diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8bcb50f43d..70f8e3535a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
     "es6-shim": "^0.35.1",
     "ethereumjs-block": "^1.2.2",
     "ethereumjs-vm": "^1.4.0",
-    "merkle-patricia-tree": "^2.1.2",
     "ethereumjs-util": "^4.4.0",
     "ethereumjs-tx": "^1.1.1",
     "ethereumjs-abi": "^0.6.2",
diff --git a/src/universal-dapp.js b/src/universal-dapp.js
index e384227704..b58b971fa8 100644
--- a/src/universal-dapp.js
+++ b/src/universal-dapp.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 var $ = require('jquery');
 var EthJSVM = require('ethereumjs-vm');
-var Trie = require('merkle-patricia-tree');
 var ethJSUtil = require('ethereumjs-util');
 var EthJSTX = require('ethereumjs-tx');
 var ethJSABI = require('ethereumjs-abi');
 var EthJSBlock = require('ethereumjs-block');
+var BN = ethJSUtil.BN;
 
 function UniversalDApp (contracts, options) {
     this.options = options || {};
@@ -20,9 +20,7 @@ function UniversalDApp (contracts, options) {
 
         this.accounts = {};
 
-        this.BN = ethJSUtil.BN;
-        this.stateTrie = new Trie();
-        this.vm = new EthJSVM(this.stateTrie, null, { activatePrecompiles: true });
+        this.vm = new EthJSVM(null, null, { activatePrecompiles: true, enableHomestead: true });
 
         this.addAccount('3cd7232cd6f3fc66a57a6bedc1a8ed6c228fff0a327e169c2bcc5e869ed49511');
         this.addAccount('2ac6c190b09897cd8987869cc7b918cfea07ee82038d492abce033c75c1b1d0c');
@@ -75,7 +73,7 @@ UniversalDApp.prototype.getBalance = function (address, cb) {
             if (err) {
                 cb('Account not found');
             } else {
-                cb(null, new ethJSUtil.BN(res).toString(10));
+                cb(null, new BN(res).toString(10));
             }
         });
     }
@@ -636,7 +634,7 @@ UniversalDApp.prototype.runTx = function (data, args, cb) {
                 gasPrice: 1,
                 gasLimit: 3000000000, // plenty
                 to: to,
-                value: new this.BN(value, 10),
+                value: new BN(value, 10),
                 data: new Buffer(data.slice(2), 'hex')
             });
             tx.sign(account.privateKey);
@@ -648,7 +646,7 @@ UniversalDApp.prototype.runTx = function (data, args, cb) {
                 transactions: [],
                 uncleHeaders: []
             });
-            this.vm.runTx({block: block, tx: tx, skipBalance: true, skipNonce: true, enableHomestead: true}, cb);
+            this.vm.runTx({block: block, tx: tx, skipBalance: true, skipNonce: true}, cb);
         } catch (e) {
             cb(e, null);
         }