diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseParser.kt b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseParser.kt
index 5960f8631..ce8a4299e 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseParser.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseParser.kt
@@ -164,18 +164,29 @@ abstract class ResponseParser<T> {
                 break
             }
             val token = parser.nextToken()
-            if (token == JsonToken.START_OBJECT) {
-                inited = true
-                count++
-                continue
-            }
-            if (token == JsonToken.END_OBJECT) {
-                count--
-                continue
-            }
-            if (token == JsonToken.VALUE_NULL) {
-                // error is just null
-                return null
+            when (token) {
+                null -> {
+                    return null
+                }
+                JsonToken.START_OBJECT -> {
+                    inited = true
+                    count++
+                    continue
+                }
+                JsonToken.END_OBJECT -> {
+                    count--
+                    continue
+                }
+                JsonToken.VALUE_NULL -> {
+                    return null
+                }
+                JsonToken.VALUE_STRING -> {
+                    if (!inited) {
+                        message = parser.valueAsString
+                        break
+                    }
+                }
+                else -> {}
             }
             val field = parser.currentName()
             if (field == "code" && token == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) {
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseRpcParserSpec.groovy b/src/test/groovy/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseRpcParserSpec.groovy
index f4c4f9be9..5d4796c52 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseRpcParserSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/io/emeraldpay/dshackle/upstream/rpcclient/ResponseRpcParserSpec.groovy
@@ -223,4 +223,16 @@ class ResponseRpcParserSpec extends Specification {
         !act.hasResult()
     }
 
+    def "Parse non object error"() {
+        setup:
+        def json = '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "error": "plain error"}'
+        when:
+        def act = parser.parse(json.getBytes())
+        then:
+        act.error != null
+        act.error.message == "plain error"
+        act.hasError()
+        !act.hasResult()
+    }
+
 }