diff --git a/x/evm/types/genesis.go b/x/evm/types/genesis.go
index 397a131d..a5a105a6 100644
--- a/x/evm/types/genesis.go
+++ b/x/evm/types/genesis.go
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 package types
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
-	ethcmn "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	ethermint "github.com/tharsis/ethermint/types"
 )
 
@@ -13,10 +11,6 @@ func (ga GenesisAccount) Validate() error {
 	if err := ethermint.ValidateAddress(ga.Address); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if len(ethcmn.Hex2Bytes(ga.Code)) == 0 {
-		return errors.New("code cannot be empty")
-	}
-
 	return ga.Storage.Validate()
 }
 
diff --git a/x/evm/types/genesis_test.go b/x/evm/types/genesis_test.go
index 5e7a07c6..d5f961bc 100644
--- a/x/evm/types/genesis_test.go
+++ b/x/evm/types/genesis_test.go
@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@ func (suite *GenesisTestSuite) TestValidateGenesisAccount() {
 		{
 			"empty account address bytes",
 			GenesisAccount{
-				Address: ethcmn.Address{}.String(),
+				Address: "",
+				Code:    suite.code,
+				Storage: Storage{
+					NewState(suite.hash, suite.hash),
+				},
 			},
 			false,
 		},
@@ -61,8 +65,11 @@ func (suite *GenesisTestSuite) TestValidateGenesisAccount() {
 			GenesisAccount{
 				Address: suite.address,
 				Code:    "",
+				Storage: Storage{
+					NewState(suite.hash, suite.hash),
+				},
 			},
-			false,
+			true,
 		},
 	}