diff --git a/permission/types/permissions.go b/permission/types/permissions.go
index 89a376ea..dd13a04e 100644
--- a/permission/types/permissions.go
+++ b/permission/types/permissions.go
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ func (p *BasePermissions) Unset(ty PermFlag) error {
 }
 
 func (p *BasePermissions) Copy() *BasePermissions {
+	if p == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return &BasePermissions{
 		Perms:  p.Perms,
 		SetBit: p.SetBit,
@@ -140,6 +143,9 @@ func (aP *AccountPermissions) RmRole(role string) bool {
 }
 
 func (aP *AccountPermissions) Copy() *AccountPermissions {
+	if aP == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	r := make([]string, len(aP.Roles))
 	copy(r, aP.Roles)
 	return &AccountPermissions{
diff --git a/state/execution.go b/state/execution.go
index 7e8458d8..9d3f4c6b 100644
--- a/state/execution.go
+++ b/state/execution.go
@@ -405,6 +405,7 @@ func ExecTx(blockCache *BlockCache, tx_ types.Tx, runCall bool, evc events.Firea
 			// this may be nil if we are still in mempool and contract was created in same block as this tx
 			// but that's fine, because the account will be created properly when the create tx runs in the block
 			// and then this won't return nil. otherwise, we take their fee
+			// it may also be nil if its an snative (not a "real" account)
 			outAcc = blockCache.GetAccount(tx.Address)
 		}
 
@@ -431,9 +432,16 @@ func ExecTx(blockCache *BlockCache, tx_ types.Tx, runCall bool, evc events.Firea
 				}
 			)
 
-			// Maybe create a new callee account if
-			// this transaction is creating a new contract.
+			// get or create callee
 			if !createAccount {
+				if outAcc == nil {
+					// check if its an snative
+					if _, ok := vm.RegisteredSNativeContracts[LeftPadWord256(tx.Address)]; ok {
+						// set the outAcc (simply a placeholder until we reach the call)
+						outAcc = &account.Account{Address: tx.Address}
+					}
+				}
+
 				if outAcc == nil || len(outAcc.Code) == 0 {
 					// if you call an account that doesn't exist
 					// or an account with no code then we take fees (sorry pal)
@@ -456,13 +464,15 @@ func ExecTx(blockCache *BlockCache, tx_ types.Tx, runCall bool, evc events.Firea
 				log.Debug(Fmt("Calling contract %X with code %X", callee.Address, callee.Code))
 			} else {
 				callee = txCache.CreateAccount(caller)
+				txCache.UpdateAccount(callee)
 				log.Debug(Fmt("Created new account %X", callee.Address))
 				code = tx.Data
 			}
 			log.Debug(Fmt("Code for this contract: %X", code))
 
-			txCache.UpdateAccount(caller) // because we adjusted by input above, and bumped nonce maybe.
-			txCache.UpdateAccount(callee) // because we adjusted by input above.
+			txCache.UpdateAccount(caller) // because we bumped nonce
+			txCache.UpdateAccount(callee) // so the txCache knows about the callee and the transfer takes effect
+
 			vmach := vm.NewVM(txCache, params, caller.Address, account.HashSignBytes(_s.ChainID, tx))
 			vmach.SetFireable(evc)
 
diff --git a/vm/snative.go b/vm/snative.go
index 4e29ad23..741a522e 100644
--- a/vm/snative.go
+++ b/vm/snative.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const (
 	TopSNativePermission  ptypes.PermFlag = FirstSNativePerm << (NumSNativePermissions - 1)
 )
 
-var registeredSNativeContracts = map[Word256]ptypes.PermFlag{
+var RegisteredSNativeContracts = map[Word256]ptypes.PermFlag{
 	LeftPadWord256([]byte("hasBasePerm")):   HasBasePerm,
 	LeftPadWord256([]byte("setBasePerm")):   SetBasePerm,
 	LeftPadWord256([]byte("unsetBasePerm")): UnsetBasePerm,
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ var registeredSNativeContracts = map[Word256]ptypes.PermFlag{
 type SNativeContract func(acc *Account, input []byte) (output []byte, err error)
 
 func (vm *VM) SNativeContract(name Word256) SNativeContract {
-	flag := registeredSNativeContracts[name]
+	flag := RegisteredSNativeContracts[name]
 	switch flag {
 	case HasBasePerm:
 		return vm.hasBasePerm
diff --git a/vm/vm.go b/vm/vm.go
index 3462eb8e..c7ce3611 100644
--- a/vm/vm.go
+++ b/vm/vm.go
@@ -117,6 +117,17 @@ func (vm *VM) Call(caller, callee *Account, code, input []byte, value int64, gas
 		}
 	}()
 
+	// if code is empty, callee may be snative contract
+	if vm.snative && len(code) == 0 {
+		if snativeContract := vm.SNativeContract(callee.Address); snativeContract != nil {
+			output, err = snativeContract(caller, input)
+			if err != nil {
+				*exception = err.Error()
+			}
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	if err = transfer(caller, callee, value); err != nil {
 		*exception = err.Error()
 		return
@@ -746,9 +757,6 @@ func (vm *VM) call(caller, callee *Account, code, input []byte, value int64, gas
 			if nativeContract := nativeContracts[addr]; nativeContract != nil {
 				// Native contract
 				ret, err = nativeContract(args, &gasLimit)
-			} else if snativeContract := vm.SNativeContract(addr); vm.snative && snativeContract != nil {
-				// Secure native contract (with access to chain state)
-				ret, err = snativeContract(callee, args)
 			} else {
 				// EVM contract
 				if ok = useGas(gas, GasGetAccount); !ok {
@@ -766,13 +774,15 @@ func (vm *VM) call(caller, callee *Account, code, input []byte, value int64, gas
 					ret, err = vm.Call(callee, callee, acc.Code, args, value, gas)
 				} else {
 					if acc == nil {
-						// if we have not seen the account before, create it
-						// so we can send funds
-						if vm.perms && !vm.HasPermission(caller, ptypes.CreateAccount) {
-							return nil, ErrPermission{"create_account"}
-						}
-						acc = &Account{
-							Address: addr,
+						if _, ok := RegisteredSNativeContracts[addr]; vm.snative && ok {
+							acc = &Account{Address: addr}
+						} else {
+							// if we have not seen the account before, create it
+							// so we can send funds
+							if vm.perms && !vm.HasPermission(caller, ptypes.CreateAccount) {
+								return nil, ErrPermission{"create_account"}
+							}
+							acc = &Account{Address: addr}
 						}
 						vm.appState.UpdateAccount(acc)
 					}