diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index 65b9aa8aad..db52a157d7 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -183,21 +183,6 @@ func SetupGenesisBlock(
 	if genesis.Config == nil {
 		return nil, common.Hash{}, errGenesisNoConfig
 	}
-	// Make sure genesis gas limit is consistent in SubnetEVM fork
-	if genesis.Config.IsSubnetEVM(genesis.Timestamp) {
-		gasLimitConfig := genesis.Config.FeeConfig.GasLimit.Uint64()
-		if gasLimitConfig != genesis.GasLimit {
-			return nil, common.Hash{}, fmt.Errorf(
-				"gas limit in fee config (%d) does not match gas limit in header (%d)",
-				gasLimitConfig,
-				genesis.GasLimit,
-			)
-		}
-		// Verify config
-		if err := genesis.Config.Verify(); err != nil {
-			return nil, common.Hash{}, err
-		}
-	}
 
 	// Just commit the new block if there is no stored genesis block.
 	stored := rawdb.ReadCanonicalHash(db, 0)
@@ -396,6 +381,23 @@ func (g *Genesis) MustCommit(db ethdb.Database) *types.Block {
 	return block
 }
 
+func (g *Genesis) Verify() error {
+	// Make sure genesis gas limit is consistent
+	gasLimitConfig := g.Config.FeeConfig.GasLimit.Uint64()
+	if gasLimitConfig != g.GasLimit {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"gas limit in fee config (%d) does not match gas limit in header (%d)",
+			gasLimitConfig,
+			g.GasLimit,
+		)
+	}
+	// Verify config
+	if err := g.Config.Verify(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // GenesisBlockForTesting creates and writes a block in which addr has the given wei balance.
 func GenesisBlockForTesting(db ethdb.Database, addr common.Address, balance *big.Int) *types.Block {
 	g := Genesis{
diff --git a/plugin/evm/vm.go b/plugin/evm/vm.go
index b55907f594..f5afc1f13f 100644
--- a/plugin/evm/vm.go
+++ b/plugin/evm/vm.go
@@ -314,6 +314,10 @@ func (vm *VM) Initialize(
 		g.Config.FeeConfig = params.DefaultFeeConfig
 	}
 
+	if err := g.Verify(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to verify genesis: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	vm.ethConfig = ethconfig.NewDefaultConfig()
 	vm.ethConfig.Genesis = g
 	// NetworkID here is different than Avalanche's NetworkID.