diff --git a/cmd/evm/runner.go b/cmd/evm/runner.go
index ebb3e04461..88c8179ea0 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/runner.go
+++ b/cmd/evm/runner.go
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ func runCmd(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 			// don't mutate the state!
 			runtimeConfig.State = prestate.Copy()
 			output, _, gasLeft, err := runtime.Create(input, &runtimeConfig)
-			return output, gasLeft, err
+			return output, initialGas - gasLeft, err
 		}
 	} else {
 		if len(code) > 0 {