diff --git a/core/vm/evm.go b/core/vm/evm.go
index d56a3d57f5..a3f3a97cbc 100644
--- a/core/vm/evm.go
+++ b/core/vm/evm.go
@@ -166,17 +166,21 @@ func (evm *EVM) Call(caller ContractRef, addr common.Address, input []byte, gas
 	}
 	evm.Transfer(evm.StateDB, caller.Address(), to.Address(), value)
 
-	// initialise a new contract and set the code that is to be used by the
-	// E The contract is a scoped environment for this execution context
-	// only.
+	// Initialise a new contract and set the code that is to be used by the EVM.
+	// The contract is a scoped environment for this execution context only.
 	contract := NewContract(caller, to, value, gas)
 	contract.SetCallCode(&addr, evm.StateDB.GetCodeHash(addr), evm.StateDB.GetCode(addr))
 
-	if evm.vmConfig.Debug && evm.depth == 0 {
-		evm.vmConfig.Tracer.CaptureStart(caller.Address(), addr, false, input, gas, value)
-	}
 	start := time.Now()
 
+	// Capture the tracer start/end events in debug mode
+	if evm.vmConfig.Debug && evm.depth == 0 {
+		evm.vmConfig.Tracer.CaptureStart(caller.Address(), addr, false, input, gas, value)
+
+		defer func() { // Lazy evaluation of the parameters
+			evm.vmConfig.Tracer.CaptureEnd(ret, gas-contract.Gas, time.Since(start), err)
+		}()
+	}
 	ret, err = run(evm, contract, input)
 
 	// When an error was returned by the EVM or when setting the creation code
@@ -188,9 +192,6 @@ func (evm *EVM) Call(caller ContractRef, addr common.Address, input []byte, gas
 			contract.UseGas(contract.Gas)
 		}
 	}
-	if evm.vmConfig.Debug && evm.depth == 0 {
-		evm.vmConfig.Tracer.CaptureEnd(ret, gas-contract.Gas, time.Since(start), err)
-	}
 	return ret, contract.Gas, err
 }