diff --git a/pkg/rpc/server/server.go b/pkg/rpc/server/server.go
index f960395f9..1c6565b95 100644
--- a/pkg/rpc/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/rpc/server/server.go
@@ -539,7 +539,11 @@ func (s *Server) getApplicationLog(reqParams request.Params) (interface{}, *resp
 
 	trig := trigger.All
 	if len(reqParams) > 1 {
-		trig, err = trigger.FromString(reqParams.ValueWithType(1, request.StringT).String())
+		trigString := reqParams.ValueWithType(1, request.StringT)
+		if trigString == nil {
+			return nil, response.ErrInvalidParams
+		}
+		trig, err = trigger.FromString(trigString.String())
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, response.ErrInvalidParams
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/rpc/server/server_test.go b/pkg/rpc/server/server_test.go
index f1bf8384d..22c47b757 100644
--- a/pkg/rpc/server/server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/rpc/server/server_test.go
@@ -121,6 +121,11 @@ var rpcTestCases = map[string][]rpcTestCase{
 				assert.Equal(t, vm.HaltState, res.Executions[0].VMState)
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name:   "invalid trigger (not a string)",
+			params: `["` + genesisBlockHash + `", 1]`,
+			fail:   true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "no params",
 			params: `[]`,