diff --git a/packages/vm/src/evm/evm.ts b/packages/vm/src/evm/evm.ts
index c0362e44a4..afe0341a8c 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/evm/evm.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/evm/evm.ts
@@ -143,10 +143,6 @@ export interface EVMResult {
    * Contains the results from running the code, if any, as described in {@link runCode}
    */
   execResult: ExecResult
-  /**
-   * Total amount of gas to be refunded from all nested calls.
-   */
-  gasRefund?: bigint
 }
 
 /**
@@ -178,6 +174,10 @@ export interface ExecResult {
    * A map from the accounts that have self-destructed to the addresses to send their funds to
    */
   selfdestruct?: { [k: string]: Buffer }
+  /**
+   * The gas refund counter
+   */
+  gasRefund?: bigint
 }
 
 export interface NewContractEvent {
@@ -238,7 +238,6 @@ export default class EVM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
   /**
    * Amount of gas to refund from deleting storage values
    */
-  _refund: bigint
   _transientStorage: TransientStorage
 
   _common: Common
@@ -306,7 +305,6 @@ export default class EVM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
 
     this.eei = opts.eei
 
-    this._refund = BigInt(0)
     this._transientStorage = new TransientStorage()
 
     if (opts.common) {
@@ -719,6 +717,7 @@ export default class EVM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
       exceptionError: interpreterRes.exceptionError,
       gas: interpreter._gasLeft,
       gasUsed,
+      gasRefund: interpreterRes.runState!.gasRefund,
       returnValue: result.returnValue ? result.returnValue : Buffer.alloc(0),
     }
   }
@@ -769,8 +768,6 @@ export default class EVM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
       this.eei.state.addWarmedAddress((await this._generateAddress(message)).buf)
     }
 
-    const oldRefund = this._refund
-
     await this.eei.state.checkpoint()
     this._transientStorage.checkpoint()
     if (this.DEBUG) {
@@ -803,17 +800,16 @@ export default class EVM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
       debug(
         `Received message execResult: [ gasUsed=${gasUsed} exceptionError=${
           exceptionError ? `'${exceptionError.error}'` : 'none'
-        } returnValue=0x${short(returnValue)} gasRefund=${result.gasRefund ?? 0} ]`
+        } returnValue=0x${short(returnValue)} gasRefund=${result.execResult.gasRefund ?? 0} ]`
       )
     }
     const err = result.execResult.exceptionError
     // This clause captures any error which happened during execution
-    // If that is the case, then set the _refund tracker to the old refund value
+    // If that is the case, then all refunds are forfeited
     if (err) {
-      this._refund = oldRefund
       result.execResult.selfdestruct = {}
+      result.execResult.gasRefund = BigInt(0)
     }
-    result.gasRefund = this._refund
     if (err) {
       if (this._common.gteHardfork(Hardfork.Homestead) || err.error != ERROR.CODESTORE_OUT_OF_GAS) {
         result.execResult.logs = []
diff --git a/packages/vm/src/evm/interpreter.ts b/packages/vm/src/evm/interpreter.ts
index 1c1fde8ca8..81996a5d72 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/evm/interpreter.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/evm/interpreter.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ export interface RunState {
   env: Env
   messageGasLimit?: bigint // Cache value from `gas.ts` to save gas limit for a message call
   interpreter: Interpreter
+  gasRefund: bigint // Tracks the current refund
 }
 
 export interface InterpreterResult {
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ export default class Interpreter {
       env: env,
       shouldDoJumpAnalysis: true,
       interpreter: this,
+      gasRefund: BigInt(0),
     }
     this._env = env
     this._lastReturned = Buffer.alloc(0)
@@ -302,7 +304,7 @@ export default class Interpreter {
     const eventObj: InterpreterStep = {
       pc: this._runState.programCounter,
       gasLeft,
-      gasRefund: this._evm._refund,
+      gasRefund: this._runState.gasRefund,
       opcode: {
         name: opcode.fullName,
         fee: opcode.fee,
@@ -420,9 +422,11 @@ export default class Interpreter {
    */
   refundGas(amount: bigint, context?: string): void {
     if (this._evm.DEBUG) {
-      debugGas(`${context ? context + ': ' : ''}refund ${amount} gas (-> ${this._evm._refund})`)
+      debugGas(
+        `${context ? context + ': ' : ''}refund ${amount} gas (-> ${this._runState.gasRefund})`
+      )
     }
-    this._evm._refund += amount
+    this._runState.gasRefund += amount
   }
 
   /**
@@ -432,11 +436,13 @@ export default class Interpreter {
    */
   subRefund(amount: bigint, context?: string): void {
     if (this._evm.DEBUG) {
-      debugGas(`${context ? context + ': ' : ''}sub gas refund ${amount} (-> ${this._evm._refund})`)
+      debugGas(
+        `${context ? context + ': ' : ''}sub gas refund ${amount} (-> ${this._runState.gasRefund})`
+      )
     }
-    this._evm._refund -= amount
-    if (this._evm._refund < BigInt(0)) {
-      this._evm._refund = BigInt(0)
+    this._runState.gasRefund -= amount
+    if (this._runState.gasRefund < BigInt(0)) {
+      this._runState.gasRefund = BigInt(0)
       trap(ERROR.REFUND_EXHAUSTED)
     }
   }
@@ -835,6 +841,7 @@ export default class Interpreter {
       // update stateRoot on current contract
       const account = await this._eei.state.getAccount(this._env.address)
       this._env.contract = account
+      this._runState.gasRefund += results.execResult.gasRefund ?? BigInt(0)
     }
 
     return this._getReturnCode(results)
diff --git a/packages/vm/src/evm/types.ts b/packages/vm/src/evm/types.ts
index ee7660d224..008eec16d3 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/evm/types.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/evm/types.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ export interface RunCallOpts {
    * If the call is a DELEGATECALL. Defaults to false.
    */
   delegatecall?: boolean
+  /**
+   * Refund counter. Defaults to `0`
+   */
+  gasRefund?: bigint
   /**
    * Optionally pass in an already-built message.
    */
diff --git a/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts b/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts
index ed70b13e29..adea04a61f 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/runTx.ts
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ async function _runTx(this: VM, opts: RunTxOpts): Promise<RunTxResult> {
   }
 
   // Process any gas refund
-  let gasRefund = results.gasRefund ?? BigInt(0)
+  let gasRefund = results.execResult.gasRefund ?? BigInt(0)
   const maxRefundQuotient = this._common.param('gasConfig', 'maxRefundQuotient')
   if (gasRefund !== BigInt(0)) {
     const maxRefund = results.gasUsed / maxRefundQuotient
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ async function _runTx(this: VM, opts: RunTxOpts): Promise<RunTxResult> {
       }
     }
   }
-  this.evm._refund = BigInt(0)
+
   await state.cleanupTouchedAccounts()
   state.clearOriginalStorageCache()
   if (this._common.isActivatedEIP(1153)) this.evm._transientStorage.clear()