diff --git a/rpc/api.go b/rpc/api.go
index 10d2e529e..6f3e78cc0 100644
--- a/rpc/api.go
+++ b/rpc/api.go
@@ -123,12 +123,7 @@ func (api *EthereumApi) GetRequestReply(req *RpcRequest, reply *interface{}) err
 			return err
 		}
 
-		err := args.requirements()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		*reply = api.xethAtStateNum(args.BlockNumber).TxCountAt(args.Address)
+		*reply = api.xethAtStateNum(args.BlockNumber).TxCountAt(args.Address.Hex())
 	case "eth_getBlockTransactionCountByHash":
 		args := new(GetBlockByHashArgs)
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(req.Params, &args); err != nil {
diff --git a/rpc/args.go b/rpc/args.go
index 84c9ee0f7..93af3258f 100644
--- a/rpc/args.go
+++ b/rpc/args.go
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (args *GetStorageAtArgs) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) (err error) {
 }
 
 type GetTxCountArgs struct {
-	Address     string
+	Address     common.Address
 	BlockNumber int64
 }
 
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func (args *GetTxCountArgs) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) (err error) {
 	if !ok {
 		return NewDecodeParamError("Address is not a string")
 	}
-	args.Address = addstr
+	args.Address = common.HexToAddress(addstr)
 
 	if len(obj) > 1 {
 		if err := blockHeight(obj[1], &args.BlockNumber); err != nil {
@@ -250,13 +250,6 @@ func (args *GetTxCountArgs) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) (err error) {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (args *GetTxCountArgs) requirements() error {
-	if len(args.Address) == 0 {
-		return NewValidationError("Address", "cannot be blank")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 type GetBalanceArgs struct {
 	Address     string
 	BlockNumber int64
diff --git a/rpc/args_test.go b/rpc/args_test.go
index dea34b956..e13549d00 100644
--- a/rpc/args_test.go
+++ b/rpc/args_test.go
@@ -559,20 +559,16 @@ func TestGetStorageAtArgsValueNotString(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGetTxCountArgs(t *testing.T) {
-	input := `["0x407d73d8a49eeb85d32cf465507dd71d507100c1", "latest"]`
+	input := `["0x407d73d8a49eeb85d32cf465507dd71d507100c1", "pending"]`
 	expected := new(GetTxCountArgs)
-	expected.Address = "0x407d73d8a49eeb85d32cf465507dd71d507100c1"
-	expected.BlockNumber = -1
+	expected.Address = common.HexToAddress("0x407d73d8a49eeb85d32cf465507dd71d507100c1")
+	expected.BlockNumber = -2
 
 	args := new(GetTxCountArgs)
 	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &args); err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
 
-	if err := args.requirements(); err != nil {
-		t.Error(err)
-	}
-
 	if expected.Address != args.Address {
 		t.Errorf("Address shoud be %#v but is %#v", expected.Address, args.Address)
 	}
@@ -587,8 +583,58 @@ func TestGetTxCountEmptyArgs(t *testing.T) {
 
 	args := new(GetTxCountArgs)
 	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &args)
-	if err == nil {
+	switch err.(type) {
+	case nil:
 		t.Error("Expected error but didn't get one")
+	case *InsufficientParamsError:
+		break
+	default:
+		t.Errorf("Expected *rpc.InsufficientParamsError but got %T with message `%s`", err, err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetTxCountEmptyArgsInvalid(t *testing.T) {
+	input := `false`
+
+	args := new(GetTxCountArgs)
+	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &args)
+	switch err.(type) {
+	case nil:
+		t.Error("Expected error but didn't get one")
+	case *DecodeParamError:
+		break
+	default:
+		t.Errorf("Expected *rpc.DecodeParamError but got %T with message `%s`", err, err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetTxCountAddressNotString(t *testing.T) {
+	input := `[false, "pending"]`
+
+	args := new(GetTxCountArgs)
+	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &args)
+	switch err.(type) {
+	case nil:
+		t.Error("Expected error but didn't get one")
+	case *DecodeParamError:
+		break
+	default:
+		t.Errorf("Expected *rpc.DecodeParamError but got %T with message `%s`", err, err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetTxCountBlockheightInvalid(t *testing.T) {
+	input := `["0x407d73d8a49eeb85d32cf465507dd71d507100c1", {}]`
+
+	args := new(GetTxCountArgs)
+	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &args)
+	switch err.(type) {
+	case nil:
+		t.Error("Expected error but didn't get one")
+	case *DecodeParamError:
+		break
+	default:
+		t.Errorf("Expected *rpc.DecodeParamError but got %T with message `%s`", err, err.Error())
 	}
 }