diff --git a/core/vm/eips.go b/core/vm/eips.go
index 197b64dac5..a69946de4d 100644
--- a/core/vm/eips.go
+++ b/core/vm/eips.go
@@ -294,10 +294,10 @@ func opBlobBaseFee(pc *uint64, interpreter *EVMInterpreter, scope *ScopeContext)
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
+// opCLZ implements the CLZ opcode (count leading zero bytes)
 func opCLZ(pc *uint64, interpreter *EVMInterpreter, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	x := scope.Stack.pop()
-	// count leading zero bits in x
-	scope.Stack.push(new(uint256.Int).SetUint64(256 - uint64(x.BitLen())))
+	x := scope.Stack.peek()
+	x.SetUint64(256 - uint64(x.BitLen()))
 	return nil, nil
 }