diff --git a/src/evm_transition_tool/__init__.py b/src/evm_transition_tool/__init__.py
index 0fd9cf5bec..60e4d34e89 100644
--- a/src/evm_transition_tool/__init__.py
+++ b/src/evm_transition_tool/__init__.py
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ class EvmTransitionTool(TransitionTool):
     binary: Path
     cached_version: Optional[str] = None
     trace: bool
+    require_t8n: bool = True
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -174,6 +175,10 @@ def __init__(
             raise Exception("evm process unexpectedly returned a non-zero status code: " f"{e}.")
         except Exception as e:
             raise Exception(f"Unexpected exception calling evm tool: {e}.")
+        if not result.stdout.strip():
+            args = [str(self.binary), "--help"]
+            result = subprocess.run(args, capture_output=True, text=True)
+            self.require_t8n = False
         self.help_string = result.stdout
 
     def evaluate(
@@ -199,7 +204,6 @@ def evaluate(
             reward = -1
         args = [
             str(self.binary),
-            "t8n",
             "--input.alloc=stdin",
             "--input.txs=stdin",
             "--input.env=stdin",
@@ -212,6 +216,9 @@ def evaluate(
             f"--state.reward={reward}",
         ]
 
+        if self.require_t8n:
+            args.insert(1, "t8n")
+
         if self.trace:
             args.append("--trace")
 
@@ -264,6 +271,12 @@ def version(self) -> str:
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
             )
 
+            if result.returncode != 0:
+                result = subprocess.run(
+                    [str(self.binary), "--version"],
+                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                )
+
             if result.returncode != 0:
                 raise Exception("failed to evaluate: " + result.stderr.decode())