diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index 464d04481..106218b2e 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/math"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/mclock"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
@@ -322,11 +321,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GasLimit() *big.Int {
 	bc.mu.RLock()
 	defer bc.mu.RUnlock()
 
-	if bc.Config().IsQuorum {
-		return math.MaxBig256 // HACK(joel) a very large number
-	} else {
-		return bc.currentBlock.GasLimit()
-	}
+	return bc.currentBlock.GasLimit()
 }
 
 // LastBlockHash return the hash of the HEAD block.
diff --git a/core/state_processor.go b/core/state_processor.go
index 7d59ed54b..78707a580 100644
--- a/core/state_processor.go
+++ b/core/state_processor.go
@@ -104,10 +104,6 @@ func ApplyTransaction(config *params.ChainConfig, bc *BlockChain, author *common
 		privateState = statedb
 	}
 
-	if config.IsQuorum && tx.GasPrice() != nil && tx.GasPrice().Cmp(common.Big0) > 0 {
-		return nil, nil, nil, ErrInvalidGasPrice
-	}
-
 	msg, err := tx.AsMessage(types.MakeSigner(config, header.Number))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, nil, err
diff --git a/core/state_transition.go b/core/state_transition.go
index 19caf3c5f..f76028be0 100644
--- a/core/state_transition.go
+++ b/core/state_transition.go
@@ -292,8 +292,10 @@ func (st *StateTransition) TransitionDb() (ret []byte, requiredGas, usedGas *big
 	}
 	requiredGas = new(big.Int).Set(st.gasUsed())
 
-	st.refundGas()
-	st.state.AddBalance(st.evm.Coinbase, new(big.Int).Mul(st.gasUsed(), st.gasPrice))
+	if !isPrivate {
+		st.refundGas()
+		st.state.AddBalance(st.evm.Coinbase, new(big.Int).Mul(st.gasUsed(), st.gasPrice))
+	}
 
 	if isPrivate {
 		return ret, new(big.Int), new(big.Int), vmerr != nil, err
diff --git a/core/tx_pool.go b/core/tx_pool.go
index c4d79c43c..ed910e554 100644
--- a/core/tx_pool.go
+++ b/core/tx_pool.go
@@ -78,8 +78,6 @@ var (
 	// than some meaningful limit a user might use. This is not a consensus error
 	// making the transaction invalid, rather a DOS protection.
 	ErrOversizedData = errors.New("oversized data")
-
-	ErrInvalidGasPrice = errors.New("Gas price not 0")
 )
 
 var (
@@ -546,11 +544,6 @@ func (pool *TxPool) local() map[common.Address]types.Transactions {
 // validateTx checks whether a transaction is valid according to the consensus
 // rules and adheres to some heuristic limits of the local node (price and size).
 func (pool *TxPool) validateTx(tx *types.Transaction, local bool) error {
-	isQuorum := pool.chainconfig.IsQuorum
-
-	if isQuorum && tx.GasPrice().Cmp(common.Big0) != 0 {
-		return ErrInvalidGasPrice
-	}
 	// Heuristic limit, reject transactions over 32KB to prevent DOS attacks
 	if tx.Size() > 32*1024 {
 		return ErrOversizedData
@@ -571,7 +564,7 @@ func (pool *TxPool) validateTx(tx *types.Transaction, local bool) error {
 	}
 	// Drop non-local transactions under our own minimal accepted gas price
 	local = local || pool.locals.contains(from) // account may be local even if the transaction arrived from the network
-	if !isQuorum && !local && pool.gasPrice.Cmp(tx.GasPrice()) > 0 {
+	if !local && pool.gasPrice.Cmp(tx.GasPrice()) > 0 {
 		return ErrUnderpriced
 	}
 	// Ensure the transaction adheres to nonce ordering
@@ -584,7 +577,7 @@ func (pool *TxPool) validateTx(tx *types.Transaction, local bool) error {
 		return ErrInsufficientFunds
 	}
 	intrGas := IntrinsicGas(tx.Data(), tx.To() == nil, pool.homestead)
-	if !isQuorum && tx.Gas().Cmp(intrGas) < 0 {
+	if tx.Gas().Cmp(intrGas) < 0 {
 		return ErrIntrinsicGas
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -614,7 +607,7 @@ func (pool *TxPool) add(tx *types.Transaction, local bool) (bool, error) {
 	// If the transaction pool is full, discard underpriced transactions
 	if uint64(len(pool.all)) >= pool.config.GlobalSlots+pool.config.GlobalQueue {
 		// If the new transaction is underpriced, don't accept it
-		if !pool.chainconfig.IsQuorum && pool.priced.Underpriced(tx, pool.locals) {
+		if pool.priced.Underpriced(tx, pool.locals) {
 			log.Trace("Discarding underpriced transaction", "hash", hash, "price", tx.GasPrice())
 			underpricedTxCounter.Inc(1)
 			return false, ErrUnderpriced
@@ -899,16 +892,14 @@ func (pool *TxPool) promoteExecutables(accounts []common.Address) {
 			delete(pool.all, hash)
 			pool.priced.Removed()
 		}
-		if !isQuorum {
-			// Drop all transactions that are too costly (low balance or out of gas)
-			drops, _ := list.Filter(pool.currentState.GetBalance(addr), pool.currentMaxGas)
-			for _, tx := range drops {
-				hash := tx.Hash()
-				log.Trace("Removed unpayable queued transaction", "hash", hash)
-				delete(pool.all, hash)
-				pool.priced.Removed()
-				queuedNofundsCounter.Inc(1)
-			}
+		// Drop all transactions that are too costly (low balance or out of gas)
+		drops, _ := list.Filter(pool.currentState.GetBalance(addr), pool.currentMaxGas)
+		for _, tx := range drops {
+			hash := tx.Hash()
+			log.Trace("Removed unpayable queued transaction", "hash", hash)
+			delete(pool.all, hash)
+			pool.priced.Removed()
+			queuedNofundsCounter.Inc(1)
 		}
 		// Gather all executable transactions and promote them
 		for _, tx := range list.Ready(pool.pendingState.GetNonce(addr)) {
diff --git a/core/vm/evm.go b/core/vm/evm.go
index 20247d2c1..2affb4791 100644
--- a/core/vm/evm.go
+++ b/core/vm/evm.go
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ func (evm *EVM) Call(caller ContractRef, addr common.Address, input []byte, gas
 		evm.StateDB.CreateAccount(addr)
 	}
 	if evm.ChainConfig().IsQuorum {
-		// skip transfer if value /= 0 (see note: Quorum, States, and Value Transfer)
+		// skip transfer if value == 0 (see note: Quorum, States, and Value Transfer)
 		if value.Sign() != 0 {
 			if evm.quorumReadOnly {
 				return nil, gas, ErrReadOnlyValueTransfer
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ func (evm *EVM) Create(caller ContractRef, code []byte, gas uint64, value *big.I
 		evm.StateDB.SetNonce(contractAddr, 1)
 	}
 	if evm.ChainConfig().IsQuorum {
-		// skip transfer if value /= 0 (see note: Quorum, States, and Value Transfer)
+		// skip transfer if value == 0 (see note: Quorum, States, and Value Transfer)
 		if value.Sign() != 0 {
 			if evm.quorumReadOnly {
 				return nil, common.Address{}, gas, ErrReadOnlyValueTransfer
diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 50418c952..83a7191de 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -196,11 +196,8 @@ func (b *EthApiBackend) ProtocolVersion() int {
 }
 
 func (b *EthApiBackend) SuggestPrice(ctx context.Context) (*big.Int, error) {
-	if b.ChainConfig().IsQuorum {
-		return big.NewInt(0), nil
-	} else {
-		return b.gpo.SuggestPrice(ctx)
-	}
+	// NOTE(joel): this was set to 0 in the previous version of Quorum
+	return b.gpo.SuggestPrice(ctx)
 }
 
 func (b *EthApiBackend) ChainDb() ethdb.Database {
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index e2106bd27..1a4a75994 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -617,6 +617,8 @@ func (s *PublicBlockChainAPI) doCall(ctx context.Context, args CallArgs, blockNr
 		gas = big.NewInt(50000000)
 	}
 
+	// NOTE(joel): let's keep the default gas price 0 for now, but note this as a
+	// spot that might be tweaked in the future.
 	if gasPrice.Sign() == 0 && !s.b.ChainConfig().IsQuorum {
 		gasPrice = new(big.Int).SetUint64(defaultGasPrice)
 	}