diff --git a/core/state/database.go b/core/state/database.go
index f4881c3a7130..588dbbb3d403 100644
--- a/core/state/database.go
+++ b/core/state/database.go
@@ -348,14 +348,14 @@ func (db *cachingDB) OpenTrie(root common.Hash) (Trie, error) {
 		// NOTE this is a kaustinen-only change, it will break replay
 		vkt, err := db.openVKTrie(root)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println("failed to open the vkt", err)
+			log.Error("failed to open the vkt", "err", err)
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
 		// If the verkle conversion has ended, return a single
 		// verkle trie.
 		if db.CurrentTransitionState.ended {
-			fmt.Println("vkt only")
+			log.Debug("transition ended, returning a simple verkle tree")
 			return vkt, nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/core/vm/instructions.go b/core/vm/instructions.go
index e8ada3ad2f2a..a7860f0fde82 100644
--- a/core/vm/instructions.go
+++ b/core/vm/instructions.go
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 package vm
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/math"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
@@ -653,7 +651,6 @@ func opCreate(pc *uint64, interpreter *EVMInterpreter, scope *ScopeContext) ([]b
 		input        = scope.Memory.GetCopy(int64(offset.Uint64()), int64(size.Uint64()))
 		gas          = scope.Contract.Gas
 	)
-	fmt.Println("CREATE", input, value)
 	if interpreter.evm.chainRules.IsPrague {
 		contractAddress := crypto.CreateAddress(scope.Contract.Address(), interpreter.evm.StateDB.GetNonce(scope.Contract.Address()))
 		statelessGas := interpreter.evm.Accesses.TouchAndChargeContractCreateInit(contractAddress.Bytes()[:], value.Sign() != 0)
@@ -708,7 +705,6 @@ func opCreate2(pc *uint64, interpreter *EVMInterpreter, scope *ScopeContext) ([]
 		input        = scope.Memory.GetCopy(int64(offset.Uint64()), int64(size.Uint64()))
 		gas          = scope.Contract.Gas
 	)
-	fmt.Println("CREATE2", salt, input, endowment)
 	if interpreter.evm.chainRules.IsPrague {
 		codeAndHash := &codeAndHash{code: input}
 		contractAddress := crypto.CreateAddress2(scope.Contract.Address(), salt.Bytes32(), codeAndHash.Hash().Bytes())
@@ -907,7 +903,6 @@ func opSelfdestruct(pc *uint64, interpreter *EVMInterpreter, scope *ScopeContext
 		return nil, ErrWriteProtection
 	}
 	beneficiary := scope.Stack.pop()
-	fmt.Println("SELFDESTRUCT", beneficiary)
 	balance := interpreter.evm.StateDB.GetBalance(scope.Contract.Address())
 	interpreter.evm.StateDB.AddBalance(beneficiary.Bytes20(), balance)
 	interpreter.evm.StateDB.SelfDestruct(scope.Contract.Address())