diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 09d530a33..a3afb1b81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ jobs:
           # give us more space
           # find . -type d -name ".git" -exec rm -rf {} +
           find . -type d -name "nimcache" -exec rm -rf {} +
-          mingw32-make ${DEFAULT_MAKE_FLAGS} test
+          mingw32-make ${DEFAULT_MAKE_FLAGS} test t8n_test
           if [[ '${{ matrix.target.cpu }}' == 'amd64' ]]; then
             mingw32-make ${DEFAULT_MAKE_FLAGS}
           fi
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ jobs:
           # ./scripts/launch_local_testnet.sh --nodes=3 --stop-at-epoch=7 \
           # --disable-htop --reuse-binaries --run-nimbus-el --dl-eth2 --verbose --kill-old-processes
           # popd
-          env CC=gcc GOARCH=${GOARCH} CXX=g++ CGO_ENABLED=1 make ${DEFAULT_MAKE_FLAGS} test
+          env CC=gcc GOARCH=${GOARCH} CXX=g++ CGO_ENABLED=1 make ${DEFAULT_MAKE_FLAGS} test t8n_test
 
       - name: Run nimbus-eth1 tests (Macos)
         if: runner.os == 'Macos'
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ jobs:
           # ./scripts/launch_local_testnet.sh --nodes=3 --stop-at-epoch=7 \
           # --disable-htop --reuse-binaries --run-nimbus-el --dl-eth2 --verbose --kill-old-processes
           # popd
-          make ${DEFAULT_MAKE_FLAGS} test
+          make ${DEFAULT_MAKE_FLAGS} test t8n_test
 
   lint:
     name: "Lint"
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 46c74f8fa..3b60e027d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ ifeq ($(BOEHM_GC),1)
 NIM_PARAMS += --mm:boehm
 endif
 
-T8N_PARAMS := -d:chronicles_default_output_device=stderr
+T8N_PARAMS := -d:chronicles_default_output_device=stderr -d:use_system_rocksdb
 
 ifeq ($(USE_LIBBACKTRACE), 0)
   NIM_PARAMS += -d:disable_libbacktrace
diff --git a/tools/t8n/t8n_test.nim b/tools/t8n/t8n_test.nim
index 4a5e182a9..e47c565a6 100644
--- a/tools/t8n/t8n_test.nim
+++ b/tools/t8n/t8n_test.nim
@@ -57,17 +57,17 @@ proc get(opt: T8nInput, base  : string): string =
     result.add(" --state.reward " & opt.stReward)
 
 proc get(opt: T8nOutput): string =
-  if opt.alloc:
+  if opt.alloc and not opt.trace:
     result.add(" --output.alloc stdout")
   else:
     result.add(" --output.alloc")
 
-  if opt.result:
+  if opt.result and not opt.trace:
     result.add(" --output.result stdout")
   else:
     result.add(" --output.result")
 
-  if opt.body:
+  if opt.body and not opt.trace:
     result.add(" --output.body stdout")
   else:
     result.add(" --output.body")
@@ -143,6 +143,14 @@ proc notRejectedError(path: string): bool =
     path.endsWith("/error"))
 
 proc runTest(appDir: string, spec: TestSpec): bool =
+  when defined(evmc_enabled):
+    # TODO: test both evm?
+    # skip trace test if evmc_enabled
+    # because the error msg of trace output is
+    # different for nimvm and evmc
+    if spec.output.trace:
+      return true
+
   let base = appDir / spec.base
   let args = spec.input.get(base) & spec.output.get()
   let cmd  = appDir / "t8n" & args
diff --git a/tools/t8n/transition.nim b/tools/t8n/transition.nim
index 874045abd..5fa81e418 100644
--- a/tools/t8n/transition.nim
+++ b/tools/t8n/transition.nim
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ proc traceToFileStream(path: string, txIndex: int): Stream =
   createDir(file.dir)
   newFileStream(fName, fmWrite)
 
-proc setupTrace(conf: T8NConf, txIndex: int, txHash: Hash32, vmState: BaseVMState) =
+proc setupTrace(conf: T8NConf, txIndex: int, txHash: Hash32, vmState: BaseVMState): bool =
   var tracerFlags = {
     TracerFlags.DisableMemory,
     TracerFlags.DisableStorage,
@@ -186,10 +186,14 @@ proc setupTrace(conf: T8NConf, txIndex: int, txHash: Hash32, vmState: BaseVMStat
   if conf.traceNostack: tracerFlags.incl TracerFlags.DisableStack
   if conf.traceReturnData: tracerFlags.excl TracerFlags.DisableReturnData
 
+  var closeStream = true
   let traceMode = conf.traceEnabled.get
   let stream = if traceMode == "stdout":
+                 # don't close stdout or stderr
+                 closeStream = false
                  newFileStream(stdout)
                elif traceMode == "stderr":
+                 closeStream = false
                  newFileStream(stderr)
                elif traceMode.len > 0:
                  traceToFileStream(traceMode, txIndex)
@@ -205,10 +209,11 @@ proc setupTrace(conf: T8NConf, txIndex: int, txHash: Hash32, vmState: BaseVMStat
     raise newError(ErrorConfig, "Unable to open tracer stream: " & traceLoc)
 
   vmState.tracer = newJsonTracer(stream, tracerFlags, false)
+  closeStream
 
-proc closeTrace(vmState: BaseVMState) =
+proc closeTrace(vmState: BaseVMState, closeStream: bool) =
   let tracer = JsonTracer(vmState.tracer)
-  if tracer.isNil.not:
+  if tracer.isNil.not and closeStream:
     tracer.close()
 
 proc exec(ctx: var TransContext,
@@ -264,13 +269,14 @@ proc exec(ctx: var TransContext,
       )
       continue
 
+    var closeStream = true
     if conf.traceEnabled.isSome:
-      setupTrace(conf, txIndex, rlpHash(tx), vmState)
+      closeStream = setupTrace(conf, txIndex, rlpHash(tx), vmState)
 
     let rc = vmState.processTransaction(tx, sender, header)
 
     if conf.traceEnabled.isSome:
-      closeTrace(vmState)
+      closeTrace(vmState, closeStream)
 
     if rc.isErr:
       rejected.add RejectedTx(