diff --git a/statediff/api.go b/statediff/api.go
index b2614d5e7..1c19e312c 100644
--- a/statediff/api.go
+++ b/statediff/api.go
@@ -178,10 +178,8 @@ func (api *PublicStateDiffAPI) StreamWrites(ctx context.Context) (*rpc.Subscript
 
 		var err error
 		defer func() {
-			if err != nil {
-				if err = api.sds.UnsubscribeWriteStatus(rpcSub.ID); err != nil {
-					log.Error("Failed to unsubscribe from job status stream: " + err.Error())
-				}
+			if err = api.sds.UnsubscribeWriteStatus(rpcSub.ID); err != nil {
+				log.Error("Failed to unsubscribe from job status stream: " + err.Error())
 			}
 		}()
 		// loop and await payloads and relay them to the subscriber with the notifier
diff --git a/statediff/service.go b/statediff/service.go
index 5a171ef74..738723391 100644
--- a/statediff/service.go
+++ b/statediff/service.go
@@ -890,9 +890,6 @@ func (sds *Service) UnsubscribeWriteStatus(id rpc.ID) error {
 	sds.Lock()
 	close(sds.jobStatusSubs[id].quitChan)
 	delete(sds.jobStatusSubs, id)
-	if len(sds.jobStatusSubs) == 0 {
-		sds.jobStatusSubs = nil
-	}
 	sds.Unlock()
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/statediff/service_test.go b/statediff/service_test.go
index ca5c1116e..ceea79ece 100644
--- a/statediff/service_test.go
+++ b/statediff/service_test.go
@@ -302,29 +302,26 @@ func TestGetStateDiffAt(t *testing.T) {
 type writeSub struct {
 	sub        *rpc.ClientSubscription
 	statusChan <-chan statediff.JobStatus
-	client     *rpc.Client
 }
 
-func (ws writeSub) close() {
-	ws.sub.Unsubscribe()
-	ws.client.Close()
-}
-
-// awaitStatus awaits status update for writeStateDiffAt job
-func subscribeWrites(ctx context.Context, svc *statediff.Service) (writeSub, error) {
+func makeClient(svc *statediff.Service) *rpc.Client {
 	server := rpc.NewServer()
 	api := statediff.NewPublicStateDiffAPI(svc)
 	err := server.RegisterName("statediff", api)
 	if err != nil {
-		return writeSub{}, err
+		panic(err)
 	}
-	client := rpc.DialInProc(server)
-	statusChan := make(chan statediff.JobStatus)
-	sub, err := client.Subscribe(ctx, "statediff", statusChan, "streamWrites")
-	return writeSub{sub, statusChan, client}, err
+	return rpc.DialInProc(server)
 }
 
-func awaitJob(ws writeSub, job statediff.JobID, timeout time.Duration) (bool, error) {
+// awaitStatus awaits status update for writeStateDiffAt job
+func subscribeWrites(client *rpc.Client) (writeSub, error) {
+	statusChan := make(chan statediff.JobStatus)
+	sub, err := client.Subscribe(context.Background(), "statediff", statusChan, "streamWrites")
+	return writeSub{sub, statusChan}, err
+}
+
+func (ws writeSub) await(job statediff.JobID, timeout time.Duration) (bool, error) {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case err := <-ws.sub.Err():
@@ -358,13 +355,15 @@ func TestWriteStateDiffAt(t *testing.T) {
 	// delay to avoid subscription request being sent after statediff is written,
 	// and timeout to prevent hanging just in case it still happens
 	writeDelay := 100 * time.Millisecond
-	jobTimeout := time.Second
-	ws, err := subscribeWrites(context.Background(), service)
+	jobTimeout := 200 * time.Millisecond
+	client := makeClient(service)
+	defer client.Close()
+
+	ws, err := subscribeWrites(client)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer ws.close()
 	time.Sleep(writeDelay)
 	job := service.WriteStateDiffAt(testBlock1.NumberU64(), defaultParams)
-	ok, err := awaitJob(ws, job, jobTimeout)
+	ok, err := ws.await(job, jobTimeout)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.True(t, ok)
 
@@ -372,6 +371,27 @@ func TestWriteStateDiffAt(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, testBlock1.Hash(), builder.Args.BlockHash)
 	require.Equal(t, parentBlock1.Root(), builder.Args.OldStateRoot)
 	require.Equal(t, testBlock1.Root(), builder.Args.NewStateRoot)
+
+	// unsubscribe and verify we get nothing
+	// TODO - StreamWrites receives EOF error after unsubscribing. Doesn't seem to impact
+	// anything but would be good to know why.
+	ws.sub.Unsubscribe()
+	time.Sleep(writeDelay)
+	job = service.WriteStateDiffAt(testBlock1.NumberU64(), defaultParams)
+	ok, _ = ws.await(job, jobTimeout)
+	require.False(t, ok)
+
+	client.Close()
+	client = makeClient(service)
+
+	// re-subscribe and test again
+	ws, err = subscribeWrites(client)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	time.Sleep(writeDelay)
+	job = service.WriteStateDiffAt(testBlock1.NumberU64(), defaultParams)
+	ok, err = ws.await(job, jobTimeout)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.True(t, ok)
 }
 
 func TestWaitForSync(t *testing.T) {