diff --git a/ratis-client/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/client/impl/ClientProtoUtils.java b/ratis-client/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/client/impl/ClientProtoUtils.java
index 5e217e7da2..44e3a5cd63 100644
--- a/ratis-client/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/client/impl/ClientProtoUtils.java
+++ b/ratis-client/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/client/impl/ClientProtoUtils.java
@@ -204,9 +204,13 @@ static ByteBuffer toRaftClientRequestProtoByteBuffer(RaftClientRequest request)
   }
 
   static RaftClientRequestProto toRaftClientRequestProto(RaftClientRequest request) {
+    return toRaftClientRequestProto(request, true);
+  }
+
+  static RaftClientRequestProto toRaftClientRequestProto(RaftClientRequest request, boolean withMsg) {
     final RaftClientRequestProto.Builder b = RaftClientRequestProto.newBuilder()
         .setRpcRequest(toRaftRpcRequestProtoBuilder(request));
-    if (request.getMessage() != null) {
+    if (withMsg && request.getMessage() != null) {
       b.setMessage(toClientMessageEntryProtoBuilder(request.getMessage()));
     }
 
diff --git a/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/ServerProtoUtils.java b/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/ServerProtoUtils.java
index e35cb23867..29a42f65a0 100644
--- a/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/ServerProtoUtils.java
+++ b/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/ServerProtoUtils.java
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ static ReadIndexRequestProto toReadIndexRequestProto(
       RaftClientRequest clientRequest, RaftGroupMemberId requestorId, RaftPeerId replyId) {
     return ReadIndexRequestProto.newBuilder()
         .setServerRequest(ClientProtoUtils.toRaftRpcRequestProtoBuilder(requestorId, replyId))
-        .setClientRequest(ClientProtoUtils.toRaftClientRequestProto(clientRequest))
+        .setClientRequest(ClientProtoUtils.toRaftClientRequestProto(clientRequest, false))
         .build();
   }