diff --git a/test/EVMHost.cpp b/test/EVMHost.cpp
index e2dd7bf17..779e9e000 100644
--- a/test/EVMHost.cpp
+++ b/test/EVMHost.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,20 @@ EVMHost::EVMHost(langutil::EVMVersion _evmVersion, evmc::VM& _vm):
 		assertThrow(false, Exception, "Berlin is not supported yet.");
 	else //if (_evmVersion == langutil::EVMVersion::petersburg())
 		m_evmRevision = EVMC_PETERSBURG;
+
+	// Mark all precompiled contracts as existing. Existing here means to have a balance (as per EIP-161).
+	// NOTE: keep this in sync with `EVMHost::call` below.
+	//
+	// A lot of precompile addresses had a balance before they became valid addresses for precompiles.
+	// For example all the precompile addresses allocated in Byzantium had a 1 wei balance sent to them
+	// roughly 22 days before the update went live.
+	for (unsigned precompiledAddress = 1; precompiledAddress <= 8; precompiledAddress++)
+	{
+		evmc::address address{};
+		address.bytes[19] = precompiledAddress;
+		// 1wei
+		m_state.accounts[address].balance.bytes[31] = 1;
+	}
 }
 
 evmc_storage_status EVMHost::set_storage(const evmc::address& _addr, const evmc::bytes32& _key, const evmc::bytes32& _value) noexcept
diff --git a/test/EVMHost.h b/test/EVMHost.h
index edef88d01..4cbb045f0 100644
--- a/test/EVMHost.h
+++ b/test/EVMHost.h
@@ -70,10 +70,6 @@ public:
 
 	Account* account(evmc::address const& _address)
 	{
-		// Make all precompiled contracts exist.
-		// Be future-proof and consider everything below 1024 as precompiled contract.
-		if (u160(convertFromEVMC(_address)) < 1024)
-			m_state.accounts[_address];
 		auto it = m_state.accounts.find(_address);
 		return it == m_state.accounts.end() ? nullptr : &it->second;
 	}