diff --git a/src/rpc/src/rpcMain.c b/src/rpc/src/rpcMain.c
index b86b95b8585350da9777f2045fa503a3fb81d61e..030788eb7bfc9faa55ee0640aa9d747465d9fe9e 100644
--- a/src/rpc/src/rpcMain.c
+++ b/src/rpc/src/rpcMain.c
@@ -819,9 +819,18 @@ static int rpcProcessReqHead(SRpcConn *pConn, SRpcHead *pHead) {
       return TSDB_CODE_RPC_LAST_SESSION_NOT_FINISHED;
     }
 
+    if (rpcContLenFromMsg(pHead->msgLen) <= 0) {
+      tDebug("%s, message body is empty, ignore", pConn->info);
+      return TSDB_CODE_RPC_APP_ERROR;
+    }
+
     pConn->inTranId = pHead->tranId;
     pConn->inType = pHead->msgType;
 
+    // start the progress timer to monitor the response from server app
+    if (pConn->connType != RPC_CONN_TCPS) 
+      pConn->pTimer = taosTmrStart(rpcProcessProgressTimer, tsProgressTimer, pConn, pConn->pRpc->tmrCtrl);
+ 
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -960,11 +969,10 @@ static SRpcConn *rpcProcessMsgHead(SRpcInfo *pRpc, SRecvInfo *pRecv, SRpcReqCont
         pConn->pIdleTimer = taosTmrStart(rpcProcessIdleTimer, tsRpcTimer*2, pConn, pRpc->tmrCtrl);
     } else {
       terrno = rpcProcessRspHead(pConn, pHead);
-      if (terrno == 0) {
-        SRpcReqContext *pContext = pConn->pContext;
-        *ppContext = pContext;
-        pConn->pContext = NULL;
-      }
+
+      SRpcReqContext *pContext = pConn->pContext;
+      *ppContext = pContext;
+      pConn->pContext = NULL;
     }
   }
 
@@ -1094,20 +1102,11 @@ static void rpcProcessIncomingMsg(SRpcConn *pConn, SRpcHead *pHead, SRpcReqConte
    
   if ( rpcIsReq(pHead->msgType) ) {
     rpcMsg.ahandle = pConn->ahandle;
-    if (rpcMsg.contLen > 0) {
-      rpcMsg.handle = pConn;
-      rpcAddRef(pRpc);  // add the refCount for requests
+    rpcMsg.handle = pConn;
+    rpcAddRef(pRpc);  // add the refCount for requests
 
-      // start the progress timer to monitor the response from server app
-      if (pConn->connType != RPC_CONN_TCPS) 
-        pConn->pTimer = taosTmrStart(rpcProcessProgressTimer, tsProgressTimer, pConn, pRpc->tmrCtrl);
- 
-      // notify the server app
-      (*(pRpc->cfp))(&rpcMsg, NULL);
-    } else {
-      tDebug("%s, message body is empty, ignore", pConn->info);
-      rpcFreeCont(rpcMsg.pCont);
-    }
+    // notify the server app
+    (*(pRpc->cfp))(&rpcMsg, NULL);
   } else {
     // it's a response
     rpcMsg.handle = pContext;