diff --git a/cmd/geth/config.go b/cmd/geth/config.go
index 2d75de82cf..9e0e76df00 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/config.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/config.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/catalyst"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/ethconfig"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/directory"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/directory/live"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/lib/ethapi"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/lib/flags"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/lib/version"
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func makeFullNode(ctx *cli.Context) (*node.Node, ethapi.Backend) {
 
 	if ctx.IsSet(utils.VMTraceFlag.Name) {
 		if name := ctx.String(utils.VMTraceFlag.Name); name != "" {
-			t, err := directory.LiveDirectory.New(name)
+			t, err := live.Directory.New(name)
 			if err != nil {
 				utils.Fatalf("Failed to create tracer %q: %v", name, err)
 			}
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index 051ac8c779..a3d3e961cd 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/filters"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/gasprice"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/directory"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/directory/live"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb/remotedb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethstats"
@@ -2124,7 +2124,7 @@ func MakeChain(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, readonly bool) (*core.BlockCh
 	vmcfg := vm.Config{EnablePreimageRecording: ctx.Bool(VMEnableDebugFlag.Name)}
 	if ctx.IsSet(VMTraceFlag.Name) {
 		if name := ctx.String(VMTraceFlag.Name); name != "" {
-			t, err := directory.LiveDirectory.New(name)
+			t, err := live.Directory.New(name)
 			if err != nil {
 				Fatalf("Failed to create tracer %q: %v", name, err)
 			}
diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index 4bb9d30fac..5b0cb039b2 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -292,10 +292,11 @@ func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, genesis *Genesis
 	var logger BlockchainLogger
 	if vmConfig.Tracer != nil {
 		l, ok := vmConfig.Tracer.(BlockchainLogger)
-		if !ok {
-			return nil, errors.New("only extended tracers are supported for live mode")
+		if ok {
+			logger = l
+		} else {
+			log.Warn("only extended tracers are supported for live mode")
 		}
-		logger = l
 	}
 	// Setup the genesis block, commit the provided genesis specification
 	// to database if the genesis block is not present yet, or load the
diff --git a/core/blockchain_test.go b/core/blockchain_test.go
index 5f9892902b..bc6f8112f0 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/logger"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/trie"
@@ -3247,7 +3248,7 @@ func testDeleteRecreateSlots(t *testing.T, scheme string) {
 	})
 	// Import the canonical chain
 	chain, err := NewBlockChain(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase(), DefaultCacheConfigWithScheme(scheme), gspec, nil, engine, vm.Config{
-		//Tracer: logger.NewJSONLogger(nil, os.Stdout),
+		Tracer: logger.NewJSONLogger(nil, os.Stdout),
 	}, nil, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create tester chain: %v", err)
@@ -3329,7 +3330,7 @@ func testDeleteRecreateAccount(t *testing.T, scheme string) {
 	})
 	// Import the canonical chain
 	chain, err := NewBlockChain(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase(), DefaultCacheConfigWithScheme(scheme), gspec, nil, engine, vm.Config{
-		//Tracer: logger.NewJSONLogger(nil, os.Stdout),
+		Tracer: logger.NewJSONLogger(nil, os.Stdout),
 	}, nil, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create tester chain: %v", err)
@@ -4681,7 +4682,7 @@ func TestEIP3651(t *testing.T) {
 
 		b.AddTx(tx)
 	})
-	chain, err := NewBlockChain(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase(), nil, gspec, nil, engine, vm.Config{ /*Tracer: logger.NewMarkdownLogger(&logger.Config{}, os.Stderr)*/ }, nil, nil)
+	chain, err := NewBlockChain(rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase(), nil, gspec, nil, engine, vm.Config{Tracer: logger.NewMarkdownLogger(&logger.Config{}, os.Stderr)}, nil, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create tester chain: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/eth/tracers/directory/live.go b/eth/tracers/directory/live/dir.go
similarity index 55%
rename from eth/tracers/directory/live.go
rename to eth/tracers/directory/live/dir.go
index dc6927b142..011d27f887 100644
--- a/eth/tracers/directory/live.go
+++ b/eth/tracers/directory/live/dir.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package directory
+package live
 
 import (
 	"errors"
@@ -8,21 +8,21 @@ import (
 
 type ctorFunc func() (core.BlockchainLogger, error)
 
-// LiveDirectory is the collection of tracers which can be used
+// Directory is the collection of tracers which can be used
 // during normal block import operations.
-var LiveDirectory = liveDirectory{elems: make(map[string]ctorFunc)}
+var Directory = directory{elems: make(map[string]ctorFunc)}
 
-type liveDirectory struct {
+type directory struct {
 	elems map[string]ctorFunc
 }
 
 // Register registers a tracer constructor by name.
-func (d *liveDirectory) Register(name string, f ctorFunc) {
+func (d *directory) Register(name string, f ctorFunc) {
 	d.elems[name] = f
 }
 
 // New instantiates a tracer by name.
-func (d *liveDirectory) New(name string) (core.BlockchainLogger, error) {
+func (d *directory) New(name string) (core.BlockchainLogger, error) {
 	if f, ok := d.elems[name]; ok {
 		return f()
 	}
diff --git a/eth/tracers/live/noop.go b/eth/tracers/live/noop.go
index beb532a423..4ff4153c60 100644
--- a/eth/tracers/live/noop.go
+++ b/eth/tracers/live/noop.go
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/directory"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers/directory/live"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 )
 
 func init() {
-	directory.LiveDirectory.Register("noop", newNoopTracer)
+	live.Directory.Register("noop", newNoopTracer)
 }
 
 // noop is a no-op live tracer. It's there to
diff --git a/eth/tracers/logger/logger.go b/eth/tracers/logger/logger.go
index c3bc494280..562078177f 100644
--- a/eth/tracers/logger/logger.go
+++ b/eth/tracers/logger/logger.go
@@ -335,6 +335,10 @@ func NewMarkdownLogger(cfg *Config, writer io.Writer) *mdLogger {
 	return l
 }
 
+func (t *mdLogger) CaptureTxStart(env *vm.EVM, tx *types.Transaction, from common.Address) {
+	t.env = env
+}
+
 func (t *mdLogger) CaptureStart(from common.Address, to common.Address, create bool, input []byte, gas uint64, value *big.Int) {
 	if !create {
 		fmt.Fprintf(t.out, "From: `%v`\nTo: `%v`\nData: `%#x`\nGas: `%d`\nValue `%v` wei\n",