diff --git a/libs/remix-debug/test/debugger.ts b/libs/remix-debug/test/debugger.ts
index 684d9a01fd..ff859f7d4d 100644
--- a/libs/remix-debug/test/debugger.ts
+++ b/libs/remix-debug/test/debugger.ts
@@ -148,48 +148,50 @@ contract Ballot {
         winnerName_ = proposals[winningProposal()].name;
     }
 }
-`
+`;
 
-var privateKey = Buffer.from('dae9801649ba2d95a21e688b56f77905e5667c44ce868ec83f82e838712a2c7a', 'hex')
-var vm = vmCall.initVM(privateKey)
-var output = compiler.compile(compilerInput(ballot))
-output = JSON.parse(output)
-var web3VM = new remixLib.vm.Web3VMProvider()
-web3VM.setVM(vm)
-const param = '0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000020000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000148656c6c6f20576f726c64210000000000000000000000000000000000000000'
-vmCall.sendTx(vm, {nonce: 0, privateKey: privateKey}, null, 0, output.contracts['test.sol']['Ballot'].evm.bytecode.object + param, (error, txHash) => {
-  console.log(error, txHash)
-  if (error) {
-    throw error
-  } else {
-    web3VM.eth.getTransaction(txHash, (error, tx) => {
-      if (error) {
-        throw error
-      } else {
-        var debugManager = new Debugger({
-          compilationResult: function () {
-            return { data: output }
-          },
-          web3: web3VM
-        })
-
-        debugManager.callTree.event.register('callTreeReady', () => {
-          testDebugging(debugManager)
-        })
-        debugManager.callTree.event.register('callTreeNotReady', (error) => {
-          console.error(error)
-          throw error
-        })
-        debugManager.callTree.event.register('callTreeBuildFailed', (error) => {
-          console.error(error)
+(async () => {
+  var privateKey = Buffer.from('dae9801649ba2d95a21e688b56f77905e5667c44ce868ec83f82e838712a2c7a', 'hex')
+  var vm = await vmCall.initVM(privateKey)
+  var output = compiler.compile(compilerInput(ballot))
+  output = JSON.parse(output)
+  var web3VM = new remixLib.vm.Web3VMProvider()
+  web3VM.setVM(vm)
+  const param = '0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000020000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000148656c6c6f20576f726c64210000000000000000000000000000000000000000'
+  vmCall.sendTx(vm, {nonce: 0, privateKey: privateKey}, null, 0, output.contracts['test.sol']['Ballot'].evm.bytecode.object + param, (error, txHash) => {
+    console.log(error, txHash)
+    if (error) {
+      throw error
+    } else {
+      web3VM.eth.getTransaction(txHash, (error, tx) => {
+        if (error) {
           throw error
-        })
-
-        debugManager.debug(tx)
-      }
-    })
-  }
-})
+        } else {
+          var debugManager = new Debugger({
+            compilationResult: function () {
+              return { data: output }
+            },
+            web3: web3VM
+          })
+  
+          debugManager.callTree.event.register('callTreeReady', () => {
+            testDebugging(debugManager)
+          })
+          debugManager.callTree.event.register('callTreeNotReady', (error) => {
+            console.error(error)
+            throw error
+          })
+          debugManager.callTree.event.register('callTreeBuildFailed', (error) => {
+            console.error(error)
+            throw error
+          })
+  
+          debugManager.debug(tx)
+        }
+      })
+    }
+  })
+})()
 
 function testDebugging (debugManager) {
   // stack
diff --git a/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/localDecoder.ts b/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/localDecoder.ts
index a9c82b1649..d76ff4c2c0 100644
--- a/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/localDecoder.ts
+++ b/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/localDecoder.ts
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ var structArrayLocalTest = require('./localsTests/structArray')
 var compilerInput = require('../helpers/compilerHelper').compilerInput
 
 tape('solidity', function (t) {
-  t.test('local decoder', function (st) {
+  t.test('local decoder', async function (st) {
     var privateKey = Buffer.from('dae9801649ba2d95a21e688b56f77905e5667c44ce868ec83f82e838712a2c7a', 'hex')
-    var vm = vmCall.initVM(st, privateKey)
+    var vm = await vmCall.initVM(st, privateKey)
     test(st, vm, privateKey)
   })
 })
diff --git a/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/stateTests/mapping.ts b/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/stateTests/mapping.ts
index 58875f9e25..eb2a0115b6 100644
--- a/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/stateTests/mapping.ts
+++ b/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/stateTests/mapping.ts
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ import { sendTx, initVM } from '../vmCall'
 import { StorageResolver } from '../../../src/storage/storageResolver'
 import { StorageViewer } from '../../../src/storage/storageViewer'
 
-module.exports = function testMappingStorage (st, cb) {
+module.exports = async function testMappingStorage (st, cb) {
   var mappingStorage = require('../contracts/mappingStorage')
   var privateKey = Buffer.from('dae9801649ba2d95a21e688b56f77905e5667c44ce868ec83f82e838712a2c7a', 'hex')
-  var vm = initVM(st, privateKey)
+  var vm = await initVM(st, privateKey)
   var output = compile(compilerInput(mappingStorage.contract))
   output = JSON.parse(output)
   sendTx(vm, {nonce: 0, privateKey: privateKey}, null, 0, output.contracts['test.sol']['SimpleMappingState'].evm.bytecode.object, function (error, txHash) {
diff --git a/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/vmCall.ts b/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/vmCall.ts
index 91d6810dd3..eae3c94b9f 100644
--- a/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/vmCall.ts
+++ b/libs/remix-debug/test/decoder/vmCall.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export function sendTx (vm, from, to, value, data, cb) {
     value: new BN(value, 10),
     data: Buffer.from(data, 'hex')
   })
-  tx.sign(from.privateKey)
+  tx = tx.sign(from.privateKey)
 
   var block = Block.fromBlockData({
     header: {
@@ -39,9 +39,10 @@ export function sendTx (vm, from, to, value, data, cb) {
   }
 }
 
-function createVm (hardfork) {
+async function createVm (hardfork) {
   const common = new Common({ chain: 'mainnet', hardfork })
   const vm = new VM({ common })   
+  await vm.init()
   // vm.blockchain.validate = false
   return { vm, stateManager: vm.stateManager }
 }
@@ -49,12 +50,11 @@ function createVm (hardfork) {
 /*
   Init VM / Send Transaction
 */
-export function initVM (st, privateKey) {
-  var VM = createVm('berlin')
+export async function initVM (st, privateKey) {
+  var VM = await createVm('berlin')
   const vm = VM.vm
 
-  var address = utileth.privateToAddress(privateKey)
-
+  var address = utileth.Address.fromPrivateKey(privateKey)
   vm.stateManager.getAccount(address).then((account) => {    
     account.balance = new BN('f00000000000000001', 16)
     vm.stateManager.putAccount(address, account).catch((error) => {
diff --git a/libs/remix-debug/test/vmCall.ts b/libs/remix-debug/test/vmCall.ts
index 912ed68fd0..ddba208a10 100644
--- a/libs/remix-debug/test/vmCall.ts
+++ b/libs/remix-debug/test/vmCall.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function sendTx (vm, from, to, value, data, cb) {
     value: new BN(value, 10),
     data: Buffer.from(data, 'hex')
   })
-  tx.sign(from.privateKey)
+  tx = tx.sign(from.privateKey)
 
   var block = Block.fromBlockData({
     header: {
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ function sendTx (vm, from, to, value, data, cb) {
 /*
   Init VM / Send Transaction
 */
-function initVM (privateKey) {
-  var address = utileth.privateToAddress(privateKey)
+async function initVM (privateKey) {
+  var address = utileth.Address.fromPrivateKey(privateKey)
   var vm = new VM({
     activatePrecompiles: true
   })
-
+  await vm.init()
   vm.stateManager.getAccount(address).then((account) => {    
     account.balance = new BN('f00000000000000001', 16)
     vm.stateManager.putAccount(address, account).catch((error) => {
diff --git a/libs/remix-lib/src/util.ts b/libs/remix-lib/src/util.ts
index f55e5a31b6..d17129d958 100644
--- a/libs/remix-lib/src/util.ts
+++ b/libs/remix-lib/src/util.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict'
-import { BN, bufferToHex, keccak, setLengthLeft, intToBuffer } from 'ethereumjs-util'
+import { BN, bufferToHex, keccak, setLengthLeft, toBuffer } from 'ethereumjs-util'
 
 /*
  contains misc util: @TODO should be splitted
@@ -165,12 +165,7 @@ export function buildCallPath (index, rootCall) {
   */
 // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
 export function sha3_256 (value) {
-  if (typeof value === 'string') {
-    value = Buffer.from(value.replace('0x', ''), 'hex')
-  }
-  if (Number.isInteger(value)) {
-    value = intToBuffer(value)
-  }
+  value = toBuffer(value)
   const retInBuffer: Buffer = keccak(setLengthLeft(value, 32))
   return bufferToHex(retInBuffer)
 }