diff --git a/rpc/handler.go b/rpc/handler.go
index 89fc78236c..a9ffdc7071 100644
--- a/rpc/handler.go
+++ b/rpc/handler.go
@@ -502,6 +502,10 @@ func (h *handler) handleCallMsg(ctx *callProc, msg *jsonrpcMessage) *jsonrpcMess
 
 // handleCall processes method calls.
 func (h *handler) handleCall(cp *callProc, msg *jsonrpcMessage) *jsonrpcMessage {
+	// Check method name length
+	if len(msg.Method) > maxMethodNameLength {
+		return msg.errorResponse(&invalidRequestError{fmt.Sprintf("method name too long: %d > %d", len(msg.Method), maxMethodNameLength)})
+	}
 	if msg.isSubscribe() {
 		return h.handleSubscribe(cp, msg)
 	}
@@ -512,11 +516,6 @@ func (h *handler) handleCall(cp *callProc, msg *jsonrpcMessage) *jsonrpcMessage
 		}
 		return h.runMethod(cp.ctx, msg, h.unsubscribeCb, args)
 	}
-
-	// Check method name length
-	if len(msg.Method) > maxMethodNameLength {
-		return msg.errorResponse(&invalidRequestError{fmt.Sprintf("method name too long: %d > %d", len(msg.Method), maxMethodNameLength)})
-	}
 	callb, service, method := h.reg.callback(msg.Method)
 
 	// If the method is not found, return an error.
diff --git a/rpc/websocket_test.go b/rpc/websocket_test.go
index 3b7d5a9da0..0661ffdb24 100644
--- a/rpc/websocket_test.go
+++ b/rpc/websocket_test.go
@@ -432,10 +432,10 @@ func TestWebsocketMethodNameLengthLimit(t *testing.T) {
 			isSubscription: true,
 		},
 		{
-			name:           "subscription name too long",
+			name:           "method name too long subscribe",
 			method:         string(make([]byte, maxMethodNameLength+1)) + "_subscribe",
 			params:         []interface{}{"newHeads"},
-			expectedError:  "subscription name too long",
+			expectedError:  "method name too long",
 			isSubscription: true,
 		},
 	}