diff --git a/noir-projects/noir-contracts/contracts/benchmarking_contract/src/main.nr b/noir-projects/noir-contracts/contracts/benchmarking_contract/src/main.nr
index d4eb3cff944c..895b386838d8 100644
--- a/noir-projects/noir-contracts/contracts/benchmarking_contract/src/main.nr
+++ b/noir-projects/noir-contracts/contracts/benchmarking_contract/src/main.nr
@@ -52,4 +52,10 @@ pub contract Benchmarking {
     fn broadcast(owner: AztecAddress) {
         context.emit_public_log(storage.balances.at(owner).read());
     }
+
+    // Does a bunch of heavy compute
+    #[public]
+    fn sha256_hash_2048(data: [u8; 2048]) -> [u8; 32] {
+        std::hash::sha256(data)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/bench_build_block.test.ts b/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/bench_build_block.test.ts
index a850c51463e0..c5f8d9464f8c 100644
--- a/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/bench_build_block.test.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/bench_build_block.test.ts
@@ -34,9 +34,16 @@ describe('benchmarks/build_block', () => {
   });
 
   const TX_COUNT = 32;
-  it(`builds a block with ${TX_COUNT} txs`, async () => {
+  it(`builds a block with ${TX_COUNT} standard txs`, async () => {
     await sequencer.updateSequencerConfig({ minTxsPerBlock: TX_COUNT });
     const sentTxs = await sendTxs(TX_COUNT, context, contract);
     await waitTxs(sentTxs, context);
   });
+
+  const TX_COUNT_HEAVY_COMPUTE = 8;
+  it(`builds a block with ${TX_COUNT_HEAVY_COMPUTE} compute-heavy txs`, async () => {
+    await sequencer.updateSequencerConfig({ minTxsPerBlock: TX_COUNT_HEAVY_COMPUTE });
+    const sentTxs = await sendTxs(TX_COUNT_HEAVY_COMPUTE, context, contract, /*heavyPublicComput=*/ true);
+    await waitTxs(sentTxs, context);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/utils.ts b/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/utils.ts
index 69ad995a7e33..1186a99a8fa2 100644
--- a/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/utils.ts
+++ b/yarn-project/end-to-end/src/bench/utils.ts
@@ -127,15 +127,27 @@ export function getFolderSize(path: string): number {
  * @param index - Index of the call within a block.
  * @param context - End to end context.
  * @param contract - Benchmarking contract.
+ * @param heavyPublicCompute - Whether the transactions include heavy public compute (like a big sha256).
  * @returns A BatchCall instance.
  */
-export async function makeCall(index: number, context: EndToEndContext, contract: BenchmarkingContract) {
+export async function makeCall(
+  index: number,
+  context: EndToEndContext,
+  contract: BenchmarkingContract,
+  heavyPublicCompute: boolean,
+) {
   const owner = context.wallet.getAddress();
   const sender = owner;
-  return new BatchCall(context.wallet, [
-    await contract.methods.create_note(owner, sender, index + 1).request(),
-    await contract.methods.increment_balance(owner, index + 1).request(),
-  ]);
+  if (heavyPublicCompute) {
+    return new BatchCall(context.wallet, [
+      await contract.methods.sha256_hash_2048(randomBytesAsBigInts(2048)).request(),
+    ]);
+  } else {
+    return new BatchCall(context.wallet, [
+      await contract.methods.create_note(owner, sender, index + 1).request(),
+      await contract.methods.increment_balance(owner, index + 1).request(),
+    ]);
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -144,14 +156,16 @@ export async function makeCall(index: number, context: EndToEndContext, contract
  * @param txCount - How many txs to send
  * @param context - End to end context.
  * @param contract - Target contract.
+ * @param heavyPublicCompute - Whether the transactions include heavy public compute (like a big sha256).
  * @returns Array of sent txs.
  */
 export async function sendTxs(
   txCount: number,
   context: EndToEndContext,
   contract: BenchmarkingContract,
+  heavyPublicCompute: boolean = false,
 ): Promise<SentTx[]> {
-  const calls = await timesParallel(txCount, index => makeCall(index, context, contract));
+  const calls = await timesParallel(txCount, index => makeCall(index, context, contract, heavyPublicCompute));
   context.logger.info(`Creating ${txCount} txs`);
   const provenTxs = await Promise.all(calls.map(call => call.prove({ skipPublicSimulation: true })));
   context.logger.info(`Sending ${txCount} txs`);
@@ -191,3 +205,7 @@ export async function createNewPXE(
   await pxe.registerContract(contract);
   return pxe;
 }
+
+function randomBytesAsBigInts(length: number): bigint[] {
+  return [...Array(length)].map(_ => BigInt(Math.floor(Math.random() * 255)));
+}