diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_benchmarks_proto/cache_benchmarks.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_benchmarks_proto/cache_benchmarks.ml
index 875d80b6897aba48905450a924e4387d9a19f420..e6cdd5e17d3b6ac10d1adabe6509bf25b52f28d8 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_benchmarks_proto/cache_benchmarks.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_benchmarks_proto/cache_benchmarks.ml
@@ -95,14 +95,12 @@ module Cache_shared_config = struct
 end
 
 (* We can't produce a Script_cache.identifier without calling [Script_cache.find]. *)
-let identifier_of_contract (c : Alpha_context.Contract.t) : Cache.identifier =
+let identifier_of_contract (c : Contract_hash.t) : Cache.identifier =
   let _, id, _ = Cache.find throwaway_context c |> assert_ok_lwt in
   id
 
-let contract_of_int i : Alpha_context.Contract.t =
-  Alpha_context.Contract.of_b58check
-    Contract_hash.(to_b58check (hash_string [string_of_int i]))
-  |> assert_ok
+let contract_of_int i : Contract_hash.t =
+  Contract_hash.(of_b58check_exn (to_b58check (hash_string [string_of_int i])))
 
 let identifier_of_int i = identifier_of_contract @@ contract_of_int i
 
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli
index dac109654d597a833354f59a749a5527ad0f8318..abcfb614768d112267e5054efa937eff6b6b00d5 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli
@@ -399,13 +399,13 @@ val cached_contracts :
   #Protocol_client_context.full ->
   chain:Shell_services.chain ->
   block:Shell_services.block ->
-  (Contract.t * int) list tzresult Lwt.t
+  (Contract_hash.t * int) list tzresult Lwt.t
 
 val contract_rank :
   #Protocol_client_context.full ->
   chain:Shell_services.chain ->
   block:Shell_services.block ->
-  Contract.t ->
+  Contract_hash.t ->
   int option tzresult Lwt.t
 
 val contract_cache_size :
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml
index 7496e2e7c9982855b898870bef19852cf5348772..36a849a75bd63f9ee55d5623dc86358355882d88 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml
@@ -201,8 +201,7 @@ let commands_ro () =
         cached_contracts cctxt ~chain:cctxt#chain ~block:cctxt#block
         >>=? fun keys ->
         List.iter_s
-          (fun (key, size) ->
-            cctxt#message "%a %d" Alpha_context.Contract.pp key size)
+          (fun (key, size) -> cctxt#message "%a %d" Contract_hash.pp key size)
           keys
         >>= fun () -> return_unit);
     command
@@ -213,15 +212,11 @@ let commands_ro () =
       @@ OriginatedContractAlias.destination_param ~name:"src" ~desc:"contract"
       @@ stop)
       (fun () contract (cctxt : Protocol_client_context.full) ->
-        let contract = Contract.Originated contract in
         contract_rank cctxt ~chain:cctxt#chain ~block:cctxt#block contract
         >>=? fun rank ->
         match rank with
         | None ->
-            cctxt#error
-              "Invalid contract: %a"
-              Alpha_context.Contract.pp
-              contract
+            cctxt#error "Invalid contract: %a" Contract_hash.pp contract
             >>= fun () -> return_unit
         | Some rank -> cctxt#message "%d" rank >>= fun () -> return_unit);
     command
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.ml
index 6c8161d4cae1a9cdffedded66adff639f7125df7..ad6eccf851a5488604fdb8cdb2abf85975acc173 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.ml
@@ -197,8 +197,7 @@ module Cache = struct
       RPC_service.get_service
         ~description:"Return the list of cached contracts"
         ~query:RPC_query.empty
-        ~output:
-          Data_encoding.(list @@ tup2 Alpha_context.Contract.encoding int31)
+        ~output:Data_encoding.(list @@ tup2 Contract_hash.encoding int31)
         RPC_path.(custom_root / "context" / "cache" / "contracts" / "all")
 
     let contract_cache_size =
@@ -222,7 +221,7 @@ module Cache = struct
           "Return the number of cached contracts older than the provided \
            contract"
         ~query:RPC_query.empty
-        ~input:Alpha_context.Contract.encoding
+        ~input:Alpha_context.Contract.originated_encoding
         ~output:Data_encoding.(option int31)
         RPC_path.(custom_root / "context" / "cache" / "contracts" / "rank")
   end
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.mli b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.mli
index 25a22c348773649c62ff33eee177f7e832d19971..5bfc4054c68bb5259cbbae65200a5d0537f44e6c 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.mli
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/alpha_services.mli
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ module Cache : sig
   val cached_contracts :
     'a #RPC_context.simple ->
     'a ->
-    (Alpha_context.Contract.t * int) list shell_tzresult Lwt.t
+    (Contract_hash.t * int) list shell_tzresult Lwt.t
 
   val contract_cache_size :
     'a #RPC_context.simple -> 'a -> int shell_tzresult Lwt.t
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ module Cache : sig
   val contract_rank :
     'a #RPC_context.simple ->
     'a ->
-    Alpha_context.Contract.t ->
+    Contract_hash.t ->
     int option shell_tzresult Lwt.t
 end
 
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/apply.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/apply.ml
index 42694c1fbcf1b93a238992fbb77f6f3c4d37cc50..50c8602820daf7cce3ca7188051a81e0b54fc6d9 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/apply.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/apply.ml
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ let apply_transaction_to_smart_contract ~ctxt ~source ~contract ~amount
 let apply_transaction ~ctxt ~parameter ~source ~(contract : Contract.t) ~amount
     ~entrypoint ~before_operation ~payer ~chain_id ~mode ~internal =
   match contract with
-  | Originated _ -> (
+  | Originated contract_hash -> (
       (* Since the contract is originated, nothing will be allocated
          or this transfer of tokens will fail.
          Calls to non-existing contracts are detected by [Script_cache.find]
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ let apply_transaction ~ctxt ~parameter ~source ~(contract : Contract.t) ~amount
       *)
       Token.transfer ctxt (`Contract source) (`Contract contract) amount
       >>=? fun (ctxt, balance_updates) ->
-      Script_cache.find ctxt contract >>=? fun (ctxt, cache_key, script) ->
+      Script_cache.find ctxt contract_hash >>=? fun (ctxt, cache_key, script) ->
       match script with
       | None -> fail (Contract.Non_existing_contract contract)
       | Some (script, script_ir) ->
@@ -3131,7 +3131,7 @@ let apply_liquidity_baking_subsidy ctxt ~toggle_vote =
          (`Contract liquidity_baking_cpmm_contract)
          liquidity_baking_subsidy
        >>=? fun (ctxt, balance_updates) ->
-       Script_cache.find ctxt liquidity_baking_cpmm_contract
+       Script_cache.find ctxt liquidity_baking_cpmm_contract_hash
        >>=? fun (ctxt, cache_key, script) ->
        match script with
        | None -> fail (Script_tc_errors.No_such_entrypoint Entrypoint.default)
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.ml
index 74ecd7973811e0f07e4fa8dcc8f0b339ce13e54f..6750a99d20616a4ed0a0568175b8f2476e355046 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.ml
@@ -27,13 +27,17 @@ open Alpha_context
 
 type identifier = string
 
-let identifier_of_contract addr = Contract.to_b58check addr
+let identifier_of_contract addr = Contract_hash.to_b58check addr
 
-let contract_of_identifier identifier = Contract.of_b58check identifier
+let contract_of_identifier identifier =
+  match Contract_hash.of_b58check_opt identifier with
+  | Some addr -> Ok addr
+  | None -> error (Contract_repr.Invalid_contract_notation identifier)
 
 type cached_contract = Script.t * Script_ir_translator.ex_script
 
 let load_and_elaborate ctxt addr =
+  let addr = Contract.Originated addr in
   Contract.get_script ctxt addr >>=? fun (ctxt, script) ->
   match script with
   | None -> return (ctxt, None)
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.mli b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.mli
index 09ebdb26b17d06872a3b622a9cfa7979b5715146..03a856926c3875cd27c5063e89989c797c6ad44d 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.mli
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/script_cache.mli
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ type cached_contract = Script.t * Script_ir_translator.ex_script
    and [Script_ir_translator.parse_script]. *)
 val find :
   context ->
-  Contract.t ->
+  Contract_hash.t ->
   (context * identifier * cached_contract option) tzresult Lwt.t
 
 (** [update ctxt identifier unparsed_script ir_script size] refreshes the
@@ -65,13 +65,13 @@ val update : context -> identifier -> cached_contract -> int -> context tzresult
 (** [entries ctxt] returns the contracts in the cache as well as their
    respective size. The list is sorted by date of last modification:
    the least recently updated entry comes first. *)
-val entries : context -> (Contract.t * int) list tzresult
+val entries : context -> (Contract_hash.t * int) list tzresult
 
 (** [contract_rank ctxt contract] returns the number of contracts
     older than [contract] in the cache of [ctxt]. This function
     returns [None] if [contract] does not exist in the cache of
     [ctxt]. *)
-val contract_rank : context -> Contract.t -> int option
+val contract_rank : context -> Contract_hash.t -> int option
 
 (** [size ctxt] is an overapproximation of the cache size in
    memory (in bytes). *)
@@ -81,5 +81,6 @@ val size : context -> int
 val size_limit : context -> int
 
 (** [insert] is a variant of [update] which identifies the contract to update
-    by its address (of type [Contract.t]) instead of its cache identifier. *)
-val insert : context -> Contract.t -> cached_contract -> int -> context tzresult
+    by its address (of type [Contract_hash.t]) instead of its cache identifier. *)
+val insert :
+  context -> Contract_hash.t -> cached_contract -> int -> context tzresult
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/integration/michelson/test_script_cache.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/integration/michelson/test_script_cache.ml
index a02bda8b2508cada24fad547c4a5bea2e5154596..13962d62487faf53810f33240b02a0e9bd161c61 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/integration/michelson/test_script_cache.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/integration/michelson/test_script_cache.ml
@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ let err x = Exn (Script_cache_test_error x)
 let liquidity_baking_contract_size = 267304
 
 let liquidity_baking_contract =
-  Contract.of_b58check "KT1TxqZ8QtKvLu3V3JH7Gx58n7Co8pgtpQU5" |> function
-  | Ok x -> x
-  | _ -> assert false
+  Contract_hash.of_b58check_exn "KT1TxqZ8QtKvLu3V3JH7Gx58n7Co8pgtpQU5"
 
 let make_block block f =
   Incremental.begin_construction block >>=? fun incr ->
@@ -96,7 +94,7 @@ let add_some_contracts k src block baker =
   >>=? fun (liquidity_baking_contract_id, block) ->
   List.fold_left_es
     (fun (rev_contracts, block) _ ->
-      originate_contract "contracts/int-store.tz" "31" src block baker
+      originate_contract_hash "contracts/int-store.tz" "31" src block baker
       >>=? fun (addr, block) ->
       Block.bake block >>=? fun block ->
       make_block block @@ fun ctxt ->
@@ -143,7 +141,7 @@ let test_size_of_liquidity_baking_contract () =
 
 let test_size_of_int_store_contract () =
   init () >>=? fun (block, baker, src, _) ->
-  originate_contract "contracts/int-store.tz" "31" src block baker
+  originate_contract_hash "contracts/int-store.tz" "31" src block baker
   >>=? fun (addr, block) ->
   ( make_block block @! fun ctxt ->
     Script_cache.find ctxt addr >|= Environment.wrap_tzresult
@@ -160,7 +158,7 @@ let test_size_of_int_store_contract () =
 *)
 let test_find_correctly_looks_up () =
   init () >>=? fun (block, baker, src, _) ->
-  originate_contract "contracts/sapling_contract.tz" "{ }" src block baker
+  originate_contract_hash "contracts/sapling_contract.tz" "{ }" src block baker
   >>=? fun (addr, block) ->
   ( make_block block @! fun ctxt ->
     (*
@@ -168,7 +166,8 @@ let test_find_correctly_looks_up () =
     *)
     Script_cache.find ctxt addr >|= Environment.wrap_tzresult
     >>=? fun (_, _, result) ->
-    Contract.get_script ctxt addr >|= Environment.wrap_tzresult
+    Contract.get_script ctxt (Contract.Originated addr)
+    >|= Environment.wrap_tzresult
     >>=? fun (ctxt, script) ->
     (match (result, script) with
     | None, _ -> ok false
@@ -185,7 +184,6 @@ let test_find_correctly_looks_up () =
     *)
     >>=? fun () ->
     let addr = Contract_helpers.fake_KT1 in
-    let addr = Contract.Originated addr in
     Script_cache.find ctxt addr >|= Environment.wrap_tzresult
     >>=? fun (_, _, cached_contract) ->
     fail_unless
@@ -200,7 +198,7 @@ let test_find_correctly_looks_up () =
 *)
 let test_update_modifies_cached_contract () =
   init () >>=? fun (block, baker, src, _) ->
-  originate_contract "contracts/int-store.tz" "36" src block baker
+  originate_contract_hash "contracts/int-store.tz" "36" src block baker
   >>=? fun (addr, block) ->
   ( make_block block @! fun ctxt ->
     find ctxt addr >>=? fun (ctxt, identifier, script, Ex_script (Script ir)) ->
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/ticket_operations_diff.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/ticket_operations_diff.ml
index 22a4adde45df6e0ebcdd91bca0bd0b23a220fd58..737deb72c42a844249a6014931c2a134adb379d0 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/ticket_operations_diff.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/ticket_operations_diff.ml
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ let tickets_of_transaction ctxt ~(destination : Contract.t) ~entrypoint
     ~location ~parameters_ty ~parameters =
   match destination with
   | Implicit _ -> return (None, ctxt)
-  | Originated _ ->
+  | Originated contract_hash ->
       (* TODO: #2653
          Avoid having to load the script from the cache.
          This is currently in place to avoid regressions for type-checking
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ let tickets_of_transaction ctxt ~(destination : Contract.t) ~entrypoint
       *)
       parse_and_cache_script
         ctxt
-        ~destination
+        ~destination:contract_hash
         ~get_non_cached_script:(fun ctxt ->
           (* Look up the script from the context. *)
           Contract.get_script ctxt destination >>=? fun (ctxt, script_opt) ->