diff --git a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
index 236d3210f986..39a98405eb48 100644
--- a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
+++ b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
@@ -315,7 +315,10 @@ func (b *SimulatedBackend) PendingNonceAt(ctx context.Context, account common.Ad
 // SuggestGasPrice implements ContractTransactor.SuggestGasPrice. Since the simulated
 // chain doesn't have miners, we just return a gas price of 1 for any call.
 func (b *SimulatedBackend) SuggestGasPrice(ctx context.Context) (*big.Int, error) {
-	return b.pendingBlock.Header().BaseFee, nil
+	if b.pendingBlock.Header().BaseFee != nil {
+		return b.pendingBlock.Header().BaseFee, nil
+	}
+	return big.NewInt(1), nil
 }
 
 // SuggestGasTipCap implements ContractTransactor.SuggestGasTipCap. Since the simulated