diff --git a/whisper/api.go b/whisper/api.go
index d1f454a1fa..bf94aff4b1 100644
--- a/whisper/api.go
+++ b/whisper/api.go
@@ -178,6 +178,9 @@ func (s *PublicWhisperAPI) Post(args PostArgs) (bool, error) {
 
 	// construct whisper message with transmission options
 	message := NewMessage(common.FromHex(args.Payload))
+	if len(message.Payload) == 0 && len(args.Payload) > 0 {
+		message.Payload = []byte(args.Payload)
+	}
 	options := Options{
 		To:     crypto.ToECDSAPub(common.FromHex(args.To)),
 		TTL:    time.Duration(args.TTL) * time.Second,
diff --git a/whisper/whisper.go b/whisper/whisper.go
index e94607efe2..678a7fae2f 100644
--- a/whisper/whisper.go
+++ b/whisper/whisper.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto/ecies"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/event/filter"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
@@ -301,10 +302,11 @@ func (self *Whisper) open(envelope *Envelope) *Message {
 	// Iterate over the keys and try to decrypt the message
 	for _, key := range self.keys {
 		message, err := envelope.Open(key)
-		if err == nil {
+		switch err {
+		case nil:
 			message.To = &key.PublicKey
 			return message
-		} else {
+		case ecies.ErrInvalidPublicKey:
 			origMessage, err := envelope.Open(nil)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil