diff --git a/rpc/json.go b/rpc/json.go
index 2e7fd599e2..27483e3a33 100644
--- a/rpc/json.go
+++ b/rpc/json.go
@@ -163,22 +163,25 @@ func parseRequest(incomingMsg json.RawMessage) ([]rpcRequest, bool, Error) {
 		return nil, false, &invalidMessageError{err.Error()}
 	}
 
-	// subscribe are special, they will always use `subscribeMethod` as first param in the payload
-	if strings.HasSuffix(in.Method, subscribeMethodSuffix) {
-		reqs := []rpcRequest{{id: &in.Id, isPubSub: true}}
-		if len(in.Payload) > 0 {
-			// first param must be subscription name
-			var subscribeMethod [1]string
-			if err := json.Unmarshal(in.Payload, &subscribeMethod); err != nil {
-				log.Debug(fmt.Sprintf("Unable to parse subscription method: %v\n", err))
-				return nil, false, &invalidRequestError{"Unable to parse subscription request"}
-			}
+	// shh_subscribe should not be handled in a special way
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(in.Method, "shh_") {
+		// subscribe are special, they will always use `subscribeMethod` as first param in the payload
+		if strings.HasSuffix(in.Method, subscribeMethodSuffix) {
+			reqs := []rpcRequest{{id: &in.Id, isPubSub: true}}
+			if len(in.Payload) > 0 {
+				// first param must be subscription name
+				var subscribeMethod [1]string
+				if err := json.Unmarshal(in.Payload, &subscribeMethod); err != nil {
+					log.Debug(fmt.Sprintf("Unable to parse subscription method: %v\n", err))
+					return nil, false, &invalidRequestError{"Unable to parse subscription request"}
+				}
 
-			reqs[0].service, reqs[0].method = strings.TrimSuffix(in.Method, subscribeMethodSuffix), subscribeMethod[0]
-			reqs[0].params = in.Payload
-			return reqs, false, nil
+				reqs[0].service, reqs[0].method = strings.TrimSuffix(in.Method, subscribeMethodSuffix), subscribeMethod[0]
+				reqs[0].params = in.Payload
+				return reqs, false, nil
+			}
+			return nil, false, &invalidRequestError{"Unable to parse subscription request"}
 		}
-		return nil, false, &invalidRequestError{"Unable to parse subscription request"}
 	}
 
 	if strings.HasSuffix(in.Method, unsubscribeMethodSuffix) {