diff --git a/conformance/driver.go b/conformance/driver.go
index 6df7b9115..a065d1530 100644
--- a/conformance/driver.go
+++ b/conformance/driver.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	gobig "math/big"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-state-types/network"
+
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/blockstore"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/consensus/filcns"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/state"
@@ -187,11 +189,12 @@ func (d *Driver) ExecuteTipset(bs blockstore.Blockstore, ds ds.Batching, params
 }
 
 type ExecuteMessageParams struct {
-	Preroot    cid.Cid
-	Epoch      abi.ChainEpoch
-	Message    *types.Message
-	CircSupply abi.TokenAmount
-	BaseFee    abi.TokenAmount
+	Preroot        cid.Cid
+	Epoch          abi.ChainEpoch
+	Message        *types.Message
+	CircSupply     abi.TokenAmount
+	BaseFee        abi.TokenAmount
+	NetworkVersion network.Version
 
 	// Rand is an optional vm.Rand implementation to use. If nil, the driver
 	// will use a vm.Rand that returns a fixed value for all calls.
@@ -210,13 +213,6 @@ func (d *Driver) ExecuteMessage(bs blockstore.Blockstore, params ExecuteMessageP
 		params.Rand = NewFixedRand()
 	}
 
-	// dummy state manager; only to reference the GetNetworkVersion method,
-	// which does not depend on state.
-	sm, err := stmgr.NewStateManager(nil, filcns.NewTipSetExecutor(), nil, filcns.DefaultUpgradeSchedule(), nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, cid.Cid{}, err
-	}
-
 	vmOpts := &vm.VMOpts{
 		StateBase: params.Preroot,
 		Epoch:     params.Epoch,
@@ -227,7 +223,7 @@ func (d *Driver) ExecuteMessage(bs blockstore.Blockstore, params ExecuteMessageP
 		},
 		Rand:           params.Rand,
 		BaseFee:        params.BaseFee,
-		NetworkVersion: sm.GetNetworkVersion(context.Background(), params.Epoch),
+		NetworkVersion: params.NetworkVersion,
 	}
 
 	lvm, err := vm.NewVM(context.TODO(), vmOpts)
diff --git a/conformance/runner.go b/conformance/runner.go
index e597f0bbe..1f35f034c 100644
--- a/conformance/runner.go
+++ b/conformance/runner.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/fatih/color"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-state-types/abi"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-state-types/exitcode"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-state-types/network"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
 	blocks "github.com/ipfs/go-block-format"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-blockservice"
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@ var TipsetVectorOpts struct {
 func ExecuteMessageVector(r Reporter, vector *schema.TestVector, variant *schema.Variant) (diffs []string, err error) {
 	var (
 		ctx       = context.Background()
-		baseEpoch = variant.Epoch
+		baseEpoch = abi.ChainEpoch(variant.Epoch)
+		nv        = network.Version(variant.NetworkVersion)
 		root      = vector.Pre.StateTree.RootCID
 	)
 
@@ -76,18 +78,19 @@ func ExecuteMessageVector(r Reporter, vector *schema.TestVector, variant *schema
 
 		// add the epoch offset if one is set.
 		if m.EpochOffset != nil {
-			baseEpoch += *m.EpochOffset
+			baseEpoch += abi.ChainEpoch(*m.EpochOffset)
 		}
 
 		// Execute the message.
 		var ret *vm.ApplyRet
 		ret, root, err = driver.ExecuteMessage(bs, ExecuteMessageParams{
-			Preroot:    root,
-			Epoch:      abi.ChainEpoch(baseEpoch),
-			Message:    msg,
-			BaseFee:    BaseFeeOrDefault(vector.Pre.BaseFee),
-			CircSupply: CircSupplyOrDefault(vector.Pre.CircSupply),
-			Rand:       NewReplayingRand(r, vector.Randomness),
+			Preroot:        root,
+			Epoch:          baseEpoch,
+			Message:        msg,
+			BaseFee:        BaseFeeOrDefault(vector.Pre.BaseFee),
+			CircSupply:     CircSupplyOrDefault(vector.Pre.CircSupply),
+			Rand:           NewReplayingRand(r, vector.Randomness),
+			NetworkVersion: nv,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			r.Fatalf("fatal failure when executing message: %s", err)