diff --git a/tests/state_test.go b/tests/state_test.go
index d33ebc4b00db..cd287413bdc5 100644
--- a/tests/state_test.go
+++ b/tests/state_test.go
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ func TestState(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Broken tests:
 	// Expected failures:
-	//st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Byzantium/0`, "bug in test")
-	//st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Byzantium/3`, "bug in test")
-	//st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Constantinople/0`, "bug in test")
-	//st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Constantinople/3`, "bug in test")
-	//st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/ConstantinopleFix/0`, "bug in test")
-	//st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/ConstantinopleFix/3`, "bug in test")
+	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Byzantium/0`, "bug in test")
+	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Byzantium/3`, "bug in test")
+	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Constantinople/0`, "bug in test")
+	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/Constantinople/3`, "bug in test")
+	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/ConstantinopleFix/0`, "bug in test")
+	// st.fails(`^stRevertTest/RevertPrecompiledTouch(_storage)?\.json/ConstantinopleFix/3`, "bug in test")
 
 	// For Istanbul, older tests were moved into LegacyTests
 	for _, dir := range []string{
@@ -78,10 +78,6 @@ func TestState(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Run(key+"/trie", func(t *testing.T) {
 					withTrace(t, test.gasLimit(subtest), func(vmconfig vm.Config) error {
 						_, _, err := test.Run(subtest, vmconfig, false)
-						if err != nil && len(test.json.Post[subtest.Fork][subtest.Index].ExpectException) > 0 {
-							// Ignore expected errors (TODO MariusVanDerWijden check error string)
-							return nil
-						}
 						return st.checkFailure(t, err)
 					})
 				})
@@ -93,10 +89,6 @@ func TestState(t *testing.T) {
 								return err
 							}
 						}
-						if err != nil && len(test.json.Post[subtest.Fork][subtest.Index].ExpectException) > 0 {
-							// Ignore expected errors (TODO MariusVanDerWijden check error string)
-							return nil
-						}
 						return st.checkFailure(t, err)
 					})
 				})
diff --git a/tests/state_test_util.go b/tests/state_test_util.go
index 38cdbc4d6504..e5c8d2444942 100644
--- a/tests/state_test_util.go
+++ b/tests/state_test_util.go
@@ -159,11 +159,39 @@ func (t *StateTest) Subtests() []StateSubtest {
 	return sub
 }
 
+// checkError checks if the error returned by the state transition matches any expected error.
+// A failing expectation returns a wrapped version of the original error, if any,
+// or a new error detailing the failing expectation.
+// This function does not return or modify the original error, it only evaluates and returns expectations for the error.
+func (t *StateTest) checkError(subtest StateSubtest, err error) error {
+	expectedError := t.json.Post[subtest.Fork][subtest.Index].ExpectException
+	if err == nil && expectedError == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if err == nil && expectedError != "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected error %q, got no error", expectedError)
+	}
+	if err != nil && expectedError == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unexpected error: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err != nil && expectedError != "" {
+		// Ignore expected errors (TODO MariusVanDerWijden check error string)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Run executes a specific subtest and verifies the post-state and logs
 func (t *StateTest) Run(subtest StateSubtest, vmconfig vm.Config, snapshotter bool) (*snapshot.Tree, *state.StateDB, error) {
 	snaps, statedb, root, err := t.RunNoVerify(subtest, vmconfig, snapshotter)
+	if checkedErr := t.checkError(subtest, err); checkedErr != nil {
+		return snaps, statedb, checkedErr
+	}
+	// The error has been checked; if it was unexpected, it's already returned.
 	if err != nil {
-		return snaps, statedb, err
+		// Here, an error exists but it was expected.
+		// We do not check the post state or logs.
+		return snaps, statedb, nil
 	}
 	post := t.json.Post[subtest.Fork][subtest.Index]
 	// N.B: We need to do this in a two-step process, because the first Commit takes care
@@ -231,7 +259,8 @@ func (t *StateTest) RunNoVerify(subtest StateSubtest, vmconfig vm.Config, snapsh
 	snapshot := statedb.Snapshot()
 	gaspool := new(core.GasPool)
 	gaspool.AddGas(block.GasLimit())
-	if _, err := core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, gaspool); err != nil {
+	_, err = core.ApplyMessage(evm, msg, gaspool)
+	if err != nil {
 		statedb.RevertToSnapshot(snapshot)
 	}
 	// Add 0-value mining reward. This only makes a difference in the cases
@@ -244,7 +273,7 @@ func (t *StateTest) RunNoVerify(subtest StateSubtest, vmconfig vm.Config, snapsh
 	statedb.Commit(config.IsEIP158(block.Number()))
 	// And _now_ get the state root
 	root := statedb.IntermediateRoot(config.IsEIP158(block.Number()))
-	return snaps, statedb, root, nil
+	return snaps, statedb, root, err
 }
 
 func (t *StateTest) gasLimit(subtest StateSubtest) uint64 {