diff --git a/eth_tester/backends/pyevm/main.py b/eth_tester/backends/pyevm/main.py
index 03e1c8f7..7916646f 100644
--- a/eth_tester/backends/pyevm/main.py
+++ b/eth_tester/backends/pyevm/main.py
@@ -873,14 +873,15 @@ def call(self, transaction, block_number="latest"):
         if "gas" not in defaulted_transaction:
             defaulted_transaction["gas"] = self._max_available_gas()
 
-        signed_evm_transaction = self._get_normalized_and_signed_evm_transaction(
+        unsigned_tx = self._get_normalized_and_unsigned_evm_transaction(
             defaulted_transaction,
             block_number,
         )
+        evm_transaction = EVMSpoofTransaction(unsigned_tx, from_=transaction["from"])
 
         computation = _execute_and_revert_transaction(
             self.chain,
-            signed_evm_transaction,
+            evm_transaction,
             block_number,
         )
         if computation.is_error:
diff --git a/newsfragments/297.bugfix.rst b/newsfragments/297.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3af12257
--- /dev/null
+++ b/newsfragments/297.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a bug where requests for ``eth_call`` via *PyEVMBackend* fail with invalid ``from`` key. The account need not be a "known" account for signing since eth_call does not change the state of the blockchain.
diff --git a/tests/backends/test_pyevm.py b/tests/backends/test_pyevm.py
index 48366f25..94538830 100644
--- a/tests/backends/test_pyevm.py
+++ b/tests/backends/test_pyevm.py
@@ -491,3 +491,28 @@ def test_send_raw_transaction_invalid_blob_transaction(self, eth_tester):
 
         with pytest.raises(EthUtilsValidationError):
             acct.sign_transaction(tx, blobs=[blob_data])
+
+    def test_eth_call_does_not_require_a_known_account(self, eth_tester):
+        # `eth_call` should not require the `from` address to be a known account
+        # as it does not change the state of the blockchain
+        acct = Account.create()
+
+        # fund acct
+        eth_tester.send_transaction(
+            {
+                "from": eth_tester.get_accounts()[0],
+                "to": acct.address,
+                "value": 10**18,
+                "gas": 21000,
+            }
+        )
+
+        result = eth_tester.call(
+            {
+                "from": acct.address,
+                "to": eth_tester.get_accounts()[0],
+                "data": "0x",
+            }
+        )
+
+        assert result == "0x"