diff --git a/core/chains/legacyevm/chain.go b/core/chains/legacyevm/chain.go
index 9d5dc3fbd6b..64fcdf10950 100644
--- a/core/chains/legacyevm/chain.go
+++ b/core/chains/legacyevm/chain.go
@@ -244,9 +244,14 @@ func newChain(ctx context.Context, cfg *evmconfig.ChainScoped, nodes []*toml.Nod
 		}
 	}
 
+	// initialize gas estimator
+	gasEstimator, err := newGasEstimator(cfg.EVM(), client, l, opts, clientsByChainID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to instantiate gas estimator for chain with ID %s: %w", chainID, err)
+	}
+
 	// note: gas estimator is started as a part of the txm
 	var txm txmgr.TxManager
-	var gasEstimator gas.EvmFeeEstimator
 	//nolint:gocritic // ignoring suggestion to convert to switch statement
 	if !opts.AppConfig.EVMRPCEnabled() {
 		txm = &txmgr.NullTxManager{ErrMsg: fmt.Sprintf("Ethereum is disabled for chain %d", chainID)}
@@ -254,7 +259,7 @@ func newChain(ctx context.Context, cfg *evmconfig.ChainScoped, nodes []*toml.Nod
 		txm = &txmgr.NullTxManager{ErrMsg: fmt.Sprintf("TXM disabled for chain %d", chainID)}
 	} else {
 		var err error
-		txm, gasEstimator, err = newEvmTxm(opts.DS, cfg.EVM(), opts.AppConfig.Database(), opts.AppConfig.Database().Listener(), client, l, logPoller, opts, headTracker, clientsByChainID)
+		txm, err = newEvmTxm(opts.DS, cfg.EVM(), opts.AppConfig.Database(), opts.AppConfig.Database().Listener(), client, l, logPoller, opts, headTracker, gasEstimator)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to instantiate EvmTxm for chain with ID %s: %w", chainID, err)
 		}
diff --git a/core/chains/legacyevm/evm_txm.go b/core/chains/legacyevm/evm_txm.go
index 83a82511677..419ab7718f2 100644
--- a/core/chains/legacyevm/evm_txm.go
+++ b/core/chains/legacyevm/evm_txm.go
@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@ func newEvmTxm(
 	logPoller logpoller.LogPoller,
 	opts ChainRelayOpts,
 	headTracker httypes.HeadTracker,
-	clientsByChainID map[string]rollups.DAClient,
-) (txm txmgr.TxManager,
 	estimator gas.EvmFeeEstimator,
+) (txm txmgr.TxManager,
 	err error,
 ) {
 	chainID := cfg.ChainID()
@@ -40,15 +39,6 @@ func newEvmTxm(
 		"limitDefault", cfg.GasEstimator().LimitDefault(),
 	)
 
-	// build estimator from factory
-	if opts.GenGasEstimator == nil {
-		if estimator, err = gas.NewEstimator(lggr, client, cfg.ChainType(), chainID, cfg.GasEstimator(), clientsByChainID); err != nil {
-			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize estimator: %w", err)
-		}
-	} else {
-		estimator = opts.GenGasEstimator(chainID)
-	}
-
 	if opts.GenTxManager == nil {
 		txm, err = txmgr.NewTxm(
 			ds,
@@ -69,3 +59,23 @@ func newEvmTxm(
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+func newGasEstimator(
+	cfg evmconfig.EVM,
+	client evmclient.Client,
+	lggr logger.Logger,
+	opts ChainRelayOpts,
+	clientsByChainID map[string]rollups.DAClient,
+) (estimator gas.EvmFeeEstimator, err error) {
+	lggr = lggr.Named("GasEstimator")
+	chainID := cfg.ChainID()
+	// build estimator from factory
+	if opts.GenGasEstimator == nil {
+		if estimator, err = gas.NewEstimator(lggr, client, cfg.ChainType(), chainID, cfg.GasEstimator(), clientsByChainID); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize estimator: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		estimator = opts.GenGasEstimator(chainID)
+	}
+	return
+}