diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index a54473a593..e6b4689541 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -2016,13 +2016,17 @@ func (app *App) executeEVMTxWithGigaExecutor(ctx sdk.Context, msg *evmtypes.MsgE
 		}, nil
 	}
 
+	// Prepare context for EVM transaction (set infinite gas meter like original flow)
+	ctx = ctx.WithGasMeter(sdk.NewInfiniteGasMeterWithMultiplier(ctx))
+
 	_, isAssociated := app.GigaEvmKeeper.GetEVMAddress(ctx, seiAddr)
 
-	// Run validation checks (fee/nonce/balance - stateless checks done earlier)
-	validation := app.validateGigaEVMTx(ctx, ethTx, sender, seiAddr, isAssociated)
+	// Create state DB before validation so balance checks use DBImpl hooks.
+	stateDB := gigaevmstate.NewDBImpl(ctx, &app.GigaEvmKeeper, false)
+	defer stateDB.Cleanup()
 
-	// Prepare context for EVM transaction (set infinite gas meter like original flow)
-	ctx = ctx.WithGasMeter(sdk.NewInfiniteGasMeterWithMultiplier(ctx))
+	// Run validation checks (fee/nonce/balance - stateless checks done earlier)
+	validation := app.validateGigaEVMTx(ctx, stateDB, ethTx, sender, seiAddr, isAssociated)
 
 	if validation.err != nil {
 		// Validation failed - bump nonce via keeper if it was valid (matches V2's DeliverTxCallback
@@ -2046,10 +2050,6 @@ func (app *App) executeEVMTxWithGigaExecutor(ctx sdk.Context, msg *evmtypes.MsgE
 		return nil, gigaprecompiles.ErrBalanceMigrationRequired
 	}
 
-	// Create state DB for this transaction (only for valid transactions)
-	stateDB := gigaevmstate.NewDBImpl(ctx, &app.GigaEvmKeeper, false)
-	defer stateDB.Cleanup()
-
 	// Pre-charge gas fee (like V2's ante handler), then execute with feeAlreadyCharged=true.
 	// V2 charges fees in the ante handler, then runs the EVM with feeAlreadyCharged=true
 	// which skips buyGas/refundGas/coinbase. Without this, GasUsed differs between Giga
@@ -3025,6 +3025,7 @@ type gigaValidationResult struct {
 //  7. Balance check
 func (app *App) validateGigaEVMTx(
 	ctx sdk.Context,
+	stateDB *gigaevmstate.DBImpl,
 	ethTx *ethtypes.Transaction,
 	sender common.Address,
 	seiAddr sdk.AccAddress,
@@ -3199,13 +3200,17 @@ func (app *App) validateGigaEVMTx(
 	balanceCheck := new(big.Int).Mul(new(big.Int).SetUint64(ethTx.Gas()), ethTx.GasFeeCap())
 	balanceCheck.Add(balanceCheck, ethTx.Value())
 
-	senderBalance := app.GigaEvmKeeper.GetBalance(ctx, seiAddr)
+	// Route validation balance reads through DBImpl so mock_balances follows
+	// the same ensureMinimumBalance behavior as V2's StateTransition.BuyGas.
+	senderBalance := stateDB.GetBalance(sender).ToBig()
 
-	// Include cast address balance for unassociated addresses (matches V2 PreprocessDecorator)
+	// Include the derived Sei address balance for unassociated addresses (matches V2 PreprocessDecorator).
 	if !isAssociated {
-		castAddr := sdk.AccAddress(sender[:])
-		castBalance := app.GigaEvmKeeper.GetBalance(ctx, castAddr)
-		senderBalance = new(big.Int).Add(senderBalance, castBalance)
+		seiEVMAddr := common.BytesToAddress(seiAddr)
+		if seiEVMAddr != sender {
+			seiBalance := stateDB.GetBalance(seiEVMAddr).ToBig()
+			senderBalance = new(big.Int).Add(senderBalance, seiBalance)
+		}
 	}
 
 	if senderBalance.Cmp(balanceCheck) < 0 {
diff --git a/giga/tests/giga_mock_balances_test.go b/giga/tests/giga_mock_balances_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76dbdafe00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/giga/tests/giga_mock_balances_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+//go:build mock_balances
+
+package giga_test
+
+import (
+	"math/big"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/sei-protocol/sei-chain/occ_tests/utils"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestGigaMockBalancesValidationUsesDBImpl(t *testing.T) {
+	blockTime := time.Now()
+	accts := utils.NewTestAccounts(3)
+	signer := utils.NewSigner()
+	recipient := utils.NewSigner()
+
+	gigaCtx := NewGigaTestContext(t, accts, blockTime, 1, ModeGigaSequential)
+	gigaCtx.TestApp.GigaEvmKeeper.SetAddressMapping(gigaCtx.Ctx, signer.AccountAddress, signer.EvmAddress)
+
+	to := recipient.EvmAddress
+	value := big.NewInt(1_000_000_000_000_000_000)
+	fee := big.NewInt(100000000000)
+	tx := createCustomEVMTx(t, gigaCtx, signer, &to, value, 21000, fee, fee, 0)
+
+	_, results, err := RunBlock(t, gigaCtx, [][]byte{tx})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, results, 1)
+	require.Equal(t, uint32(0), results[0].Code, results[0].Log)
+}