diff --git a/core/vm/instructions.go b/core/vm/instructions.go
index bff06faa5c..885d824a13 100644
--- a/core/vm/instructions.go
+++ b/core/vm/instructions.go
@@ -518,9 +518,6 @@ func opSload(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func opSstore(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	if evm.readOnly {
-		return nil, ErrWriteProtection
-	}
 	loc := scope.Stack.pop()
 	val := scope.Stack.pop()
 	evm.StateDB.SetState(scope.Contract.Address(), loc.Bytes32(), val.Bytes32())
@@ -882,9 +879,6 @@ func opStop(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func opSelfdestruct(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	if evm.readOnly {
-		return nil, ErrWriteProtection
-	}
 	beneficiary := scope.Stack.pop()
 	balance := evm.StateDB.GetBalance(scope.Contract.Address())
 	if scope.Contract.Address() != common.BytesToAddress(beneficiary.Bytes()) {
@@ -903,9 +897,6 @@ func opSelfdestruct(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func opSelfdestruct6780(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	if evm.readOnly {
-		return nil, ErrWriteProtection
-	}
 	beneficiary := scope.Stack.pop()
 	balance := evm.StateDB.GetBalance(scope.Contract.Address())
 
diff --git a/core/vm/operations_acl.go b/core/vm/operations_acl.go
index 085b018e4c..db53ede589 100644
--- a/core/vm/operations_acl.go
+++ b/core/vm/operations_acl.go
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ import (
 
 func makeGasSStoreFunc(clearingRefund uint64) gasFunc {
 	return func(evm *EVM, contract *Contract, stack *Stack, mem *Memory, memorySize uint64) (uint64, error) {
+		if evm.readOnly {
+			return 0, ErrWriteProtection
+		}
 		// If we fail the minimum gas availability invariant, fail (0)
 		if contract.Gas <= params.SstoreSentryGasEIP2200 {
 			return 0, errors.New("not enough gas for reentrancy sentry")
@@ -226,6 +229,11 @@ func makeSelfdestructGasFn(refundsEnabled bool) gasFunc {
 			gas     uint64
 			address = common.Address(stack.peek().Bytes20())
 		)
+		// TODO: EEST test that performs selfdestruct within a static context.  no reads should be reported
+		// This is probably covered in the converted blockchain tests but need to double-check
+		if evm.readOnly {
+			return 0, ErrWriteProtection
+		}
 		if !evm.StateDB.AddressInAccessList(address) {
 			// If the caller cannot afford the cost, this change will be rolled back
 			evm.StateDB.AddAddressToAccessList(address)