diff --git a/interchaintest/chain_upgrade_test.go b/interchaintest/chain_upgrade_test.go
index 49ee1d111..6b073ae2d 100644
--- a/interchaintest/chain_upgrade_test.go
+++ b/interchaintest/chain_upgrade_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	junoconformance "github.com/CosmosContracts/juno/tests/interchaintest/conformance"
+	helpers "github.com/CosmosContracts/juno/tests/interchaintest/helpers"
 	cosmosproto "github.com/cosmos/gogoproto/proto"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/client"
 	"github.com/strangelove-ventures/interchaintest/v7"
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	chainName   = "juno"
-	upgradeName = "v19"
+	upgradeName = "v20"
 
 	haltHeightDelta    = uint64(9) // will propose upgrade this many blocks in the future
 	blocksAfterUpgrade = uint64(7)
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ var (
 	// baseChain is the current version of the chain that will be upgraded from
 	baseChain = ibc.DockerImage{
 		Repository: JunoMainRepo,
-		Version:    "v18.0.0",
+		Version:    "v19.1.0",
 		UidGid:     "1025:1025",
 	}
 )
@@ -82,6 +83,9 @@ func CosmosChainUpgradeTest(t *testing.T, chainName, upgradeBranchVersion, upgra
 	users := interchaintest.GetAndFundTestUsers(t, ctx, t.Name(), userFunds, chain)
 	chainUser := users[0]
 
+	// execute a contract before the upgrade
+	beforeContract := junoconformance.StdExecute(t, ctx, chain, chainUser)
+
 	// upgrade
 	height, err := chain.Height(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "error fetching height before submit upgrade proposal")
@@ -93,6 +97,9 @@ func CosmosChainUpgradeTest(t *testing.T, chainName, upgradeBranchVersion, upgra
 
 	UpgradeNodes(t, ctx, chain, client, haltHeight, upgradeRepo, upgradeBranchVersion)
 
+	// confirm we can execute against the beforeContract (ref: v20 upgrade patch)
+	helpers.ExecuteMsgWithFee(t, ctx, chain, chainUser, beforeContract, "", "10000"+chain.Config().Denom, `{"increment":{}}`)
+
 	// Post Upgrade: Conformance Validation
 	junoconformance.ConformanceCosmWasm(t, ctx, chain, chainUser)
 	// TODO: ibc conformance test
diff --git a/interchaintest/conformance/cosmwasm.go b/interchaintest/conformance/cosmwasm.go
index 592f990b1..0941f93da 100644
--- a/interchaintest/conformance/cosmwasm.go
+++ b/interchaintest/conformance/cosmwasm.go
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ import (
 
 // ConformanceCosmWasm validates that store, instantiate, execute, and query work on a CosmWasm contract.
 func ConformanceCosmWasm(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, chain *cosmos.CosmosChain, user ibc.Wallet) {
-	std(t, ctx, chain, user)
+	StdExecute(t, ctx, chain, user)
 	subMsg(t, ctx, chain, user)
 }
 
-func std(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, chain *cosmos.CosmosChain, user ibc.Wallet) {
-	_, contractAddr := helpers.SetupContract(t, ctx, chain, user.KeyName(), "contracts/cw_template.wasm", `{"count":0}`)
+func StdExecute(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, chain *cosmos.CosmosChain, user ibc.Wallet) (contractAddr string) {
+	_, contractAddr = helpers.SetupContract(t, ctx, chain, user.KeyName(), "contracts/cw_template.wasm", `{"count":0}`)
 	helpers.ExecuteMsgWithFee(t, ctx, chain, user, contractAddr, "", "10000"+chain.Config().Denom, `{"increment":{}}`)
 
 	var res helpers.GetCountResponse
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ func std(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, chain *cosmos.CosmosChain, user ibc.
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	require.Equal(t, int64(1), res.Data.Count)
+
+	return contractAddr
 }
 
 func subMsg(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, chain *cosmos.CosmosChain, user ibc.Wallet) {