diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 3569012186..01b2ee4bc4 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -203,9 +203,12 @@ func (b *EthAPIBackend) StateAndHeaderByNumber(ctx context.Context, blockNr rpc.
 	}
 	// Otherwise resolve the block number and return its state
 	header, err := b.HeaderByNumber(ctx, blockNr)
-	if header == nil || err != nil {
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+	if header == nil {
+		return nil, nil, errors.New("header not found")
+	}
 	stateDb, err := b.eth.BlockChain().StateAt(header.Root)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err