diff --git a/chain/actors/aerrors/wrap.go b/chain/actors/aerrors/wrap.go
index 928d3fb70..324eeb4e1 100644
--- a/chain/actors/aerrors/wrap.go
+++ b/chain/actors/aerrors/wrap.go
@@ -48,6 +48,26 @@ func Newf(retCode uint8, format string, args ...interface{}) ActorError {
 	}
 }
 
+// todo: bit hacky
+func NewfSkip(skip int, retCode uint8, format string, args ...interface{}) ActorError {
+	if retCode == 0 {
+		return &actorError{
+			fatal:   true,
+			retCode: 0,
+
+			msg:   "tried creating an error and setting RetCode to 0",
+			frame: xerrors.Caller(skip),
+			err:   fmt.Errorf(format, args...),
+		}
+	}
+	return &actorError{
+		retCode: retCode,
+
+		msg:   fmt.Sprintf(format, args...),
+		frame: xerrors.Caller(skip),
+	}
+}
+
 func Fatal(message string, args ...interface{}) ActorError {
 	return &actorError{
 		fatal: true,
diff --git a/chain/gen/genesis/util.go b/chain/gen/genesis/util.go
index 258e6597c..22cb7c33d 100644
--- a/chain/gen/genesis/util.go
+++ b/chain/gen/genesis/util.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package genesis
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-address"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/specs-actors/actors/abi"
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ func doExecValue(ctx context.Context, vm *vm.VM, to, from address.Address, value
 	}
 
 	if ret.ExitCode != 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to call method: %s", ret.ActorErr)
+		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("failed to call method: %w", ret.ActorErr)
 	}
 
 	return ret.Return, nil
diff --git a/chain/vm/spec_shim.go b/chain/vm/spec_shim.go
index 760ec95b2..b75b944ac 100644
--- a/chain/vm/spec_shim.go
+++ b/chain/vm/spec_shim.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package vm
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 	"runtime/debug"
 
@@ -110,7 +111,33 @@ func (rs *runtimeShim) Store() vmr.Store {
 }
 
 func (rs *runtimeShim) NewActorAddress() address.Address {
-	panic("implement me")
+	var b bytes.Buffer
+	if err := rs.ImmediateCaller().MarshalCBOR(&b); err != nil { // todo: spec says cbor; why not just bytes?
+		rs.Abortf(exitcode.ErrSerialization, "writing caller address into a buffer: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var err error
+	st, err := rs.vmctx.StateTree()
+	if err != nil {
+		rs.Abortf(exitcode.SysErrInternal, "getting statetree: %v", err)
+	}
+	act, err := st.GetActor(rs.vmctx.Origin())
+	if err != nil {
+		rs.Abortf(exitcode.SysErrInternal, "getting top level actor: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := binary.Write(&b, binary.BigEndian, act.Nonce); err != nil {
+		rs.Abortf(exitcode.ErrSerialization, "writing nonce address into a buffer: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := binary.Write(&b, binary.BigEndian, uint64(0)); err != nil { // TODO: expose on vm
+		rs.Abortf(exitcode.ErrSerialization, "writing callSeqNum address into a buffer: %v", err)
+	}
+	addr, err := address.NewActorAddress(b.Bytes())
+	if err != nil {
+		rs.Abortf(exitcode.ErrSerialization, "create actor address: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return addr
 }
 
 func (rs *runtimeShim) CreateActor(codeId cid.Cid, address address.Address) {
@@ -148,11 +175,11 @@ func (rs *runtimeShim) Context() context.Context {
 }
 
 func (rs *runtimeShim) Abortf(code exitcode.ExitCode, msg string, args ...interface{}) {
-	panic(aerrors.Newf(uint8(code), msg, args...))
+	panic(aerrors.NewfSkip(2, uint8(code), msg, args...))
 }
 
 func (rs *runtimeShim) AbortStateMsg(msg string) {
-	rs.Abortf(101, msg)
+	panic(aerrors.NewfSkip(3, 101, msg))
 }
 
 func (rs *runtimeShim) ValidateImmediateCallerType(...cid.Cid) {