diff --git a/action/protocol/execution/evm/evm.go b/action/protocol/execution/evm/evm.go
index 824d40da8e..bba0f638f9 100644
--- a/action/protocol/execution/evm/evm.go
+++ b/action/protocol/execution/evm/evm.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/iotexproject/iotex-core/blockchain/genesis"
 	"github.com/iotexproject/iotex-core/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/iotexproject/iotex-core/pkg/tracer"
+	"github.com/iotexproject/iotex-core/pkg/unit"
 	"github.com/iotexproject/iotex-core/pkg/util/byteutil"
 )
 
@@ -279,6 +280,10 @@ func ExecuteContract(
 			sharedGas                 uint64
 			sharedGasFee, totalGasFee *big.Int
 		)
+		// if gas price is zero, set it to smallest unit
+		if ps.txCtx.GasPrice.Sign() == 0 {
+			ps.txCtx.GasPrice = big.NewInt(unit.Qev)
+		}
 		if ps.featureCtx.SharedGasWithDapp && sgd != nil {
 			// TODO: sgd is whether nil should be checked in processSGD
 			receiver, sharedGas, err = processSGD(ctx, sm, execution, consumedGas, sgd)