diff --git a/pkg/core/native/oracle.go b/pkg/core/native/oracle.go
index dc3e57fed..313a78805 100644
--- a/pkg/core/native/oracle.go
+++ b/pkg/core/native/oracle.go
@@ -265,9 +265,15 @@ func (o *Oracle) request(ic *interop.Context, args []stackitem.Item) stackitem.I
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	filter, err := stackitem.ToString(args[1])
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+	var filter *string
+	_, ok := args[1].(stackitem.Null)
+	if !ok {
+		// Check UTF-8 validity.
+		str, err := stackitem.ToString(args[1])
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+		filter = &str
 	}
 	cb, err := stackitem.ToString(args[2])
 	if err != nil {
@@ -285,8 +291,8 @@ func (o *Oracle) request(ic *interop.Context, args []stackitem.Item) stackitem.I
 }
 
 // RequestInternal processes oracle request.
-func (o *Oracle) RequestInternal(ic *interop.Context, url, filter, cb string, userData stackitem.Item, gas *big.Int) error {
-	if len(url) > maxURLLength || len(filter) > maxFilterLength || len(cb) > maxCallbackLength || gas.Uint64() < 1000_0000 {
+func (o *Oracle) RequestInternal(ic *interop.Context, url string, filter *string, cb string, userData stackitem.Item, gas *big.Int) error {
+	if len(url) > maxURLLength || (filter != nil && len(*filter) > maxFilterLength) || len(cb) > maxCallbackLength || gas.Uint64() < 1000_0000 {
 		return ErrBigArgument
 	}
 
@@ -317,6 +323,12 @@ func (o *Oracle) RequestInternal(ic *interop.Context, url, filter, cb string, us
 		return ErrBigArgument
 	}
 
+	var filterNotif stackitem.Item
+	if filter != nil {
+		filterNotif = stackitem.Make(*filter)
+	} else {
+		filterNotif = stackitem.Null{}
+	}
 	ic.Notifications = append(ic.Notifications, state.NotificationEvent{
 		ScriptHash: o.Hash,
 		Name:       "OracleRequest",
@@ -324,14 +336,14 @@ func (o *Oracle) RequestInternal(ic *interop.Context, url, filter, cb string, us
 			stackitem.Make(id),
 			stackitem.Make(ic.VM.GetCallingScriptHash().BytesBE()),
 			stackitem.Make(url),
-			stackitem.Make(filter),
+			filterNotif,
 		}),
 	})
 	req := &state.OracleRequest{
 		OriginalTxID:     o.getOriginalTxID(ic.DAO, ic.Tx),
 		GasForResponse:   gas.Uint64(),
 		URL:              url,
-		Filter:           &filter,
+		Filter:           filter,
 		CallbackContract: ic.VM.GetCallingScriptHash(),
 		CallbackMethod:   cb,
 		UserData:         data,
diff --git a/pkg/core/native_oracle_test.go b/pkg/core/native_oracle_test.go
index 0c2aca4a5..2d603e2b2 100644
--- a/pkg/core/native_oracle_test.go
+++ b/pkg/core/native_oracle_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/smartcontract/manifest"
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/smartcontract/trigger"
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/util"
+	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/vm"
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/vm/emit"
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/vm/opcode"
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/vm/stackitem"
@@ -88,10 +89,14 @@ func getOracleContractState(h util.Uint160) *state.Contract {
 }
 
 func putOracleRequest(t *testing.T, h util.Uint160, bc *Blockchain,
-	url, filter string, userData []byte, gas int64) util.Uint256 {
+	url string, filter *string, userData []byte, gas int64) util.Uint256 {
 	w := io.NewBufBinWriter()
+	var filtItem interface{}
+	if filter != nil {
+		filtItem = *filter
+	}
 	emit.AppCallWithOperationAndArgs(w.BinWriter, h, "requestURL",
-		url, filter, "handle", userData, gas)
+		url, filtItem, "handle", userData, gas)
 	require.NoError(t, w.Err)
 
 	gas += 50_000_000 + 5_000_000 // request + contract call with args
@@ -113,15 +118,16 @@ func TestOracle_Request(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, bc.dao.PutContractState(cs))
 
 	gasForResponse := int64(2000_1234)
+	var filter = "flt"
 	userData := []byte("custom info")
-	txHash := putOracleRequest(t, cs.ScriptHash(), bc, "url", "flt", userData, gasForResponse)
+	txHash := putOracleRequest(t, cs.ScriptHash(), bc, "url", &filter, userData, gasForResponse)
 
 	req, err := orc.GetRequestInternal(bc.dao, 1)
 	require.NotNil(t, req)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, txHash, req.OriginalTxID)
 	require.Equal(t, "url", req.URL)
-	require.Equal(t, "flt", *req.Filter)
+	require.Equal(t, filter, *req.Filter)
 	require.Equal(t, cs.ScriptHash(), req.CallbackContract)
 	require.Equal(t, "handle", req.CallbackMethod)
 	require.Equal(t, uint64(gasForResponse), req.GasForResponse)
@@ -192,7 +198,7 @@ func TestOracle_Request(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("ErrorOnFinish", func(t *testing.T) {
 		const reqID = 2
 
-		putOracleRequest(t, cs.ScriptHash(), bc, "url", "flt", []byte{1, 2}, gasForResponse)
+		putOracleRequest(t, cs.ScriptHash(), bc, "url", nil, []byte{1, 2}, gasForResponse)
 		_, err := orc.GetRequestInternal(bc.dao, reqID) // ensure ID is 2
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -215,4 +221,23 @@ func TestOracle_Request(t *testing.T) {
 		_, err = orc.GetRequestInternal(ic.DAO, reqID)
 		require.Error(t, err)
 	})
+	t.Run("BadRequest", func(t *testing.T) {
+		var doBadRequest = func(t *testing.T, h util.Uint160, url string, filter *string, userData []byte, gas int64) {
+			txHash := putOracleRequest(t, h, bc, url, filter, userData, gas)
+			aer, err := bc.GetAppExecResults(txHash, trigger.Application)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Equal(t, 1, len(aer))
+			require.Equal(t, vm.FaultState, aer[0].VMState)
+		}
+		t.Run("non-UTF8 url", func(t *testing.T) {
+			doBadRequest(t, cs.ScriptHash(), "\xff", nil, []byte{1, 2}, gasForResponse)
+		})
+		t.Run("non-UTF8 filter", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var f = "\xff"
+			doBadRequest(t, cs.ScriptHash(), "url", &f, []byte{1, 2}, gasForResponse)
+		})
+		t.Run("not enough gas", func(t *testing.T) {
+			doBadRequest(t, cs.ScriptHash(), "url", nil, nil, 1000)
+		})
+	})
 }