diff --git a/cmd/gaia/app/test_utils.go b/cmd/gaia/app/test_utils.go
index 1005ed0f2..d793e5bfc 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/app/test_utils.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/app/test_utils.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func NewTestGaiaAppGenState(
 
 		// add the validator
 		desc := stake.NewDescription(tmVal.Name, "", "", "")
-		validator := stake.NewValidator(sdk.ValAddress(valOperAddrs[i]), tmVal.PubKey, desc)
+		validator := stake.NewValidator(valOperAddrs[i], tmVal.PubKey, desc)
 
 		validator, stakeData.Pool, issuedDelShares = validator.AddTokensFromDel(stakeData.Pool, power)
 		stakeData.Validators = append(stakeData.Validators, validator)