diff --git a/src/core/helpers/otp/otp-service.ts b/src/core/helpers/otp/otp-service.ts
index 9b0e33e..0b4e3e1 100644
--- a/src/core/helpers/otp/otp-service.ts
+++ b/src/core/helpers/otp/otp-service.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ export class OtpService {
     return Object.values(counts).some((count) => count > 2);
   }
 
+  private hasNoMatchLength(str: string) {
+    return str.length !== this.otpLength;
+  }
+
+  private hasStartWithZero(str: string) {
+    return str.split('')[0] === '0';
+  }
+
   public generateSecureOTP(): string {
     let otp: string;
 
@@ -46,11 +54,12 @@ export class OtpService {
         Math.floor(Math.random() * 10).toString(),
       ).join('');
     } while (
+      this.hasNoMatchLength(otp) ||
       this.hasSequentialDigits(otp) ||
       this.hasRepeatedDigits(otp) ||
       this.isPalindrome(otp) ||
       this.hasPartiallyRepeatedDigits(otp) ||
-      otp?.length < this.otpLength
+      this.hasStartWithZero(otp)
     );
     return otp;
   }
diff --git a/src/modules/configuration/otp-verification/data/services/otp-verification.service.ts b/src/modules/configuration/otp-verification/data/services/otp-verification.service.ts
index 11420d2..148325e 100644
--- a/src/modules/configuration/otp-verification/data/services/otp-verification.service.ts
+++ b/src/modules/configuration/otp-verification/data/services/otp-verification.service.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ export class OtpVerificationService {
       const createdAtMoment = moment(Number(activeOTP.created_at));
       const nowMoment = moment(Number(dateNow));
       const diffSeconds = nowMoment.diff(createdAtMoment, 'seconds');
-      if (diffSeconds < 60) {
+      const isProduction = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'true';
+
+      if (diffSeconds < 60 && isProduction) {
         throw new BadRequestException(
           'An active OTP request was made recently. Please try again later.',
         );
@@ -116,10 +118,13 @@ export class OtpVerificationService {
       );
     }
 
+    let otp: any;
+
     // Build a where condition with OR between target_id and reference
-    const otp = await this.otpVerificationRepo.findOne({
-      where: [
-        {
+
+    if (target_id) {
+      otp = await this.otpVerificationRepo.findOne({
+        where: {
           otp_code,
           action_type,
           target_id,
@@ -127,7 +132,10 @@ export class OtpVerificationService {
           is_used: false,
           is_replaced: false,
         },
-        {
+      });
+    } else if (reference) {
+      otp = await this.otpVerificationRepo.findOne({
+        where: {
           otp_code,
           action_type,
           reference,
@@ -135,8 +143,8 @@ export class OtpVerificationService {
           is_used: false,
           is_replaced: false,
         },
-      ],
-    });
+      });
+    }
 
     if (!otp) {
       throw new BadRequestException('Invalid or expired OTP.');