diff --git a/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/client_utils.rs b/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/client_utils.rs
index bf4a07c4..64b39c03 100644
--- a/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/client_utils.rs
+++ b/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/client_utils.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,11 @@ where
 
     setup_timer.stop();
 
-    SharedMemoryEngine::read_pcs_setup_from_shared_memory()
+    // Prover setup not needed on client side (server does the proving).
+    // Verifier setup is required for verification, so read it from shared memory.
+    let (_prover_setup, verifier_setup) =
+        SharedMemoryEngine::read_pcs_setup_from_shared_memory::<C::FieldConfig, C::PCSConfig>();
+    (ExpanderProverSetup::default(), verifier_setup)
 }
 
 pub fn client_send_witness_and_prove<C, ECCConfig>(
@@ -152,8 +156,39 @@ where
 {
     let timer = Timer::new("prove", true);
 
+    // Reset ack signal, then write witness
+    SharedMemoryEngine::reset_witness_ack();
     SharedMemoryEngine::write_witness_to_shared_memory::<C::FieldConfig>(device_memories);
-    wait_async(ClientHttpHelper::request_prove());
+
+    #[cfg(all(target_os = "linux", target_env = "gnu"))]
+    {
+        extern "C" {
+            fn malloc_trim(pad: usize) -> i32;
+        }
+        unsafe {
+            malloc_trim(0);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Async: send prove request + poll for witness ack to release shared memory early
+    let rt = tokio::runtime::Runtime::new().unwrap();
+    rt.block_on(async {
+        let prove_handle = tokio::spawn(async {
+            ClientHttpHelper::request_prove().await;
+        });
+
+        // Poll witness_ack; once server confirms read, release witness shared memory
+        tokio::task::spawn_blocking(|| {
+            SharedMemoryEngine::wait_for_witness_read_complete();
+            unsafe {
+                super::shared_memory_utils::SHARED_MEMORY.witness = None;
+            }
+        })
+        .await
+        .expect("Witness cleanup task failed");
+
+        prove_handle.await.expect("Prove task failed");
+    });
 
     let proof = SharedMemoryEngine::read_proof_from_shared_memory();
 
diff --git a/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/server_ctrl.rs b/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/server_ctrl.rs
index 27919a50..f51dd509 100644
--- a/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/server_ctrl.rs
+++ b/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/server_ctrl.rs
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ where
             let mut witness_win = state.wt_shared_memory_win.lock().await;
             S::setup_shared_witness(&state.global_mpi_config, &mut witness, &mut witness_win);
 
+            // Signal client: witness has been read, shared memory can be released
+            SharedMemoryEngine::signal_witness_read_complete();
+
             let prover_setup_guard = state.prover_setup.lock().await;
             let computation_graph = state.computation_graph.lock().await;
 
diff --git a/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/shared_memory_utils.rs b/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/shared_memory_utils.rs
index 648f33a8..b03aa639 100644
--- a/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/shared_memory_utils.rs
+++ b/expander_compiler/src/zkcuda/proving_system/expander_parallelized/shared_memory_utils.rs
@@ -18,12 +18,15 @@ pub struct SharedMemory {
     pub pcs_setup: Option<Shmem>,
     pub witness: Option<Shmem>,
     pub proof: Option<Shmem>,
+    /// 1-byte signal: 0 = witness not read, 1 = server finished reading witness
+    pub witness_ack: Option<Shmem>,
 }
 
 pub static mut SHARED_MEMORY: SharedMemory = SharedMemory {
     pcs_setup: None,
     witness: None,
     proof: None,
+    witness_ack: None,
 };
 
 pub struct SharedMemoryEngine {}
@@ -106,6 +109,56 @@ impl SharedMemoryEngine {
         Self::read_object_from_shared_memory("pcs_setup", 0)
     }
 
+    /// Client: reset witness_ack to 0 (call before writing witness)
+    pub fn reset_witness_ack() {
+        unsafe {
+            Self::allocate_shared_memory_if_necessary(
+                &mut SHARED_MEMORY.witness_ack,
+                "witness_ack",
+                1,
+            );
+            let ptr = SHARED_MEMORY.witness_ack.as_mut().unwrap().as_ptr();
+            std::ptr::write_volatile(ptr, 0u8);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Server: set witness_ack to 1 (call after reading witness)
+    pub fn signal_witness_read_complete() {
+        let shmem = ShmemConf::new()
+            .flink("witness_ack")
+            .open()
+            .expect("Failed to open witness_ack shared memory");
+        unsafe {
+            std::ptr::write_volatile(shmem.as_ptr(), 1u8);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Client: poll until witness_ack becomes 1, with a timeout to avoid hanging
+    /// if the server crashes.
+    pub fn wait_for_witness_read_complete() {
+        const TIMEOUT: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(300);
+        let start = std::time::Instant::now();
+        unsafe {
+            let ptr = SHARED_MEMORY
+                .witness_ack
+                .as_ref()
+                .expect("witness_ack not initialized, call reset_witness_ack first")
+                .as_ptr() as *const u8;
+            loop {
+                if std::ptr::read_volatile(ptr) != 0 {
+                    break;
+                }
+                if start.elapsed() > TIMEOUT {
+                    panic!(
+                        "Timed out waiting for server to read witness ({}s)",
+                        TIMEOUT.as_secs()
+                    );
+                }
+                std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(10));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn write_witness_to_shared_memory<F: FieldEngine>(values: Vec<Vec<F::SimdCircuitField>>) {
         let total_size = std::mem::size_of::<usize>()
             + values