diff --git a/core/tx_pool.go b/core/tx_pool.go
index 20c5eccee5..374f443f6c 100644
--- a/core/tx_pool.go
+++ b/core/tx_pool.go
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ var (
 	// than some meaningful limit a user might use. This is not a consensus error
 	// making the transaction invalid, rather a DOS protection.
 	ErrOversizedData = errors.New("oversized data")
+
+	ErrZeroGasPrice = errors.New("zero gas price")
 )
 
 var (
@@ -586,8 +588,9 @@ func (pool *TxPool) validateTx(tx *types.Transaction, local bool) error {
 	if pool.currentState.GetBalance(from).Cmp(tx.Cost()) < 0 {
 		return ErrInsufficientFunds
 	}
-	if tx.To() != nil && tx.To().String() != common.BlockSigners {
-	intrGas, err := IntrinsicGas(tx.Data(), tx.To() == nil, pool.homestead)
+
+	if tx.To() == nil || (tx.To() != nil && tx.To().String() != common.BlockSigners) {
+		intrGas, err := IntrinsicGas(tx.Data(), tx.To() == nil, pool.homestead)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -595,6 +598,11 @@ func (pool *TxPool) validateTx(tx *types.Transaction, local bool) error {
 		if tx.Gas() < intrGas {
 			return ErrIntrinsicGas
 		}
+
+		// Check zero gas price.
+		if tx.GasPrice().Cmp(new(big.Int).SetInt64(0)) == 0 {
+			return ErrZeroGasPrice
+		}
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/core/tx_pool_test.go b/core/tx_pool_test.go
index 1cf533aa65..2aba086d16 100644
--- a/core/tx_pool_test.go
+++ b/core/tx_pool_test.go
@@ -1287,12 +1287,12 @@ func TestTransactionPoolRepricingKeepsLocals(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create transaction (both pending and queued) with a linearly growing gasprice
 	for i := uint64(0); i < 500; i++ {
 		// Add pending
-		p_tx := pricedTransaction(i, 100000, big.NewInt(int64(i)), keys[2])
+		p_tx := pricedTransaction(i, 100000, big.NewInt(int64(i+1)), keys[2])
 		if err := pool.AddLocal(p_tx); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
 		// Add queued
-		q_tx := pricedTransaction(i+501, 100000, big.NewInt(int64(i)), keys[2])
+		q_tx := pricedTransaction(i+501, 100000, big.NewInt(int64(i+1)), keys[2])
 		if err := pool.AddLocal(q_tx); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -1411,7 +1411,7 @@ func TestTransactionPoolUnderpricing(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("pool internal state corrupted: %v", err)
 	}
 	// Ensure that adding local transactions can push out even higher priced ones
-	tx := pricedTransaction(1, 100000, big.NewInt(0), keys[2])
+	tx := pricedTransaction(1, 100000, big.NewInt(1), keys[2])
 	if err := pool.AddLocal(tx); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to add underpriced local transaction: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1776,4 +1776,4 @@ func benchmarkPoolBatchInsert(b *testing.B, size int) {
 	for _, batch := range batches {
 		pool.AddRemotes(batch)
 	}
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file