diff --git a/cli/server/server.go b/cli/server/server.go
index e1b9c5edf..1caa4f099 100644
--- a/cli/server/server.go
+++ b/cli/server/server.go
@@ -491,7 +491,10 @@ func startServer(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 
 	go serv.Start()
 	if !cfg.ApplicationConfiguration.RPC.StartWhenSynchronized {
-		rpcServer.Start()
+		// Run RPC server in a separate routine. This is necessary to avoid a potential
+		// deadlock: Start() can write errors to errChan which is not yet read in the
+		// current execution context (see for-loop below).
+		go rpcServer.Start()
 	}
 
 	sigCh := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
@@ -546,7 +549,8 @@ Main:
 				rpcServer = rpcsrv.New(chain, cfgnew.ApplicationConfiguration.RPC, serv, oracleSrv, log, errChan)
 				serv.AddService(&rpcServer)
 				if !cfgnew.ApplicationConfiguration.RPC.StartWhenSynchronized || serv.IsInSync() {
-					rpcServer.Start()
+					// Here similar to the initial run (see above for-loop), so async.
+					go rpcServer.Start()
 				}
 				pprof.ShutDown()
 				pprof = metrics.NewPprofService(cfgnew.ApplicationConfiguration.Pprof, log)
diff --git a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go
index 88fb38942..116f56c29 100644
--- a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go
+++ b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go
@@ -148,11 +148,12 @@ type (
 		transactionSubs   int
 		notaryRequestSubs int
 
-		blockCh         chan *block.Block
-		executionCh     chan *state.AppExecResult
-		notificationCh  chan *state.ContainedNotificationEvent
-		transactionCh   chan *transaction.Transaction
-		notaryRequestCh chan mempoolevent.Event
+		blockCh           chan *block.Block
+		executionCh       chan *state.AppExecResult
+		notificationCh    chan *state.ContainedNotificationEvent
+		transactionCh     chan *transaction.Transaction
+		notaryRequestCh   chan mempoolevent.Event
+		subEventsToExitCh chan struct{}
 	}
 
 	// session holds a set of iterators got after invoke* call with corresponding
@@ -319,11 +320,12 @@ func New(chain Ledger, conf config.RPC, coreServer *network.Server,
 
 		subscribers: make(map[*subscriber]bool),
 		// These are NOT buffered to preserve original order of events.
-		blockCh:         make(chan *block.Block),
-		executionCh:     make(chan *state.AppExecResult),
-		notificationCh:  make(chan *state.ContainedNotificationEvent),
-		transactionCh:   make(chan *transaction.Transaction),
-		notaryRequestCh: make(chan mempoolevent.Event),
+		blockCh:           make(chan *block.Block),
+		executionCh:       make(chan *state.AppExecResult),
+		notificationCh:    make(chan *state.ContainedNotificationEvent),
+		transactionCh:     make(chan *transaction.Transaction),
+		notaryRequestCh:   make(chan mempoolevent.Event),
+		subEventsToExitCh: make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -344,6 +346,9 @@ func (s *Server) Start() {
 		s.log.Info("RPC server already started")
 		return
 	}
+
+	go s.handleSubEvents()
+
 	for _, srv := range s.http {
 		srv.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(s.handleHTTPRequest)
 		s.log.Info("starting rpc-server", zap.String("endpoint", srv.Addr))
@@ -363,7 +368,6 @@ func (s *Server) Start() {
 		}(srv)
 	}
 
-	go s.handleSubEvents()
 	if cfg := s.config.TLSConfig; cfg.Enabled {
 		for _, srv := range s.https {
 			srv.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(s.handleHTTPRequest)
@@ -436,7 +440,7 @@ func (s *Server) Shutdown() {
 	}
 
 	// Wait for handleSubEvents to finish.
-	<-s.executionCh
+	<-s.subEventsToExitCh
 }
 
 // SetOracleHandler allows to update oracle handler used by the Server.
@@ -2665,6 +2669,8 @@ func (s *Server) unsubscribeFromChannel(event neorpc.EventID) {
 	}
 }
 
+// handleSubEvents processes Server subscriptions until Shutdown. Upon
+// completion signals to subEventCh channel.
 func (s *Server) handleSubEvents() {
 	var overflowEvent = neorpc.Notification{
 		JSONRPC: neorpc.JSONRPCVersion,
@@ -2778,12 +2784,14 @@ drainloop:
 		}
 	}
 	// It's not required closing these, but since they're drained already
-	// this is safe and it also allows to give a signal to Shutdown routine.
+	// this is safe.
 	close(s.blockCh)
 	close(s.transactionCh)
 	close(s.notificationCh)
 	close(s.executionCh)
 	close(s.notaryRequestCh)
+	// notify Shutdown routine
+	close(s.subEventsToExitCh)
 }
 
 func (s *Server) blockHeightFromParam(param *params.Param) (uint32, *neorpc.Error) {
diff --git a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go
index 2b0b9fb50..4bcda2473 100644
--- a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/wallet"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"go.uber.org/atomic"
 	"go.uber.org/zap/zapcore"
 )
 
@@ -3331,3 +3332,21 @@ func BenchmarkHandleIn(b *testing.B) {
 {"type": "Integer", "value": "42"}, {"type": "Boolean", "value": false}]]}`))
 	})
 }
+
+func TestFailedPreconditionShutdown(t *testing.T) {
+	_, srv, _ := initClearServerWithCustomConfig(t, func(c *config.Config) {
+		c.ApplicationConfiguration.RPC.Addresses = []string{"not an address"}
+	})
+
+	srv.Start()
+	require.Positive(t, len(srv.errChan)) // this is how Start reports internal failures
+
+	var stopped atomic.Bool
+
+	go func() {
+		srv.Shutdown()
+		stopped.Store(true)
+	}()
+
+	require.Eventually(t, stopped.Load, 5*time.Second, 100*time.Millisecond, "Shutdown should return")
+}