diff --git a/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/client/rpc/RPCClientImpl.java b/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/client/rpc/RPCClientImpl.java
index 21dc68ac5..75e24c1e6 100644
--- a/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/client/rpc/RPCClientImpl.java
+++ b/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/client/rpc/RPCClientImpl.java
@@ -129,10 +129,11 @@ public PVStructure request(PVStructure pvArgument, double timeout)
 					return result;
 				else
 				{
-					if (status.getStackDump() == null)
-						throw new RPCRequestException(status.getType(), status.getMessage());
+					String stackDump = status.getStackDump();
+					if (stackDump != null && !stackDump.isEmpty())
+						throw new RPCRequestException(status.getType(), status.getMessage() + ", cause:\n" + stackDump);
 					else
-						throw new RPCRequestException(status.getType(), status.getMessage() + ", cause:\n" + status.getStackDump());
+						throw new RPCRequestException(status.getType(), status.getMessage());
 				}
 			}
 			else
diff --git a/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/server/impl/remote/rpc/ServerRPCService.java b/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/server/impl/remote/rpc/ServerRPCService.java
index 37ddf8f85..797d954d2 100644
--- a/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/server/impl/remote/rpc/ServerRPCService.java
+++ b/pvAccessJava/src/org/epics/pvaccess/server/impl/remote/rpc/ServerRPCService.java
@@ -288,7 +288,8 @@ public PVStructure execute() throws RPCRequestException {
 			if (!status.isSuccess())
 			{
 				String errorMessage = "failed to fetch channel list: " + status.getMessage();
-				if (status.getStackDump() != null)
+				String stackDump = status.getStackDump();
+				if (stackDump != null && !stackDump.isEmpty())
 					errorMessage += "\n" + status.getStackDump();
 				throw new RPCRequestException(StatusType.ERROR, errorMessage);
 			}