diff --git a/consensus/beacon/consensus.go b/consensus/beacon/consensus.go
index cc9f44e460a5..d58741c871b9 100644
--- a/consensus/beacon/consensus.go
+++ b/consensus/beacon/consensus.go
@@ -392,8 +392,12 @@ func (beacon *Beacon) FinalizeAndAssemble(chain consensus.ChainHeaderReader, hea
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error opening pre-state tree root: %w", err)
 		}
+		postTrie := state.GetTrie()
+		if postTrie == nil {
+			return nil, errors.New("post-state tree is not available")
+		}
 		vktPreTrie, okpre := preTrie.(*trie.VerkleTrie)
-		vktPostTrie, okpost := state.GetTrie().(*trie.VerkleTrie)
+		vktPostTrie, okpost := postTrie.(*trie.VerkleTrie)
 
 		// The witness is only attached iff both parent and current block are
 		// using verkle tree.
diff --git a/core/chain_makers.go b/core/chain_makers.go
index 37bddcfda59d..ac49742fa66a 100644
--- a/core/chain_makers.go
+++ b/core/chain_makers.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func (b *BlockGen) addTx(bc *BlockChain, vmConfig vm.Config, tx *types.Transacti
 	}
 	// Merge the tx-local access event into the "block-local" one, in order to collect
 	// all values, so that the witness can be built.
-	if b.statedb.GetTrie().IsVerkle() {
+	if b.statedb.Database().TrieDB().IsVerkle() {
 		b.statedb.AccessEvents().Merge(evm.AccessEvents)
 	}
 	b.txs = append(b.txs, tx)
diff --git a/core/state/dump.go b/core/state/dump.go
index 11b5c327827f..849db5d7401e 100644
--- a/core/state/dump.go
+++ b/core/state/dump.go
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ func (d iterativeDump) OnRoot(root common.Hash) {
 
 // DumpToCollector iterates the state according to the given options and inserts
 // the items into a collector for aggregation or serialization.
+//
+// The state iterator is still trie-based and can be converted to snapshot-based
+// once the state snapshot is fully integrated into database. TODO(rjl493456442).
 func (s *StateDB) DumpToCollector(c DumpCollector, conf *DumpConfig) (nextKey []byte) {
 	// Sanitize the input to allow nil configs
 	if conf == nil {
@@ -123,15 +126,20 @@ func (s *StateDB) DumpToCollector(c DumpCollector, conf *DumpConfig) (nextKey []
 		start            = time.Now()
 		logged           = time.Now()
 	)
-	log.Info("Trie dumping started", "root", s.trie.Hash())
-	c.OnRoot(s.trie.Hash())
+	log.Info("Trie dumping started", "root", s.originalRoot)
+	c.OnRoot(s.originalRoot)
 
-	trieIt, err := s.trie.NodeIterator(conf.Start)
+	tr, err := s.db.OpenTrie(s.originalRoot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	trieIt, err := tr.NodeIterator(conf.Start)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("Trie dumping error", "err", err)
 		return nil
 	}
 	it := trie.NewIterator(trieIt)
+
 	for it.Next() {
 		var data types.StateAccount
 		if err := rlp.DecodeBytes(it.Value, &data); err != nil {
@@ -147,7 +155,7 @@ func (s *StateDB) DumpToCollector(c DumpCollector, conf *DumpConfig) (nextKey []
 			}
 			address   *common.Address
 			addr      common.Address
-			addrBytes = s.trie.GetKey(it.Key)
+			addrBytes = tr.GetKey(it.Key)
 		)
 		if addrBytes == nil {
 			missingPreimages++
@@ -165,12 +173,13 @@ func (s *StateDB) DumpToCollector(c DumpCollector, conf *DumpConfig) (nextKey []
 		}
 		if !conf.SkipStorage {
 			account.Storage = make(map[common.Hash]string)
-			tr, err := obj.getTrie()
+
+			storageTr, err := s.db.OpenStorageTrie(s.originalRoot, addr, obj.Root(), tr)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Error("Failed to load storage trie", "err", err)
 				continue
 			}
-			trieIt, err := tr.NodeIterator(nil)
+			trieIt, err := storageTr.NodeIterator(nil)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Error("Failed to create trie iterator", "err", err)
 				continue
@@ -182,7 +191,7 @@ func (s *StateDB) DumpToCollector(c DumpCollector, conf *DumpConfig) (nextKey []
 					log.Error("Failed to decode the value returned by iterator", "error", err)
 					continue
 				}
-				account.Storage[common.BytesToHash(s.trie.GetKey(storageIt.Key))] = common.Bytes2Hex(content)
+				account.Storage[common.BytesToHash(storageTr.GetKey(storageIt.Key))] = common.Bytes2Hex(content)
 			}
 		}
 		c.OnAccount(address, account)
diff --git a/core/state/iterator.go b/core/state/iterator.go
index 5ea52c618357..0abae091d954 100644
--- a/core/state/iterator.go
+++ b/core/state/iterator.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 // required in order to resolve the contract address.
 type nodeIterator struct {
 	state *StateDB // State being iterated
+	tr    Trie     // Primary account trie for traversal
 
 	stateIt trie.NodeIterator // Primary iterator for the global state trie
 	dataIt  trie.NodeIterator // Secondary iterator for the data trie of a contract
@@ -75,13 +76,20 @@ func (it *nodeIterator) step() error {
 	if it.state == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+	if it.tr == nil {
+		tr, err := it.state.db.OpenTrie(it.state.originalRoot)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		it.tr = tr
+	}
 	// Initialize the iterator if we've just started
-	var err error
 	if it.stateIt == nil {
-		it.stateIt, err = it.state.trie.NodeIterator(nil)
+		stateIt, err := it.tr.NodeIterator(nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		it.stateIt = stateIt
 	}
 	// If we had data nodes previously, we surely have at least state nodes
 	if it.dataIt != nil {
@@ -116,14 +124,14 @@ func (it *nodeIterator) step() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	// Lookup the preimage of account hash
-	preimage := it.state.trie.GetKey(it.stateIt.LeafKey())
+	preimage := it.tr.GetKey(it.stateIt.LeafKey())
 	if preimage == nil {
 		return errors.New("account address is not available")
 	}
 	address := common.BytesToAddress(preimage)
 
 	// Traverse the storage slots belong to the account
-	dataTrie, err := it.state.db.OpenStorageTrie(it.state.originalRoot, address, account.Root, it.state.trie)
+	dataTrie, err := it.state.db.OpenStorageTrie(it.state.originalRoot, address, account.Root, it.tr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/core/state/state_object.go b/core/state/state_object.go
index a6979bd3612f..40f6da45258d 100644
--- a/core/state/state_object.go
+++ b/core/state/state_object.go
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ func (s *stateObject) touch() {
 // subsequent reads to expand the same trie instead of reloading from disk.
 func (s *stateObject) getTrie() (Trie, error) {
 	if s.trie == nil {
+		// Assumes the primary account trie is already loaded
 		tr, err := s.db.db.OpenStorageTrie(s.db.originalRoot, s.address, s.data.Root, s.db.trie)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/core/state/state_test.go b/core/state/state_test.go
index b443411f1bff..eeeb7fa2df87 100644
--- a/core/state/state_test.go
+++ b/core/state/state_test.go
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ func TestDump(t *testing.T) {
 	obj3.SetBalance(uint256.NewInt(44))
 
 	// write some of them to the trie
-	s.state.updateStateObject(obj1)
-	s.state.updateStateObject(obj2)
 	root, _ := s.state.Commit(0, false, false)
 
 	// check that DumpToCollector contains the state objects that are in trie
@@ -114,8 +112,6 @@ func TestIterativeDump(t *testing.T) {
 	obj4.AddBalance(uint256.NewInt(1337))
 
 	// write some of them to the trie
-	s.state.updateStateObject(obj1)
-	s.state.updateStateObject(obj2)
 	root, _ := s.state.Commit(0, false, false)
 	s.state, _ = New(root, tdb)
 
diff --git a/core/state/statedb.go b/core/state/statedb.go
index e3f5b9e1a0a8..83e0953d78f0 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb.go
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ func (m *mutation) isDelete() bool {
 type StateDB struct {
 	db         Database
 	prefetcher *triePrefetcher
-	trie       Trie
 	reader     Reader
+	trie       Trie // it's resolved on first access
 
 	// originalRoot is the pre-state root, before any changes were made.
 	// It will be updated when the Commit is called.
@@ -159,17 +159,12 @@ type StateDB struct {
 
 // New creates a new state from a given trie.
 func New(root common.Hash, db Database) (*StateDB, error) {
-	tr, err := db.OpenTrie(root)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	reader, err := db.Reader(root)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	sdb := &StateDB{
 		db:                   db,
-		trie:                 tr,
 		originalRoot:         root,
 		reader:               reader,
 		stateObjects:         make(map[common.Address]*stateObject),
@@ -653,7 +648,6 @@ func (s *StateDB) Copy() *StateDB {
 	reader, _ := s.db.Reader(s.originalRoot) // impossible to fail
 	state := &StateDB{
 		db:                   s.db,
-		trie:                 mustCopyTrie(s.trie),
 		reader:               reader,
 		originalRoot:         s.originalRoot,
 		stateObjects:         make(map[common.Address]*stateObject, len(s.stateObjects)),
@@ -677,6 +671,9 @@ func (s *StateDB) Copy() *StateDB {
 		transientStorage: s.transientStorage.Copy(),
 		journal:          s.journal.copy(),
 	}
+	if s.trie != nil {
+		state.trie = mustCopyTrie(s.trie)
+	}
 	if s.witness != nil {
 		state.witness = s.witness.Copy()
 	}
@@ -772,6 +769,20 @@ func (s *StateDB) IntermediateRoot(deleteEmptyObjects bool) common.Hash {
 	// Finalise all the dirty storage states and write them into the tries
 	s.Finalise(deleteEmptyObjects)
 
+	// Initialize the trie if it's not constructed yet. If the prefetch
+	// is enabled, the trie constructed below will be replaced by the
+	// prefetched one.
+	//
+	// This operation must be done before state object storage hashing,
+	// as it assumes the main trie is already loaded.
+	if s.trie == nil {
+		tr, err := s.db.OpenTrie(s.originalRoot)
+		if err != nil {
+			s.setError(err)
+			return common.Hash{}
+		}
+		s.trie = tr
+	}
 	// If there was a trie prefetcher operating, terminate it async so that the
 	// individual storage tries can be updated as soon as the disk load finishes.
 	if s.prefetcher != nil {
diff --git a/core/state/statedb_test.go b/core/state/statedb_test.go
index e740c64faa3a..0872f20d291f 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb_test.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb_test.go
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ func TestCopy(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := byte(0); i < 255; i++ {
 		obj := orig.getOrNewStateObject(common.BytesToAddress([]byte{i}))
 		obj.AddBalance(uint256.NewInt(uint64(i)))
-		orig.updateStateObject(obj)
 	}
 	orig.Finalise(false)
 
@@ -190,10 +189,6 @@ func TestCopy(t *testing.T) {
 		origObj.AddBalance(uint256.NewInt(2 * uint64(i)))
 		copyObj.AddBalance(uint256.NewInt(3 * uint64(i)))
 		ccopyObj.AddBalance(uint256.NewInt(4 * uint64(i)))
-
-		orig.updateStateObject(origObj)
-		copy.updateStateObject(copyObj)
-		ccopy.updateStateObject(copyObj)
 	}
 
 	// Finalise the changes on all concurrently
@@ -238,7 +233,6 @@ func TestCopyWithDirtyJournal(t *testing.T) {
 		obj := orig.getOrNewStateObject(common.BytesToAddress([]byte{i}))
 		obj.AddBalance(uint256.NewInt(uint64(i)))
 		obj.data.Root = common.HexToHash("0xdeadbeef")
-		orig.updateStateObject(obj)
 	}
 	root, _ := orig.Commit(0, true, false)
 	orig, _ = New(root, db)
@@ -248,8 +242,6 @@ func TestCopyWithDirtyJournal(t *testing.T) {
 		obj := orig.getOrNewStateObject(common.BytesToAddress([]byte{i}))
 		amount := uint256.NewInt(uint64(i))
 		obj.SetBalance(new(uint256.Int).Sub(obj.Balance(), amount))
-
-		orig.updateStateObject(obj)
 	}
 	cpy := orig.Copy()
 
@@ -284,7 +276,6 @@ func TestCopyObjectState(t *testing.T) {
 		obj := orig.getOrNewStateObject(common.BytesToAddress([]byte{i}))
 		obj.AddBalance(uint256.NewInt(uint64(i)))
 		obj.data.Root = common.HexToHash("0xdeadbeef")
-		orig.updateStateObject(obj)
 	}
 	orig.Finalise(true)
 	cpy := orig.Copy()
@@ -573,7 +564,7 @@ func forEachStorage(s *StateDB, addr common.Address, cb func(key, value common.H
 	)
 
 	for it.Next() {
-		key := common.BytesToHash(s.trie.GetKey(it.Key))
+		key := common.BytesToHash(tr.GetKey(it.Key))
 		visited[key] = true
 		if value, dirty := so.dirtyStorage[key]; dirty {
 			if !cb(key, value) {
diff --git a/core/state_processor.go b/core/state_processor.go
index 322bd24f410a..a50013d825fb 100644
--- a/core/state_processor.go
+++ b/core/state_processor.go
@@ -161,10 +161,9 @@ func ApplyTransactionWithEVM(msg *Message, gp *GasPool, statedb *state.StateDB,
 
 	// Merge the tx-local access event into the "block-local" one, in order to collect
 	// all values, so that the witness can be built.
-	if statedb.GetTrie().IsVerkle() {
+	if statedb.Database().TrieDB().IsVerkle() {
 		statedb.AccessEvents().Merge(evm.AccessEvents)
 	}
-
 	return MakeReceipt(evm, result, statedb, blockNumber, blockHash, tx, *usedGas, root), nil
 }