diff --git a/core/vm/address.go b/core/vm/address.go
index df801863fc..70497ea4eb 100644
--- a/core/vm/address.go
+++ b/core/vm/address.go
@@ -80,9 +80,9 @@ func ecrecoverFunc(in []byte) []byte {
 
 	// v needs to be moved to the end
 	rsv := append(in[64:128], byte(v.Uint64()))
-	pubKey := crypto.Ecrecover(in[:32], rsv)
-	// make sure the public key is a valid one
-	if pubKey == nil || len(pubKey) != 65 {
+	pubKey, err := crypto.Ecrecover(in[:32], rsv)
+	if err != nil {
+		vmlogger.Errorf("EC RECOVER FAIL: ", err)
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/crypto/crypto.go b/crypto/crypto.go
index 9a1559fbfb..4d3c8740d3 100644
--- a/crypto/crypto.go
+++ b/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -68,10 +68,8 @@ func Ripemd160(data []byte) []byte {
 	return ripemd.Sum(nil)
 }
 
-func Ecrecover(hash, sig []byte) []byte {
-	r, _ := secp256k1.RecoverPubkey(hash, sig)
-
-	return r
+func Ecrecover(hash, sig []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	return secp256k1.RecoverPubkey(hash, sig)
 }
 
 // New methods using proper ecdsa keys from the stdlib
@@ -146,8 +144,9 @@ func GenerateKey() (*ecdsa.PrivateKey, error) {
 }
 
 func SigToPub(hash, sig []byte) *ecdsa.PublicKey {
-	s := Ecrecover(hash, sig)
-	if s == nil || len(s) != 65 {
+	s, err := Ecrecover(hash, sig)
+	// TODO: add logging of error
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}