diff --git a/src/rpc/message.cpp b/src/rpc/message.cpp
index 158b58005..689eb5e33 100644
--- a/src/rpc/message.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/message.cpp
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ constexpr const char id_field[] = "id";
 constexpr const char method_field[] = "method";
 constexpr const char params_field[] = "params";
 constexpr const char result_field[] = "result";
+
+const rapidjson::Value& get_method_field(const rapidjson::Value& src)
+{
+  const auto member = src.FindMember(method_field);
+  if (member == src.MemberEnd())
+    throw cryptonote::json::MISSING_KEY{method_field};
+  if (!member->value.IsString())
+    throw cryptonote::json::WRONG_TYPE{"Expected string"};
+  return member->value;
+}
 }
 
 rapidjson::Value Message::toJson(rapidjson::Document& doc) const
@@ -120,7 +130,7 @@ FullMessage::FullMessage(const std::string& json_string, bool request)
 
   if (request)
   {
-    OBJECT_HAS_MEMBER_OR_THROW(doc, method_field)
+    get_method_field(doc); // throws on errors
     OBJECT_HAS_MEMBER_OR_THROW(doc, params_field)
   }
   else
@@ -151,8 +161,7 @@ std::string FullMessage::getJson()
 
 std::string FullMessage::getRequestType() const
 {
-  OBJECT_HAS_MEMBER_OR_THROW(doc, method_field)
-  return doc[method_field].GetString();
+  return get_method_field(doc).GetString();
 }
 
 rapidjson::Value& FullMessage::getMessage()
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
index cda25dfc9..a53b08844 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ set(unit_tests_sources
   wipeable_string.cpp
   is_hdd.cpp
   aligned.cpp
-  rpc_version_str.cpp)
+  rpc_version_str.cpp
+  zmq_rpc.cpp)
 
 set(unit_tests_headers
   unit_tests_utils.h)
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ target_link_libraries(unit_tests
     ringct
     cryptonote_protocol
     cryptonote_core
+    daemon_messages
     blockchain_db
     lmdb_lib
     rpc
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/zmq_rpc.cpp b/tests/unit_tests/zmq_rpc.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af1f1608b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/zmq_rpc.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2020, The Monero Project
+// 
+// All rights reserved.
+// 
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are
+// permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+// 
+// 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of
+//    conditions and the following disclaimer.
+// 
+// 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list
+//    of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
+//    materials provided with the distribution.
+// 
+// 3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be
+//    used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
+//    prior written permission.
+// 
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY
+// EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL
+// THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+// SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
+// PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+// INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
+// STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF
+// THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include "rpc/message.h"
+#include "serialization/json_object.h"
+
+TEST(ZmqFullMessage, InvalidRequest)
+{
+  EXPECT_THROW(
+    (cryptonote::rpc::FullMessage{"{\"jsonrpc\":\"2.0\",\"id\":0,\"params\":[]}", true}),
+    cryptonote::json::MISSING_KEY
+  );
+  EXPECT_THROW(
+    (cryptonote::rpc::FullMessage{"{\"jsonrpc\":\"2.0\",\"id\":0,\"method\":3,\"params\":[]}", true}),
+    cryptonote::json::WRONG_TYPE
+  );
+}
+
+TEST(ZmqFullMessage, Request)
+{
+  static constexpr const char request[] = "{\"jsonrpc\":\"2.0\",\"id\":0,\"method\":\"foo\",\"params\":[]}";
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW(
+    (cryptonote::rpc::FullMessage{request, true})
+  );
+
+  cryptonote::rpc::FullMessage parsed{request, true};
+  EXPECT_STREQ("foo", parsed.getRequestType().c_str());
+}