diff --git a/rpc/handler.go b/rpc/handler.go
index 461a880609..ab32cf47e4 100644
--- a/rpc/handler.go
+++ b/rpc/handler.go
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ func (h *handler) cancelAllRequests(err error, inflightReq *requestOp) {
 	}
 	for id, sub := range h.clientSubs {
 		delete(h.clientSubs, id)
-		sub.quitWithError(err, false)
+		sub.quitWithError(false, err)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/rpc/json.go b/rpc/json.go
index ad7294d315..61631a3d76 100644
--- a/rpc/json.go
+++ b/rpc/json.go
@@ -153,14 +153,6 @@ type ConnRemoteAddr interface {
 	RemoteAddr() string
 }
 
-// connWithRemoteAddr overrides the remote address of a connection.
-type connWithRemoteAddr struct {
-	Conn
-	addr string
-}
-
-func (c connWithRemoteAddr) RemoteAddr() string { return c.addr }
-
 // jsonCodec reads and writes JSON-RPC messages to the underlying connection. It also has
 // support for parsing arguments and serializing (result) objects.
 type jsonCodec struct {
diff --git a/rpc/subscription.go b/rpc/subscription.go
index 153e24063e..8992bfc5e1 100644
--- a/rpc/subscription.go
+++ b/rpc/subscription.go
@@ -241,11 +241,11 @@ func (sub *ClientSubscription) Err() <-chan error {
 // Unsubscribe unsubscribes the notification and closes the error channel.
 // It can safely be called more than once.
 func (sub *ClientSubscription) Unsubscribe() {
-	sub.quitWithError(nil, true)
+	sub.quitWithError(true, nil)
 	sub.errOnce.Do(func() { close(sub.err) })
 }
 
-func (sub *ClientSubscription) quitWithError(err error, unsubscribeServer bool) {
+func (sub *ClientSubscription) quitWithError(unsubscribeServer bool, err error) {
 	sub.quitOnce.Do(func() {
 		// The dispatch loop won't be able to execute the unsubscribe call
 		// if it is blocked on deliver. Close sub.quit first because it
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ func (sub *ClientSubscription) start() {
 	sub.quitWithError(sub.forward())
 }
 
-func (sub *ClientSubscription) forward() (err error, unsubscribeServer bool) {
+func (sub *ClientSubscription) forward() (unsubscribeServer bool, err error) {
 	cases := []reflect.SelectCase{
 		{Dir: reflect.SelectRecv, Chan: reflect.ValueOf(sub.quit)},
 		{Dir: reflect.SelectRecv, Chan: reflect.ValueOf(sub.in)},
@@ -298,14 +298,14 @@ func (sub *ClientSubscription) forward() (err error, unsubscribeServer bool) {
 
 		switch chosen {
 		case 0: // <-sub.quit
-			return nil, false
+			return false, nil
 		case 1: // <-sub.in
 			val, err := sub.unmarshal(recv.Interface().(json.RawMessage))
 			if err != nil {
-				return err, true
+				return true, err
 			}
 			if buffer.Len() == maxClientSubscriptionBuffer {
-				return ErrSubscriptionQueueOverflow, true
+				return true, ErrSubscriptionQueueOverflow
 			}
 			buffer.PushBack(val)
 		case 2: // sub.channel<-
diff --git a/rpc/testservice_test.go b/rpc/testservice_test.go
index bfcdbc5649..010fc4f0bb 100644
--- a/rpc/testservice_test.go
+++ b/rpc/testservice_test.go
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ func (s *testService) Rets() (string, error) {
 	return "", nil
 }
 
+//lint:ignore ST1008 returns error first on purpose.
 func (s *testService) InvalidRets1() (error, string) {
 	return nil, ""
 }
diff --git a/rpc/types.go b/rpc/types.go
index fd783137ea..dc9248d0fe 100644
--- a/rpc/types.go
+++ b/rpc/types.go
@@ -97,9 +97,8 @@ func (bn *BlockNumber) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	if blckNum > math.MaxInt64 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Blocknumber too high")
+		return fmt.Errorf("block number larger than int64")
 	}
-
 	*bn = BlockNumber(blckNum)
 	return nil
 }