diff --git a/contracts/celo_backend.go b/contracts/celo_backend.go
index b6e8e1e008..8c454cf8cd 100644
--- a/contracts/celo_backend.go
+++ b/contracts/celo_backend.go
@@ -48,8 +48,14 @@ func (b *CeloBackend) CallContract(ctx context.Context, call ethereum.CallMsg, b
 	txCtx := vm.TxContext{}
 	vmConfig := vm.Config{}
 
-	readOnlyStateDB := ReadOnlyStateDB{StateDB: b.State}
-	evm := vm.NewEVM(blockCtx, txCtx, &readOnlyStateDB, b.ChainConfig, vmConfig)
+	// We can use b.State here without copying or making a snapshot because
+	// StaticCall won't change the state. It reverts on all state modifying
+	// operations.
+	// The "touch" that is caused by a StaticCall is not relevant because
+	// no Celo chain contains empty accounts. Per EIP-7523, all chains that
+	// had the Spurious Dragon fork enabled at genesis don't have empty
+	// accounts, making touches irrelevant.
+	evm := vm.NewEVM(blockCtx, txCtx, b.State, b.ChainConfig, vmConfig)
 	ret, _, err := evm.StaticCall(vm.AccountRef(evm.Origin), *call.To, call.Data, call.Gas)
 
 	return ret, err
diff --git a/contracts/read_only_statedb.go b/contracts/read_only_statedb.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 146f544fa3..0000000000
--- a/contracts/read_only_statedb.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,131 +0,0 @@
-package contracts
-
-import (
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/vm"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
-	"github.com/holiman/uint256"
-)
-
-// ReadOnlyStateDB wraps a StateDB to prevent modifications. Using it without copying it is safe.
-//
-// Only the following methods will be passed through to the original StateDB:
-//
-//	GetState(common.Address, common.Hash) common.Hash
-//	GetCodeHash(common.Address) common.Hash
-//	GetCode(common.Address) []byte
-//	GetCodeSize(common.Address) int
-//	GetBalance(common.Address) *uint256.Int
-//	Exists(common.Address) bool
-//	Empty(common.Address) bool
-//
-// Gas calculations based on ReadOnlyStateDB will be wrong because the accessed storage slots and addresses are not tracked.
-type ReadOnlyStateDB struct {
-	vm.StateDB
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) CreateAccount(common.Address) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SubBalance(common.Address, *uint256.Int) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) AddBalance(_ common.Address, amount *uint256.Int) {
-	if amount.Cmp(new(uint256.Int)) == 0 {
-		// Adding zero is safe, so we can return here
-		return
-	}
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) GetNonce(common.Address) uint64 {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SetNonce(common.Address, uint64) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SetCode(common.Address, []byte) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) AddRefund(uint64) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SubRefund(uint64) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) GetRefund() uint64 {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) GetCommittedState(common.Address, common.Hash) common.Hash {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SetState(common.Address, common.Hash, common.Hash) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) GetTransientState(addr common.Address, key common.Hash) common.Hash {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SetTransientState(addr common.Address, key, value common.Hash) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SelfDestruct(common.Address) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) HasSelfDestructed(common.Address) bool {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) Selfdestruct6780(common.Address) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) AddressInAccessList(addr common.Address) bool {
-	// We don't track access lists
-	return false
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) SlotInAccessList(addr common.Address, slot common.Hash) (addressOk bool, slotOk bool) {
-	// We don't track access lists
-	return false, false
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) AddAddressToAccessList(addr common.Address) {
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) AddSlotToAccessList(addr common.Address, slot common.Hash) {
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) Prepare(rules params.Rules, sender, coinbase common.Address, dest *common.Address, precompiles []common.Address, txAccesses types.AccessList) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) RevertToSnapshot(int) {
-	// No changes can be done, so reverting is a noop.
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) Snapshot() int {
-	// We use id 0 for the single state this immutable StateDB can have.
-	return 0
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) AddLog(*types.Log) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}
-
-func (r *ReadOnlyStateDB) AddPreimage(common.Hash, []byte) {
-	panic("not implemented")
-}