diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessage.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessage.java
index cdfcd0413d8..bd11a9ca3a3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessage.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessage.java
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ private FuseableStreamMessage(StreamMessage<? extends T> source,
                                   @Nullable MapperFunction<T, U> function,
                                   @Nullable Function<? super Throwable, ? extends Throwable> errorFunction) {
         requireNonNull(source, "source");
-        assert function != null || errorFunction != null;
+        assert (function != null && errorFunction == null) || (function == null && errorFunction != null)
+                : "function and errorFunction should be mutually exclusive";
 
         source = peel(source);
         if (source instanceof FuseableStreamMessage) {
@@ -106,7 +107,6 @@ private StreamMessage<? extends T> peel(StreamMessage<? extends T> source) {
         }
 
         do {
-            //noinspection unchecked
             source = ((NonOverridableStreamMessageWrapper<? extends T, ?>) source).delegate();
         } while (source instanceof NonOverridableStreamMessageWrapper);
 
@@ -159,7 +159,15 @@ public CompletableFuture<List<U>> collect(EventExecutor executor, SubscriptionOp
                 }
 
                 try {
-                    U result = function.apply(obj);
+                    U result;
+                    if (function == null) {
+                        // no transformation function is set. Use the object as is.
+                        //noinspection unchecked
+                        result = (U) obj;
+                    } else {
+                        result = function.apply(obj);
+                    }
+
                     if (result != null) {
                         result = StreamMessageUtil.touchOrCopyAndClose(result, withPooledObjects);
                         builder.add(result);
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessageTest.java b/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessageTest.java
index 6881b06bfad..78955420292 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessageTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/stream/FuseableStreamMessageTest.java
@@ -241,6 +241,22 @@ void mapError() {
                     .verify();
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void mapErrorWithNoError() {
+        StreamMessage<Integer> fixed = StreamMessage.of(1, 2, 3, 4);
+        StreamMessage<Integer> mapped = fixed.mapError(IllegalStateException::new);
+        // Test subscribe()
+        StepVerifier.create(mapped)
+                    .expectNext(1, 2, 3, 4)
+                    .expectComplete()
+                    .verify();
+
+        fixed = StreamMessage.of(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);
+        mapped = fixed.mapError(IllegalStateException::new);
+        // Test collect()
+        assertThat(mapped.collect().join()).containsExactly(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);
+    }
+
     @CsvSource({ "true", "false" })
     @ParameterizedTest
     void mapWithPooledObjects_collect(boolean withPooledObjects) {