diff --git a/core/state/journal.go b/core/state/journal.go
index f3f976f24f..a79bd7331a 100644
--- a/core/state/journal.go
+++ b/core/state/journal.go
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ type journalEntry interface {
 	revert(*StateDB)
 
 	// dirtied returns the Ethereum address modified by this journal entry.
-	dirtied() *common.Address
+	// indicates false if no address was changed.
+	dirtied() (common.Address, bool)
 
 	// copy returns a deep-copied journal entry.
 	copy() journalEntry
@@ -100,8 +101,8 @@ func (j *journal) revertToSnapshot(revid int, s *StateDB) {
 // append inserts a new modification entry to the end of the change journal.
 func (j *journal) append(entry journalEntry) {
 	j.entries = append(j.entries, entry)
-	if addr := entry.dirtied(); addr != nil {
-		j.dirties[*addr]++
+	if addr, dirty := entry.dirtied(); dirty {
+		j.dirties[addr]++
 	}
 }
 
@@ -113,9 +114,9 @@ func (j *journal) revert(statedb *StateDB, snapshot int) {
 		j.entries[i].revert(statedb)
 
 		// Drop any dirty tracking induced by the change
-		if addr := j.entries[i].dirtied(); addr != nil {
-			if j.dirties[*addr]--; j.dirties[*addr] == 0 {
-				delete(j.dirties, *addr)
+		if addr, dirty := j.entries[i].dirtied(); dirty {
+			if j.dirties[addr]--; j.dirties[addr] == 0 {
+				delete(j.dirties, addr)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -294,8 +295,8 @@ func (ch createObjectChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	delete(s.stateObjects, ch.account)
 }
 
-func (ch createObjectChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return &ch.account
+func (ch createObjectChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return ch.account, true
 }
 
 func (ch createObjectChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -308,8 +309,8 @@ func (ch createContractChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.getStateObject(ch.account).newContract = false
 }
 
-func (ch createContractChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return nil
+func (ch createContractChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return common.Address{}, false
 }
 
 func (ch createContractChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -325,8 +326,8 @@ func (ch selfDestructChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (ch selfDestructChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return &ch.account
+func (ch selfDestructChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return ch.account, true
 }
 
 func (ch selfDestructChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -340,8 +341,8 @@ var ripemd = common.HexToAddress("0000000000000000000000000000000000000003")
 func (ch touchChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 }
 
-func (ch touchChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return &ch.account
+func (ch touchChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return ch.account, true
 }
 
 func (ch touchChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -354,8 +355,8 @@ func (ch balanceChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.getStateObject(ch.account).setBalance(ch.prev)
 }
 
-func (ch balanceChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return &ch.account
+func (ch balanceChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return ch.account, true
 }
 
 func (ch balanceChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -369,8 +370,8 @@ func (ch nonceChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.getStateObject(ch.account).setNonce(ch.prev)
 }
 
-func (ch nonceChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return &ch.account
+func (ch nonceChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return ch.account, true
 }
 
 func (ch nonceChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -384,8 +385,8 @@ func (ch codeChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.getStateObject(ch.account).setCode(crypto.Keccak256Hash(ch.prevCode), ch.prevCode)
 }
 
-func (ch codeChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return &ch.account
+func (ch codeChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return ch.account, true
 }
 
 func (ch codeChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -399,8 +400,8 @@ func (ch storageChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.getStateObject(ch.account).setState(ch.key, ch.prevvalue, ch.origvalue)
 }
 
-func (ch storageChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return &ch.account
+func (ch storageChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return ch.account, true
 }
 
 func (ch storageChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -416,8 +417,8 @@ func (ch transientStorageChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.setTransientState(ch.account, ch.key, ch.prevalue)
 }
 
-func (ch transientStorageChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return nil
+func (ch transientStorageChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return common.Address{}, false
 }
 
 func (ch transientStorageChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -432,8 +433,8 @@ func (ch refundChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.refund = ch.prev
 }
 
-func (ch refundChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return nil
+func (ch refundChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return common.Address{}, false
 }
 
 func (ch refundChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -452,8 +453,8 @@ func (ch addLogChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.logSize--
 }
 
-func (ch addLogChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return nil
+func (ch addLogChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return common.Address{}, false
 }
 
 func (ch addLogChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -475,8 +476,8 @@ func (ch accessListAddAccountChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.accessList.DeleteAddress(ch.address)
 }
 
-func (ch accessListAddAccountChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return nil
+func (ch accessListAddAccountChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return common.Address{}, false
 }
 
 func (ch accessListAddAccountChange) copy() journalEntry {
@@ -489,8 +490,8 @@ func (ch accessListAddSlotChange) revert(s *StateDB) {
 	s.accessList.DeleteSlot(ch.address, ch.slot)
 }
 
-func (ch accessListAddSlotChange) dirtied() *common.Address {
-	return nil
+func (ch accessListAddSlotChange) dirtied() (common.Address, bool) {
+	return common.Address{}, false
 }
 
 func (ch accessListAddSlotChange) copy() journalEntry {