diff --git a/packages/statemanager/src/simpleStateManager.ts b/packages/statemanager/src/simpleStateManager.ts
index 30bf009641..40034185f1 100644
--- a/packages/statemanager/src/simpleStateManager.ts
+++ b/packages/statemanager/src/simpleStateManager.ts
@@ -141,13 +141,18 @@ export class SimpleStateManager implements StateManagerInterface {
     return copy
   }
 
-  // State root functionality not implemented
-  getStateRoot(): Promise<Uint8Array> {
-    throw new Error('Method not implemented.')
-  }
-  setStateRoot(): Promise<void> {
-    throw new Error('Method not implemented.')
+  /**
+   * @deprecated This method is not used by the RPC State Manager and is a stub required by the State Manager interface
+   */
+  getStateRoot = async () => {
+    return new Uint8Array(32)
   }
+
+  /**
+   * @deprecated This method is not used by the RPC State Manager and is a stub required by the State Manager interface
+   */
+  setStateRoot = async (_root: Uint8Array) => {}
+
   hasStateRoot(): Promise<boolean> {
     throw new Error('Method not implemented.')
   }
diff --git a/packages/vm/src/vm.ts b/packages/vm/src/vm.ts
index 0b69e3dfe0..9a6676d273 100644
--- a/packages/vm/src/vm.ts
+++ b/packages/vm/src/vm.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createBlockchain } from '@ethereumjs/blockchain'
 import { Common, Mainnet } from '@ethereumjs/common'
 import { createEVM, getActivePrecompiles } from '@ethereumjs/evm'
-import { Caches, DefaultStateManager } from '@ethereumjs/statemanager'
+import { SimpleStateManager } from '@ethereumjs/statemanager'
 import {
   Account,
   Address,
@@ -82,8 +82,7 @@ export class VM {
     }
 
     if (opts.stateManager === undefined) {
-      opts.stateManager = new DefaultStateManager({
-        caches: new Caches(),
+      opts.stateManager = new SimpleStateManager({
         common: opts.common,
       })
     }