diff --git a/cmd/evm/runner.go b/cmd/evm/runner.go
index 889de43e0add..2afce8eb0f15 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/runner.go
+++ b/cmd/evm/runner.go
@@ -246,7 +246,12 @@ func runCmd(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	} else {
 		hexInput = []byte(ctx.GlobalString(InputFlag.Name))
 	}
-	input := common.FromHex(string(bytes.TrimSpace(hexInput)))
+	hexInput = bytes.TrimSpace(hexInput)
+	if len(hexInput)%2 != 0 {
+		fmt.Println("input length must be even")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	input := common.FromHex(string(hexInput))
 
 	var execFunc func() ([]byte, uint64, error)
 	if ctx.GlobalBool(CreateFlag.Name) {