diff --git a/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountState.java b/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountState.java
index bd26f336..8570ed52 100644
--- a/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountState.java
+++ b/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountState.java
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ public class AccountState {
         this.rlpEncoded = rlpData;
 
 		RLPList items 	= (RLPList) RLP.decode2(rlpEncoded).get(0);
-		this.nonce 		= new BigInteger(1, ((items.get(0).getRLPData()) == null ? new byte[]{0} :
-                                                                                   items.get(0).getRLPData()));
-		this.balance 	= new BigInteger(1, ((items.get(1).getRLPData()) == null ? new byte[]{0} : 
-																					items.get(1).getRLPData()));
+		this.nonce = items.get(0).getRLPData() == null ? BigInteger.ZERO
+				: new BigInteger(1, items.get(0).getRLPData());
+		this.balance = items.get(1).getRLPData() == null ? BigInteger.ZERO
+				: new BigInteger(1, items.get(1).getRLPData());
 		this.stateRoot 	= items.get(2).getRLPData();
 		this.codeHash 	= items.get(3).getRLPData();
     }
diff --git a/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/Genesis.java b/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/Genesis.java
index 6ca12cc2..cbcabe90 100644
--- a/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/Genesis.java
+++ b/ethereumj-core/src/main/java/org/ethereum/core/Genesis.java
@@ -69,8 +69,7 @@ public class Genesis extends Block {
         // The proof-of-concept series include a development pre-mine, making the state root hash
         // some value stateRoot. The latest documentation should be consulted for the value of the state root.
 		for (String address : premine) {
-			AccountState acctState = new AccountState();
-			acctState.addToBalance(PREMINE_AMOUNT);
+			AccountState acctState = new AccountState(BigInteger.ZERO, PREMINE_AMOUNT);
 			state.update(Hex.decode(address), acctState.getEncoded());
         }
 
diff --git a/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountStateTest.java b/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountStateTest.java
index cfc14615..96cb081b 100644
--- a/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountStateTest.java
+++ b/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/AccountStateTest.java
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ public class AccountStateTest {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testGetEncoded() {
-		String expected = "de809a01000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000008080";
+		String expected = "f85e809"
+				+ "a0100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
+				+ "a0c5d2460186f7233c927e7db2dcc703c0e500b653ca82273b7bfad8045d85a470"
+				+ "a0c5d2460186f7233c927e7db2dcc703c0e500b653ca82273b7bfad8045d85a470";
 		AccountState acct = new AccountState(BigInteger.ZERO, BigInteger.valueOf(2).pow(200));
 		assertEquals(expected, Hex.toHexString(acct.getEncoded()));
 	}
diff --git a/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/StateTest.java b/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/StateTest.java
index 20526c25..db7269a6 100644
--- a/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/StateTest.java
+++ b/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/core/StateTest.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import org.spongycastle.util.encoders.Hex;
 
 public class StateTest {
 
-	private static final String GENESIS_STATE_ROOT = "c67c70f5d7d3049337d1dcc0503a249881120019a8e7322774dbfe57b463718c";
+	private static final String GENESIS_STATE_ROOT = "477fd4d3a3bae60913bbb0cbffbc1aae5c57a60f6351f9ed702d97378f851fc6";
 	
     @Test
     public void testGenesisAccounts() {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public class StateTest {
         // 4) calc the root
 
         Trie trie = generateGenesisState();
-        String expected = "73d725637d76b140720cc75500cfb5ce17bf4c6089798b69a7db1a7e4d97d617";
+        String expected = "e9d7cff80ac451f10a5212b0e8bb6070d0c2214b9d4943794269be78b13d1fb4";
 
         // Get and update sender in world state
         byte[] cowAddress = Hex.decode("cd2a3d9f938e13cd947ec05abc7fe734df8dd826");
diff --git a/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/db/RepositoryTest.java b/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/db/RepositoryTest.java
index d321742b..438a0088 100644
--- a/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/db/RepositoryTest.java
+++ b/ethereumj-core/src/test/java/org/ethereum/db/RepositoryTest.java
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package org.ethereum.db;
 
 import org.ethereum.core.AccountState;
+import org.ethereum.crypto.HashUtil;
 import org.ethereum.facade.Repository;
-import org.ethereum.util.ByteUtil;
 import org.ethereum.vm.DataWord;
 import org.junit.*;
 import org.junit.runners.MethodSorters;
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import org.spongycastle.util.encoders.Hex;
 
 import java.math.BigInteger;
 
-import static org.ethereum.util.ByteUtil.EMTPY_SHA3_RLP_ELEMENT_HASH;
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
 /**
@@ -184,7 +183,7 @@ public class RepositoryTest {
             AccountState accountState = repository.getAccountState(addr);
             assertTrue(code0 == null);
             assertNull(code1);
-            assertEquals(EMTPY_SHA3_RLP_ELEMENT_HASH, accountState.getCodeHash());
+            assertArrayEquals(HashUtil.EMPTY_DATA_HASH, accountState.getCodeHash());
         } finally {
             repository.close();
         }