fix test by accepting a non-deployed contract

core/chain_makers.go

@@ -396,6 +396,9 @@ func GenerateChain(config *params.ChainConfig, parent *types.Block, engine conse
 			evm := vm.NewEVM(blockContext, statedb, cm.config, vm.Config{})
 			ProcessParentBlockHash(b.header.ParentHash, evm)
 		}
+		if config.IsVerkle(b.header.Number, b.header.Time) {
+			InitializeBinaryTransitionRegistry(statedb)
+		}
 
 		// Execute any user modifications to the block
 		if gen != nil {

core/state/database.go

@@ -211,25 +211,24 @@ func LoadTransitionState(reader StateReader, root common.Hash) *overlay.Transiti
 
 	endedBytes, err := reader.Storage(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, transitionEndedKey)
 	if err != nil {
-		// Registry exists but can't read ended flag - treat as still in transition
+		return nil
-		endedBytes = common.Hash{}
 	}
 	ended := endedBytes != (common.Hash{})
 
 	currentAccountBytes, err := reader.Storage(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, conversionProgressAddressKey)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(fmt.Errorf("error reading conversion account pointer: %w", err))
+		return nil
 	}
 	currentAccount := common.BytesToAddress(currentAccountBytes[12:])
 
 	currentSlotHash, err := reader.Storage(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, conversionProgressSlotKey)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(fmt.Errorf("error reading conversion slot pointer: %w", err))
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	storageProcessedBytes, err := reader.Storage(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, conversionProgressStorageProcessed)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(fmt.Errorf("error reading conversion storage processing completion status: %w", err))
+		return nil
 	}
 	storageProcessed := storageProcessedBytes[0] == 1
 
@@ -308,7 +307,8 @@ func (db *CachingDB) ReadersWithCacheStats(stateRoot common.Hash) (ReaderWithSta
 
 // OpenTrie opens the main account trie at a specific root hash.
 func (db *CachingDB) OpenTrie(root common.Hash) (Trie, error) {
-	reader, err := db.StateReader(root)
+	reader, err := db.triedb.StateReader(root)
+	flatReader := newFlatReader(reader)
 	if err != nil {
 		tr, err := trie.NewStateTrie(trie.StateTrieID(root), db.triedb)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -317,12 +317,12 @@ func (db *CachingDB) OpenTrie(root common.Hash) (Trie, error) {
 		return tr, nil
 	}
 
-	if isTransitionActive(reader) || db.triedb.IsVerkle() {
+	if isTransitionActive(flatReader) || db.triedb.IsVerkle() {
 		bt, err := bintrie.NewBinaryTrie(root, db.triedb)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not open the overlay tree: %w", err)
 		}
-		ts := LoadTransitionState(reader, root)
+		ts := LoadTransitionState(flatReader, root)
 		if !ts.InTransition() {
 			// Transition complete, use BinaryTrie only
 			return bt, nil

core/state_processor.go

@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@ func (p *StateProcessor) Process(block *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB, cfg
 		ProcessParentBlockHash(block.ParentHash(), evm)
 	}
 	if config.IsVerkle(header.Number, header.Time) {
-		statedb.SetCode(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, []byte{1, 2, 3}, tracing.CodeChangeUnspecified)
+		InitializeBinaryTransitionRegistry(statedb)
-		statedb.SetNonce(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, 1, tracing.NonceChangeUnspecified)
-		statedb.SetState(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, common.Hash{}, common.Hash{1})
 	}
 
 	// Iterate over and process the individual transactions

core/transition_registry.go

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The go-ethereum Authors
+// This file is part of the go-ethereum library.
+//
+// The go-ethereum library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// The go-ethereum library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+// GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package core
+
+import (
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/tracing"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
+)
+
+// InitializeBinaryTransitionRegistry seeds the transition registry account used
+// during the MPT->BinaryTrie transition.
+func InitializeBinaryTransitionRegistry(statedb *state.StateDB) {
+	if statedb == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	statedb.SetCode(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, []byte{1, 2, 3}, tracing.CodeChangeUnspecified)
+	statedb.SetNonce(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, 1, tracing.NonceChangeUnspecified)
+	statedb.SetState(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, common.Hash{}, common.Hash{1})
+}

eth/state_accessor.go

@@ -26,12 +26,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/rawdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/tracing"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/trie"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/triedb"
 )
@@ -254,9 +252,7 @@ func (eth *Ethereum) stateAtTransaction(ctx context.Context, block *types.Block,
 		core.ProcessParentBlockHash(block.ParentHash(), evm)
 	}
 	if eth.blockchain.Config().IsVerkle(block.Number(), block.Time()) {
-		statedb.SetCode(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, []byte{1, 2, 3}, tracing.CodeChangeUnspecified)
+		core.InitializeBinaryTransitionRegistry(statedb)
-		statedb.SetNonce(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, 1, tracing.NonceChangeUnspecified)
-		statedb.SetState(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, common.Hash{}, common.Hash{1})
 	}
 	if txIndex == 0 && len(block.Transactions()) == 0 {
 		return nil, context, statedb, release, nil

miner/worker.go

@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/stateless"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/tracing"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/txpool"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
@@ -268,9 +267,7 @@ func (miner *Miner) prepareWork(genParams *generateParams, witness bool) (*envir
 		core.ProcessParentBlockHash(header.ParentHash, env.evm)
 	}
 	if miner.chainConfig.IsVerkle(header.Number, header.Time) {
-		env.state.SetCode(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, []byte{1, 2, 3}, tracing.CodeChangeUnspecified)
+		core.InitializeBinaryTransitionRegistry(env.state)
-		env.state.SetNonce(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, 1, tracing.NonceChangeUnspecified)
-		env.state.SetState(params.BinaryTransitionRegistryAddress, common.Hash{}, common.Hash{1})
 	}
 	return env, nil
 }