diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a3ddd9a389d..d0677c2f792 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 - Added: [#5699](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5699) EIP 2046: Reduced gas cost for static calls made to precompiles.
 - Added: [#5741](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5741) Support for individual EIP activation to facilitate EIP-centric network upgrade process.
 - Added: [#5752](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5752) [#5753](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5753) [#5809](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5809) Implement EIP1380 (reduced gas costs for call-to-self).
+- Added: [#5848](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5848) Add "codefile" parameter into aleth-vm options. `aleth-vm --codefile <PATH>` now reads bytecode file from path and `aleth-vm --codefile - <bytecode>` now reads bytcode from input.
 - Changed: [#5750](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5750) Use `testeth -t <SUITE_NAME> -- --testfile <PATH>` to run the tests from file at any path. Use `testeth -t <SUITE_NAME> -- --testfile <PATH> --singletest <TEST_NAME>` to run only single test from any file.
 - Changed: [#5801](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5801) `testeth -t BlockchainTests` command now doesn't run the tests for the forks before Istanbul. To run those tests use a separate LegacyTests suite with command `testeth -t LegacyTests/Constantinople/BlockchainTests`.
 - Changed: [#5807](https://github.com/ethereum/aleth/pull/5807) Optimize selfdestruct opcode in LegacyVM by reducing state accesses in certain out-of-gas scenarios.
diff --git a/aleth-vm/main.cpp b/aleth-vm/main.cpp
index b580d9740d3..931b02c563a 100644
--- a/aleth-vm/main.cpp
+++ b/aleth-vm/main.cpp
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     // Read code from input file.
     if (!codeFile.empty())
     {
-        if (vm.count("code"))
+        if (!code.empty())
         {
             cerr << "Options --code and --codefile shouldn't be used at the same time" << '\n';
             return AlethErrors::BadConfigOption;
@@ -255,14 +255,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
             std::getline(std::cin, code);
         else
             code = contentsString(codeFile);
-
-        try  // Try decoding from hex.
-        {
-            code.erase(code.find_last_not_of(" \t\n\r") + 1);  // Right trim.
-        }
-        catch (BadHexCharacter const&)
-        {
-        }  // Ignore decoding errors./ Right trim.
+        code.erase(code.find_last_not_of(" \t\n\r") + 1);  // Right trim.
     }
 
     unique_ptr<SealEngineFace> se(ChainParams(genesisInfo(networkName)).createSealEngine());
@@ -276,7 +269,18 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         // Deploy the code on some fake account to be called later.
         Account account(0, 0);
         auto const latestVersion = se->evmSchedule(envInfo.number()).accountVersion;
-        account.setCode(fromHex(code, WhenError::Throw), latestVersion);
+
+        bytes codeBytes{};
+        try
+        {
+            codeBytes = fromHex(code, WhenError::Throw);
+        }catch (BadHexCharacter const& e)
+        {
+            cerr << "Exception: " << e.what() << '\n';
+            return AlethErrors::BadFormatOption;
+        }
+
+        account.setCode(bytes{codeBytes}, latestVersion);
         std::unordered_map<Address, Account> map;
         map[contractDestination] = account;
         state.populateFrom(map);