diff --git a/core/vm/eips.go b/core/vm/eips.go
index 8a09856029..a7785fb019 100644
--- a/core/vm/eips.go
+++ b/core/vm/eips.go
@@ -237,7 +237,8 @@ func enable3855(jt *JumpTable) {
 
 // opPush0 implements the PUSH0 opcode
 func opPush0(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	scope.Stack.get().Clear()
+	elem := scope.Stack.get()
+	elem.Clear()
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/core/vm/instructions.go b/core/vm/instructions.go
index 2cc8defb84..7b71a06a1d 100644
--- a/core/vm/instructions.go
+++ b/core/vm/instructions.go
@@ -536,12 +536,14 @@ func opJumpdest(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func opPc(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	scope.Stack.get().SetUint64(*pc)
+	elem := scope.Stack.get()
+	elem.SetUint64(*pc)
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
 func opMsize(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	scope.Stack.get().SetUint64(uint64(scope.Memory.Len()))
+	elem := scope.Stack.get()
+	elem.SetUint64(uint64(scope.Memory.Len()))
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
@@ -1131,10 +1133,8 @@ func makeLog(size int) executionFunc {
 
 // opPush1 is a specialized version of pushN
 func opPush1(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	var (
-		codeLen = uint64(len(scope.Contract.Code))
-		elem    = scope.Stack.get()
-	)
+	codeLen := uint64(len(scope.Contract.Code))
+	elem := scope.Stack.get()
 	*pc += 1
 	if *pc < codeLen {
 		elem.SetUint64(uint64(scope.Contract.Code[*pc]))
@@ -1146,10 +1146,8 @@ func opPush1(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
 
 // opPush2 is a specialized version of pushN
 func opPush2(pc *uint64, evm *EVM, scope *ScopeContext) ([]byte, error) {
-	var (
-		codeLen = uint64(len(scope.Contract.Code))
-		elem    = scope.Stack.get()
-	)
+	codeLen := uint64(len(scope.Contract.Code))
+	elem := scope.Stack.get()
 	if *pc+2 < codeLen {
 		elem.SetBytes2(scope.Contract.Code[*pc+1 : *pc+3])
 	} else if *pc+1 < codeLen {
diff --git a/core/vm/interp_gen.go b/core/vm/interp_gen.go
index 08edb5a04e..94fe339df5 100644
--- a/core/vm/interp_gen.go
+++ b/core/vm/interp_gen.go
@@ -705,9 +705,10 @@ mainLoop:
 				return nil, ErrOutOfGas
 			}
 			contract.Gas.RegularGas -= 2
-			stack.inner.data[stack.inner.top].SetUint64(pc)
+			elem := &stack.inner.data[stack.inner.top]
 			stack.inner.top++
 			stack.size++
+			elem.SetUint64(pc)
 			pc++
 			continue mainLoop
 
@@ -719,9 +720,10 @@ mainLoop:
 				return nil, ErrOutOfGas
 			}
 			contract.Gas.RegularGas -= 2
-			stack.inner.data[stack.inner.top].SetUint64(uint64(scope.Memory.Len()))
+			elem := &stack.inner.data[stack.inner.top]
 			stack.inner.top++
 			stack.size++
+			elem.SetUint64(uint64(scope.Memory.Len()))
 			pc++
 			continue mainLoop
 
@@ -742,9 +744,10 @@ mainLoop:
 					return nil, ErrOutOfGas
 				}
 				contract.Gas.RegularGas -= 2
-				stack.inner.data[stack.inner.top].Clear()
+				elem := &stack.inner.data[stack.inner.top]
 				stack.inner.top++
 				stack.size++
+				elem.Clear()
 				pc++
 				continue mainLoop
 
diff --git a/core/vm/stack.go b/core/vm/stack.go
index 564345ccd8..9b208ff07a 100644
--- a/core/vm/stack.go
+++ b/core/vm/stack.go
@@ -105,10 +105,9 @@ func (s *Stack) push(d *uint256.Int) {
 // get returns a pointer to a newly created element
 // on top of the stack
 func (s *Stack) get() *uint256.Int {
-	elem := &s.inner.data[s.inner.top]
 	s.inner.top++
 	s.size++
-	return elem
+	return &s.inner.data[s.inner.top-1]
 }
 
 func (s *Stack) pop() uint256.Int {