diff --git a/rpc/handler.go b/rpc/handler.go
index 2cae39e03..d79102817 100644
--- a/rpc/handler.go
+++ b/rpc/handler.go
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ func (h *handler) runMethod(ctx context.Context, msg *jsonrpcMessage, callb *cal
 	stream.WriteObjectField("result")
 	_, err := callb.call(ctx, msg.Method, args, stream)
 	if err != nil {
-		stream.WriteNil()
+		writeNilIfNotPresent(stream)
 		stream.WriteMore()
 		HandleError(err, stream)
 	}
@@ -519,6 +519,29 @@ func (h *handler) runMethod(ctx context.Context, msg *jsonrpcMessage, callb *cal
 	return nil
 }
 
+var nullAsBytes = []byte{110, 117, 108, 108}
+
+// there are many avenues that could lead to an error being handled in runMethod, so we need to check
+// if nil has already been written to the stream before writing it again here
+func writeNilIfNotPresent(stream *jsoniter.Stream) {
+	b := stream.Buffer()
+	hasNil := true
+	if len(b) >= 4 {
+		b = b[len(b)-4:]
+		for i, v := range nullAsBytes {
+			if v != b[i] {
+				hasNil = false
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		hasNil = false
+	}
+	if !hasNil {
+		stream.WriteNil()
+	}
+}
+
 // unsubscribe is the callback function for all *_unsubscribe calls.
 func (h *handler) unsubscribe(ctx context.Context, id ID) (bool, error) {
 	h.subLock.Lock()
diff --git a/rpc/handler_test.go b/rpc/handler_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b0e4a044
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rpc/handler_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package rpc
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	jsoniter "github.com/json-iterator/go"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestHandlerDoesNotDoubleWriteNull(t *testing.T) {
+
+	tests := map[string]struct {
+		params   []byte
+		expected string
+	}{
+		"error_with_stream_write": {
+			params:   []byte("[1]"),
+			expected: `{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"result":null,"error":{"code":-32000,"message":"id 1"}}`,
+		},
+		"error_without_stream_write": {
+			params:   []byte("[2]"),
+			expected: `{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"result":null,"error":{"code":-32000,"message":"id 2"}}`,
+		},
+		"no_error": {
+			params:   []byte("[3]"),
+			expected: `{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"result":{}}`,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, testParams := range tests {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			msg := jsonrpcMessage{
+				Version: "2.0",
+				ID:      []byte{49},
+				Method:  "test_test",
+				Params:  testParams.params,
+				Error:   nil,
+				Result:  nil,
+			}
+
+			dummyFunc := func(id int, stream *jsoniter.Stream) error {
+				if id == 1 {
+					stream.WriteNil()
+					return fmt.Errorf("id 1")
+				}
+				if id == 2 {
+					return fmt.Errorf("id 2")
+				}
+				stream.WriteEmptyObject()
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			var arg1 int
+			cb := &callback{
+				fn:          reflect.ValueOf(dummyFunc),
+				rcvr:        reflect.Value{},
+				argTypes:    []reflect.Type{reflect.TypeOf(arg1)},
+				hasCtx:      false,
+				errPos:      0,
+				isSubscribe: false,
+				streamable:  true,
+			}
+
+			args, err := parsePositionalArguments((msg).Params, cb.argTypes)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			var buf bytes.Buffer
+			stream := jsoniter.NewStream(jsoniter.ConfigDefault, &buf, 4096)
+
+			h := handler{}
+			h.runMethod(context.Background(), &msg, cb, args, stream)
+
+			output := buf.String()
+			assert.Equal(t, testParams.expected, output, "expected output should match")
+		})
+	}
+
+}