diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 76699db..b09c1ed 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ function onMessage(bugout, identifier, wire, message) {
         } else if (packet.y == "r") { // rpc call
           debug("rpc", identifier, packet);
           var call = packet.c.toString();
-          var argsstring = packet.a.toString();
+          var argsstring = packet["a"] ? packet.a.toString() : "null";
           try {
             var args = JSON.parse(argsstring);
           } catch(e) {
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index be3c850..692f20f 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -143,6 +143,31 @@ test("RPC and message passing", function(t) {
   });
 });
 
+test("RPC Call without passing any message/data", function(t) {
+  t.plan(5);
+
+  const bs = new Bugout({dht: false, tracker: false});
+  const bc = new Bugout(bs.address(), {dht: false, tracker: false});
+
+  bs.register("call_without_args", function(pk,args){
+    t.assert(args === null, 'args should be null, when called without args from another peer')
+  });
+  bs.register("call_with_args", function(pk,args){
+    t.assert(typeof args === 'object' , 'type of args should be an object')
+    t.assert( args.hasOwnProperty('hello'), 'args has correct message data props')
+    t.assert( args.hello === 'world', 'args has correct message data')
+  });
+  bc.on("server", function(address) {
+    t.equal(address,bs.address(), "server check client was rpc sender");
+    bc.rpc(bs.address(), 'call_without_args')
+    bc.rpc(bs.address(), 'call_with_args', { hello: 'world'})
+  });
+  // connect the two clients together
+  bs.torrent.on("infoHash", function() {
+    bs.torrent.addPeer("127.0.0.1:" + bc.wt.address().port);
+  });
+});
+
 test("3 party incomplete graph gossip test", function(t) {
   t.plan(10);