipt.
     // Receipts which generate storage proofs larger than this limit will be rejected.
     // Protocol 85 also decreased the soft per-chunk storage proof limit to 3MB.
@@ -222,7 +221,6 @@ impl ProtocolFeature {
             ProtocolFeature::LowerValidatorKickoutPercentForDebugging => 81,
             ProtocolFeature::SingleShardTracking => 82,
             ProtocolFeature::StateWitnessSizeLimit => 83,
-            ProtocolFeature::StatelessnetShuffleShardAssignmentsForChunkProducers => 84,
             ProtocolFeature::PerReceiptHardStorageProofLimit => 85,
             ProtocolFeature::PartialEncodedStateWitness => 86,
 
@@ -237,6 +235,9 @@ impl ProtocolFeature {
             #[cfg(feature = "protocol_feature_nonrefundable_transfer_nep491")]
             ProtocolFeature::NonrefundableStorage => 140,
             ProtocolFeature::CongestionControl => 142,
+            // TODO(#11201): When stabilizing this feature in mainnet, also remove the temporary code
+            // that always enables this for mocknet (see config_mocknet function).
+            ProtocolFeature::ShuffleShardAssignments => 143,
         }
     }
 
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ pub const PROTOCOL_VERSION: ProtocolVersion = if cfg!(feature = "statelessnet_pr
     86
 } else if cfg!(feature = "nightly_protocol") {
     // On nightly, pick big enough version to support all features.
-    142
+    143
 } else {
     // Enable all stable features.
     STABLE_PROTOCOL_VERSION
diff --git a/core/primitives/src/epoch_manager.rs b/core/primitives/src/epoch_manager.rs
index 8ecc3a80d31..fe36145dcc0 100644
--- a/core/primitives/src/epoch_manager.rs
+++ b/core/primitives/src/epoch_manager.rs
@@ -132,12 +132,16 @@ impl AllEpochConfig {
     pub fn for_protocol_version(&self, protocol_version: ProtocolVersion) -> EpochConfig {
         let mut config = self.genesis_epoch_config.clone();
 
+        Self::config_mocknet(&mut config, &self.chain_id);
+
         Self::config_stateless_net(&mut config, &self.chain_id, protocol_version);
 
         if !self.use_production_config {
             return config;
         }
 
+        Self::config_validator_selection(&mut config, protocol_version);
+
         Self::config_nightshade(&mut config, protocol_version);
 
         Self::config_chunk_only_producers(&mut config, &self.chain_id, protocol_version);
@@ -153,33 +157,44 @@ impl AllEpochConfig {
         &self.chain_id
     }
 
+    /// Configures mocknet-specific features only.
+    fn config_mocknet(config: &mut EpochConfig, chain_id: &str) {
+        if chain_id != near_primitives_core::chains::MOCKNET {
+            return;
+        }
+        // In production (mainnet/testnet) and nightly environments this setting is guarded by
+        // ProtocolFeature::ShuffleShardAssignments. (see config_validator_selection function).
+        // For pre-release environment such as mocknet, which uses features between production and nightly
+        // (eg. stateless validation) we enable it by default with stateless validation in order to exercise
+        // the codepaths for state sync more often.
+        // TODO(#11201): When stabilizing "ShuffleShardAssignments" in mainnet,
+        // also remove this temporary code and always rely on ShuffleShardAssignments.
+        config.validator_selection_config.shuffle_shard_assignment_for_chunk_producers = true;
+    }
+
+    /// Configures statelessnet-specific features only.
     fn config_stateless_net(
         config: &mut EpochConfig,
         chain_id: &str,
         protocol_version: ProtocolVersion,
     ) {
-        // StatelessNet only.
-        if chain_id == near_primitives_core::chains::STATELESSNET {
-            // Lower the kickout threshold so the network is more stable while
-            // we figure out issues with block and chunk production.
-            if checked_feature!(
-                "stable",
-                LowerValidatorKickoutPercentForDebugging,
-                protocol_version
-            ) {
-                config.block_producer_kickout_threshold = 50;
-                config.chunk_producer_kickout_threshold = 50;
-            }
-            // Shuffle shard assignments every epoch, to trigger state sync more
-            // frequently to exercise that code path.
-            if checked_feature!(
-                "stable",
-                StatelessnetShuffleShardAssignmentsForChunkProducers,
-                protocol_version
-            ) {
-                config.validator_selection_config.shuffle_shard_assignment_for_chunk_producers =
-                    true;
-            }
+        if chain_id != near_primitives_core::chains::STATELESSNET {
+            return;
+        }
+        // Lower the kickout threshold so the network is more stable while
+        // we figure out issues with block and chunk production.
+        if checked_feature!("stable", LowerValidatorKickoutPercentForDebugging, protocol_version) {
+            config.block_producer_kickout_threshold = 50;
+            config.chunk_producer_kickout_threshold = 50;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Configures validator-selection related features.
+    fn config_validator_selection(config: &mut EpochConfig, protocol_version: ProtocolVersion) {
+        // Shuffle shard assignments every epoch, to trigger state sync more
+        // frequently to exercise that code path.
+        if checked_feature!("stable", ShuffleShardAssignments, protocol_version) {
+            config.validator_selection_config.shuffle_shard_assignment_for_chunk_producers = true;
         }
     }