diff --git a/rpc/lib/server/handlers.go b/rpc/lib/server/handlers.go
index d3d1b5042..3a3c48f02 100644
--- a/rpc/lib/server/handlers.go
+++ b/rpc/lib/server/handlers.go
@@ -129,10 +129,13 @@ func makeJSONRPCHandler(funcMap map[string]*RPCFunc, logger log.Logger) http.Han
 			WriteRPCResponseHTTP(w, types.RPCMethodNotFoundError(request.ID))
 			return
 		}
-		args, err := jsonParamsToArgsRPC(rpcFunc, request.Params)
-		if err != nil {
-			WriteRPCResponseHTTP(w, types.RPCInvalidParamsError(request.ID, errors.Wrap(err, "Error converting json params to arguments")))
-			return
+		var args []reflect.Value
+		if len(request.Params) > 0 {
+			args, err = jsonParamsToArgsRPC(rpcFunc, request.Params)
+			if err != nil {
+				WriteRPCResponseHTTP(w, types.RPCInvalidParamsError(request.ID, errors.Wrap(err, "Error converting json params to arguments")))
+				return
+			}
 		}
 		returns := rpcFunc.f.Call(args)
 		logger.Info("HTTPJSONRPC", "method", request.Method, "args", args, "returns", returns)
@@ -210,13 +213,13 @@ func jsonParamsToArgs(rpcFunc *RPCFunc, raw []byte, argsOffset int) ([]reflect.V
 }
 
 // Convert a []interface{} OR a map[string]interface{} to properly typed values
-func jsonParamsToArgsRPC(rpcFunc *RPCFunc, params *json.RawMessage) ([]reflect.Value, error) {
-	return jsonParamsToArgs(rpcFunc, *params, 0)
+func jsonParamsToArgsRPC(rpcFunc *RPCFunc, params json.RawMessage) ([]reflect.Value, error) {
+	return jsonParamsToArgs(rpcFunc, params, 0)
 }
 
 // Same as above, but with the first param the websocket connection
-func jsonParamsToArgsWS(rpcFunc *RPCFunc, params *json.RawMessage, wsCtx types.WSRPCContext) ([]reflect.Value, error) {
-	values, err := jsonParamsToArgs(rpcFunc, *params, 1)
+func jsonParamsToArgsWS(rpcFunc *RPCFunc, params json.RawMessage, wsCtx types.WSRPCContext) ([]reflect.Value, error) {
+	values, err := jsonParamsToArgs(rpcFunc, params, 1)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -547,11 +550,11 @@ func (wsc *wsConnection) readRoutine() {
 			var args []reflect.Value
 			if rpcFunc.ws {
 				wsCtx := types.WSRPCContext{Request: request, WSRPCConnection: wsc}
-				if request.Params != nil {
+				if len(request.Params) > 0 {
 					args, err = jsonParamsToArgsWS(rpcFunc, request.Params, wsCtx)
 				}
 			} else {
-				if request.Params != nil {
+				if len(request.Params) > 0 {
 					args, err = jsonParamsToArgsRPC(rpcFunc, request.Params)
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/rpc/lib/types/types.go b/rpc/lib/types/types.go
index 4928db514..07a8e5683 100644
--- a/rpc/lib/types/types.go
+++ b/rpc/lib/types/types.go
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ import (
 // REQUEST
 
 type RPCRequest struct {
-	JSONRPC string           `json:"jsonrpc"`
-	ID      string           `json:"id"`
-	Method  string           `json:"method"`
-	Params  *json.RawMessage `json:"params"` // must be map[string]interface{} or []interface{}
+	JSONRPC string          `json:"jsonrpc"`
+	ID      string          `json:"id"`
+	Method  string          `json:"method"`
+	Params  json.RawMessage `json:"params"` // must be map[string]interface{} or []interface{}
 }
 
 func NewRPCRequest(id string, method string, params json.RawMessage) RPCRequest {
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func NewRPCRequest(id string, method string, params json.RawMessage) RPCRequest
 		JSONRPC: "2.0",
 		ID:      id,
 		Method:  method,
-		Params:  &params,
+		Params:  params,
 	}
 }