diff --git a/rpc/backend/blocks.go b/rpc/backend/blocks.go
index d4a09ab81a..d3f415929d 100644
--- a/rpc/backend/blocks.go
+++ b/rpc/backend/blocks.go
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func (b *Backend) BlockNumberFromTendermintByHash(blockHash common.Hash) (*big.I
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if resHeader.Header == nil {
+	if resHeader == nil || resHeader.Header == nil {
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("header not found for hash %s", blockHash.Hex())
 	}
 	return big.NewInt(resHeader.Header.Height), nil
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ func (b *Backend) HeaderByHash(blockHash common.Hash) (*ethtypes.Header, error)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if resHeader.Header == nil {
+	if resHeader == nil || resHeader.Header == nil {
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("header not found for hash %s", blockHash.Hex())
 	}
 	blockRes, err := b.TendermintBlockResultByNumber(&resHeader.Header.Height)
diff --git a/rpc/backend/blocks_test.go b/rpc/backend/blocks_test.go
index a529b2f042..45d0638f55 100644
--- a/rpc/backend/blocks_test.go
+++ b/rpc/backend/blocks_test.go
@@ -776,6 +776,15 @@ func (suite *BackendTestSuite) TestBlockNumberFromTendermintByHash() {
 			},
 			false,
 		},
+		{
+			"fail - nil response from client",
+			common.BytesToHash(block.Hash()),
+			func(hash common.Hash) {
+				client := suite.backend.clientCtx.Client.(*mocks.Client)
+				RegisterHeaderByHashNilResult(client, hash)
+			},
+			false,
+		},
 		{
 			"pass - block without tx",
 			common.BytesToHash(emptyBlock.Hash()),
@@ -1334,6 +1343,16 @@ func (suite *BackendTestSuite) TestHeaderByHash() {
 			},
 			false,
 		},
+		{
+			"fail - nil response from client",
+			common.BytesToHash(block.Hash()),
+			sdkmath.NewInt(1).BigInt(),
+			func(hash common.Hash, baseFee sdkmath.Int) {
+				client := suite.backend.clientCtx.Client.(*mocks.Client)
+				RegisterHeaderByHashNilResult(client, hash)
+			},
+			false,
+		},
 		{
 			"fail - header not found for height",
 			common.BytesToHash(block.Hash()),
diff --git a/rpc/backend/client_test.go b/rpc/backend/client_test.go
index 0e1d8b2a36..c5d074805c 100644
--- a/rpc/backend/client_test.go
+++ b/rpc/backend/client_test.go
@@ -294,6 +294,11 @@ func RegisterHeaderByHashNotFound(client *mocks.Client, hash common.Hash, tx []b
 		Return(&tmrpctypes.ResultHeader{Header: nil}, nil)
 }
 
+func RegisterHeaderByHashNilResult(client *mocks.Client, hash common.Hash) {
+	client.On("HeaderByHash", rpc.ContextWithHeight(1), bytes.HexBytes(hash.Bytes())).
+		Return(nil, nil)
+}
+
 // Header
 func RegisterHeader(client *mocks.Client, height *int64, tx []byte) (*tmrpctypes.ResultHeader, error) {
 	block := types.MakeBlock(*height, []types.Tx{tx}, nil, nil)