diff --git a/simd/cmd/testnet.go b/simd/cmd/testnet.go
index 3e5fa258f81d..2ba688b9e313 100644
--- a/simd/cmd/testnet.go
+++ b/simd/cmd/testnet.go
@@ -9,15 +9,15 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
-	"cosmossdk.io/math"
-	"cosmossdk.io/math/unsafe"
 	cmtconfig "github.com/cometbft/cometbft/config"
-	"github.com/cometbft/cometbft/types"
 	cmttime "github.com/cometbft/cometbft/types/time"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 
+	"cosmossdk.io/math"
+	"cosmossdk.io/math/unsafe"
 	"cosmossdk.io/simapp"
+
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/tx"
@@ -391,15 +391,10 @@ func initGenFiles(
 		return err
 	}
 
-	genDoc := types.GenesisDoc{
-		ChainID:    chainID,
-		AppState:   appGenStateJSON,
-		Validators: nil,
-	}
-
+	appGenesis := genutiltypes.NewAppGenesisWithVersion(chainID, appGenStateJSON)
 	// generate empty genesis files for each validator and save
 	for i := 0; i < numValidators; i++ {
-		if err := genDoc.SaveAs(genFiles[i]); err != nil {
+		if err := appGenesis.SaveAs(genFiles[i]); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -425,12 +420,12 @@ func collectGenFiles(
 		nodeID, valPubKey := nodeIDs[i], valPubKeys[i]
 		initCfg := genutiltypes.NewInitConfig(chainID, gentxsDir, nodeID, valPubKey)
 
-		genDoc, err := types.GenesisDocFromFile(nodeConfig.GenesisFile())
+		appGenesis, err := genutiltypes.AppGenesisFromFile(nodeConfig.GenesisFile())
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		nodeAppState, err := genutil.GenAppStateFromConfig(clientCtx.Codec, clientCtx.TxConfig, nodeConfig, initCfg, *genDoc, genBalIterator, genutiltypes.DefaultMessageValidator)
+		nodeAppState, err := genutil.GenAppStateFromConfig(clientCtx.Codec, clientCtx.TxConfig, nodeConfig, initCfg, appGenesis, genBalIterator, genutiltypes.DefaultMessageValidator)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}