diff --git a/core/bench_test.go b/core/bench_test.go
index ce288d372..959979763 100644
--- a/core/bench_test.go
+++ b/core/bench_test.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ var (
 	// This is the content of the genesis block used by the benchmarks.
 	benchRootKey, _ = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
 	benchRootAddr   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(benchRootKey.PublicKey)
-	benchRootFunds  = math.BigPow(2, 100)
+	benchRootFunds  = math.BigPow(2, 200)
 )
 
 // genValueTx returns a block generator that includes a single
@@ -86,7 +86,19 @@ func genValueTx(nbytes int) func(int, *BlockGen) {
 		toaddr := common.Address{}
 		data := make([]byte, nbytes)
 		gas, _ := IntrinsicGas(data, nil, false, false, false)
-		tx, _ := types.SignTx(types.NewTransaction(gen.TxNonce(benchRootAddr), toaddr, big.NewInt(1), gas, nil, data), types.HomesteadSigner{}, benchRootKey)
+		signer := types.MakeSigner(gen.config, big.NewInt(int64(i)))
+		gasPrice := big.NewInt(0)
+		if gen.header.BaseFee != nil {
+			gasPrice = gen.header.BaseFee
+		}
+		tx, _ := types.SignNewTx(benchRootKey, signer, &types.LegacyTx{
+			Nonce:    gen.TxNonce(benchRootAddr),
+			To:       &toaddr,
+			Value:    big.NewInt(1),
+			Gas:      gas,
+			Data:     data,
+			GasPrice: gasPrice,
+		})
 		gen.AddTx(tx)
 	}
 }
@@ -110,24 +122,38 @@ func init() {
 // and fills the blocks with many small transactions.
 func genTxRing(naccounts int) func(int, *BlockGen) {
 	from := 0
+	availableFunds := new(big.Int).Set(benchRootFunds)
 	return func(i int, gen *BlockGen) {
 		block := gen.PrevBlock(i - 1)
 		gas := block.GasLimit()
+		gasPrice := big.NewInt(0)
+		if gen.header.BaseFee != nil {
+			gasPrice = gen.header.BaseFee
+		}
+		signer := types.MakeSigner(gen.config, big.NewInt(int64(i)))
 		for {
 			gas -= params.TxGas
 			if gas < params.TxGas {
 				break
 			}
 			to := (from + 1) % naccounts
-			tx := types.NewTransaction(
-				gen.TxNonce(ringAddrs[from]),
-				ringAddrs[to],
-				benchRootFunds,
-				params.TxGas,
-				nil,
-				nil,
-			)
-			tx, _ = types.SignTx(tx, types.HomesteadSigner{}, ringKeys[from])
+			burn := new(big.Int).SetUint64(params.TxGas)
+			burn.Mul(burn, gen.header.BaseFee)
+			availableFunds.Sub(availableFunds, burn)
+			if availableFunds.Cmp(big.NewInt(1)) < 0 {
+				panic("not enough funds")
+			}
+			tx, err := types.SignNewTx(ringKeys[from], signer,
+				&types.LegacyTx{
+					Nonce:    gen.TxNonce(ringAddrs[from]),
+					To:       &ringAddrs[to],
+					Value:    availableFunds,
+					Gas:      params.TxGas,
+					GasPrice: gasPrice,
+				})
+			if err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
 			gen.AddTx(tx)
 			from = to
 		}
@@ -245,6 +271,7 @@ func makeChainForBench(db ethdb.Database, full bool, count uint64) {
 			block := types.NewBlockWithHeader(header)
 			rawdb.WriteBody(db, hash, n, block.Body())
 			rawdb.WriteReceipts(db, hash, n, nil)
+			rawdb.WriteHeadBlockHash(db, hash)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -278,6 +305,8 @@ func benchReadChain(b *testing.B, full bool, count uint64) {
 	}
 	makeChainForBench(db, full, count)
 	db.Close()
+	cacheConfig := *defaultCacheConfig
+	cacheConfig.TrieDirtyDisabled = true
 
 	b.ReportAllocs()
 	b.ResetTimer()
@@ -287,7 +316,7 @@ func benchReadChain(b *testing.B, full bool, count uint64) {
 		if err != nil {
 			b.Fatalf("error opening database at %v: %v", dir, err)
 		}
-		chain, err := NewBlockChain(db, nil, params.TestChainConfig, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{}, nil, nil)
+		chain, err := NewBlockChain(db, &cacheConfig, params.TestChainConfig, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{}, nil, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			b.Fatalf("error creating chain: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/core/blockchain_test.go b/core/blockchain_test.go
index 3f6494038..80d07eb30 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -2385,7 +2385,7 @@ func benchmarkLargeNumberOfValueToNonexisting(b *testing.B, numTxs, numBlocks in
 		for txi := 0; txi < numTxs; txi++ {
 			uniq := uint64(i*numTxs + txi)
 			recipient := recipientFn(uniq)
-			tx, err := types.SignTx(types.NewTransaction(uniq, recipient, big.NewInt(1), params.TxGas, big.NewInt(1), nil), signer, testBankKey)
+			tx, err := types.SignTx(types.NewTransaction(uniq, recipient, big.NewInt(1), params.TxGas, block.header.BaseFee, nil), signer, testBankKey)
 			if err != nil {
 				b.Error(err)
 			}
diff --git a/core/rlp_test.go b/core/rlp_test.go
index 3a90811e7..40bcef5e5 100644
--- a/core/rlp_test.go
+++ b/core/rlp_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func getBlock(transactions int, uncles int, dataSize int) *types.Block {
 		// A sender who makes transactions, has some funds
 		key, _  = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
 		address = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
-		funds   = big.NewInt(1000000000000000)
+		funds   = big.NewInt(1_000_000_000_000_000_000)
 		gspec   = &Genesis{
 			Config: params.TestChainConfig,
 			Alloc:  GenesisAlloc{address: {Balance: funds}},
diff --git a/core/tx_list_test.go b/core/tx_list_test.go
index 3a5842d2e..ef49cae1d 100644
--- a/core/tx_list_test.go
+++ b/core/tx_list_test.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func TestStrictTxListAdd(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func BenchmarkTxListAdd(t *testing.B) {
+func BenchmarkTxListAdd(b *testing.B) {
 	// Generate a list of transactions to insert
 	key, _ := crypto.GenerateKey()
 
@@ -60,11 +60,13 @@ func BenchmarkTxListAdd(t *testing.B) {
 		txs[i] = transaction(uint64(i), 0, key)
 	}
 	// Insert the transactions in a random order
-	list := newTxList(true)
 	priceLimit := big.NewInt(int64(DefaultTxPoolConfig.PriceLimit))
-	t.ResetTimer()
-	for _, v := range rand.Perm(len(txs)) {
-		list.Add(txs[v], DefaultTxPoolConfig.PriceBump)
-		list.Filter(priceLimit, DefaultTxPoolConfig.PriceBump)
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		list := newTxList(true)
+		for _, v := range rand.Perm(len(txs)) {
+			list.Add(txs[v], DefaultTxPoolConfig.PriceBump)
+			list.Filter(priceLimit, DefaultTxPoolConfig.PriceBump)
+		}
 	}
 }