diff --git a/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/benchmarking.rs b/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/benchmarking.rs
index 3cf7ff3095051..7a6315ef231df 100644
--- a/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/benchmarking.rs
+++ b/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/benchmarking.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ use super::*;
 #[allow(unused)]
 use crate::Pallet as CollatorSelection;
 use alloc::vec::Vec;
-use codec::Decode;
 use core::cmp;
 use cumulus_pallet_session_benchmarking as session_benchmarking;
 use frame_benchmarking::{account, v2::*, whitelisted_caller, BenchmarkError};
diff --git a/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/tests.rs b/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/tests.rs
index 3ef5f45ff243f..a9c6fe56b192e 100644
--- a/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/tests.rs
+++ b/cumulus/pallets/collator-selection/src/tests.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ fn invulnerable_limit_works() {
 			// only keys were registered in mock for 1 to 5
 			if ii > 5 {
 				Balances::make_free_balance_be(&ii, 100);
-				let key = MockSessionKeys { aura: UintAuthorityId(ii) };
+				let mut key = MockSessionKeys { aura: UintAuthorityId(ii) };
 				Session::set_keys(
 					RuntimeOrigin::signed(ii).into(),
 					key.clone(),
@@ -488,8 +488,13 @@ fn cannot_register_candidate_if_too_many() {
 		// candidates.
 		for i in 6..=23 {
 			Balances::make_free_balance_be(&i, 100);
-			let key = MockSessionKeys { aura: UintAuthorityId(i) };
-			Session::set_keys(RuntimeOrigin::signed(i).into(), key, Vec::new()).unwrap();
+			let mut key = MockSessionKeys { aura: UintAuthorityId(i) };
+			Session::set_keys(
+				RuntimeOrigin::signed(i).into(),
+				key.clone(),
+				key.create_ownership_proof(&i.encode()).unwrap().encode(),
+			)
+			.unwrap();
 		}
 
 		for c in 3..=22 {
@@ -771,8 +776,13 @@ fn take_candidate_slot_works() {
 		assert_eq!(CandidateList::<Test>::get().iter().count(), 3);
 
 		Balances::make_free_balance_be(&6, 100);
-		let key = MockSessionKeys { aura: UintAuthorityId(6) };
-		Session::set_keys(RuntimeOrigin::signed(6).into(), key, Vec::new()).unwrap();
+		let mut key = MockSessionKeys { aura: UintAuthorityId(6) };
+		Session::set_keys(
+			RuntimeOrigin::signed(6).into(),
+			key.clone(),
+			key.create_ownership_proof(&6u64.encode()).unwrap().encode(),
+		)
+		.unwrap();
 
 		assert_ok!(CollatorSelection::take_candidate_slot(
 			RuntimeOrigin::signed(6),
diff --git a/cumulus/pallets/session-benchmarking/src/inner.rs b/cumulus/pallets/session-benchmarking/src/inner.rs
index 52b8649a0000e..fe8b37050593e 100644
--- a/cumulus/pallets/session-benchmarking/src/inner.rs
+++ b/cumulus/pallets/session-benchmarking/src/inner.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 
 use alloc::vec::Vec;
 
-use codec::Decode;
 use frame_benchmarking::v2::*;
 use frame_system::RawOrigin;
 use pallet_session::*;
diff --git a/docs/sdk/packages/guides/first-runtime/src/lib.rs b/docs/sdk/packages/guides/first-runtime/src/lib.rs
index 2ab060c8c43fe..9266ab40ea76b 100644
--- a/docs/sdk/packages/guides/first-runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/docs/sdk/packages/guides/first-runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ impl_runtime_apis! {
 	}
 
 	impl apis::SessionKeys<Block> for Runtime {
-		fn generate_session_keys(_seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> Vec<u8> {
+		fn generate_session_keys(_owner: Vec<u8>, _seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> apis::OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
 			Default::default()
 		}
 
diff --git a/substrate/frame/revive/dev-node/runtime/src/lib.rs b/substrate/frame/revive/dev-node/runtime/src/lib.rs
index d9636d5627e7a..fbeeec1269be5 100644
--- a/substrate/frame/revive/dev-node/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/substrate/frame/revive/dev-node/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ use polkadot_sdk::{
 	},
 	*,
 };
-use sp_session::OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys;
 use sp_weights::{ConstantMultiplier, IdentityFee};
 
 pub use polkadot_sdk::{
@@ -403,8 +402,8 @@ pallet_revive::impl_runtime_apis_plus_revive!(
 	}
 
 	impl apis::SessionKeys<Block> for Runtime {
-			fn generate_session_keys(owner: Vec<u8>, seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
-			SessionKeys::generate(&owner, seed).into()
+		fn generate_session_keys(_owner: Vec<u8>, _seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> apis::OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
+		Default::default()
 		}
 
 
diff --git a/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/parachain/src/lib.rs b/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/parachain/src/lib.rs
index 4a6084c62ef80..90ecf0d9fa0fe 100644
--- a/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/parachain/src/lib.rs
+++ b/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/parachain/src/lib.rs
@@ -1460,8 +1460,8 @@ impl_runtime_apis! {
 	}
 
 	impl sp_session::SessionKeys<Block> for Runtime {
-		fn generate_session_keys(seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> Vec<u8> {
-			SessionKeys::generate(seed)
+		fn generate_session_keys(owner: Vec<u8>, seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> sp_session::OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
+			SessionKeys::generate(&owner, seed).into()
 		}
 
 		fn decode_session_keys(
diff --git a/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/rc/src/lib.rs b/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/rc/src/lib.rs
index c7136f81e8338..1581e3ebb43be 100644
--- a/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/rc/src/lib.rs
+++ b/substrate/frame/staking-async/runtimes/rc/src/lib.rs
@@ -2595,8 +2595,8 @@ sp_api::impl_runtime_apis! {
 	}
 
 	impl sp_session::SessionKeys<Block> for Runtime {
-		fn generate_session_keys(seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> Vec<u8> {
-			SessionKeys::generate(seed)
+		fn generate_session_keys(owner: Vec<u8>, seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> sp_session::OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
+			SessionKeys::generate(&owner, seed).into()
 		}
 
 		fn decode_session_keys(
diff --git a/substrate/primitives/runtime/src/testing.rs b/substrate/primitives/runtime/src/testing.rs
index 1d3459337b4f1..515e40c4c1ab9 100644
--- a/substrate/primitives/runtime/src/testing.rs
+++ b/substrate/primitives/runtime/src/testing.rs
@@ -125,12 +125,12 @@ impl sp_application_crypto::RuntimeAppPublic for UintAuthorityId {
 		traits::Verify::verify(signature, msg.as_ref(), &self.0)
 	}
 
-	fn generate_proof_of_possession(&mut self, _owner: &[u8]) -> Option<Self::Signature> {
-		None
+	fn generate_proof_of_possession(&mut self, owner: &[u8]) -> Option<Self::Signature> {
+		Some(TestSignature(self.0, owner.to_vec()))
 	}
 
-	fn verify_proof_of_possession(&self, _owner: &[u8], _pop: &Self::Signature) -> bool {
-		false
+	fn verify_proof_of_possession(&self, owner: &[u8], pop: &Self::Signature) -> bool {
+		traits::Verify::verify(pop, owner, &self.0)
 	}
 
 	fn to_raw_vec(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
diff --git a/substrate/primitives/session/src/runtime_api.rs b/substrate/primitives/session/src/runtime_api.rs
index 2a67fa73e5699..237e977048505 100644
--- a/substrate/primitives/session/src/runtime_api.rs
+++ b/substrate/primitives/session/src/runtime_api.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pub use sp_core::crypto::KeyTypeId;
 use sp_runtime::traits::GeneratedSessionKeys;
 
 /// Opaque [`GeneratedSessionKeys`](sp_runtime::traits::GeneratedSessionKeys).
-#[derive(Debug, Decode, Encode, scale_info::TypeInfo)]
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Decode, Encode, scale_info::TypeInfo)]
 pub struct OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
 	/// The public session keys.
 	pub keys: Vec<u8>,
diff --git a/templates/minimal/runtime/src/lib.rs b/templates/minimal/runtime/src/lib.rs
index 321b31ac88b24..4bf93bd5c39d5 100644
--- a/templates/minimal/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/templates/minimal/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -282,8 +282,8 @@ impl_runtime_apis! {
 	}
 
 	impl apis::SessionKeys<Block> for Runtime {
-		fn generate_session_keys(_owner: Vec<u8>, _seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
-			OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys { keys: Default::default(), proof: Default::default() }
+		fn generate_session_keys(_owner: Vec<u8>, _seed: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> apis::OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys {
+			apis::OpaqueGeneratedSessionKeys { keys: Default::default(), proof: Default::default() }
 		}
 
 		fn decode_session_keys(