diff --git a/cmd/evm/internal/t8ntool/execution.go b/cmd/evm/internal/t8ntool/execution.go
index a27c6f6b4f..adbf56f70c 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/internal/t8ntool/execution.go
+++ b/cmd/evm/internal/t8ntool/execution.go
@@ -230,8 +230,8 @@ func (pre *Prestate) Apply(vmConfig vm.Config, chainConfig *params.ChainConfig,
 		txIndex++
 	}
 	statedb.IntermediateRoot(chainConfig.IsEIP158(vmContext.BlockNumber))
-	// Add mining reward?
-	if miningReward > 0 {
+	// Add mining reward? (-1 means rewards are disabled)
+	if miningReward >= 0 {
 		// Add mining reward. The mining reward may be `0`, which only makes a difference in the cases
 		// where
 		// - the coinbase suicided, or