diff --git a/wire-grpc-client/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/GrpcMessageSource.kt b/wire-grpc-client/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/GrpcMessageSource.kt
index fa91dea397..20c41211ca 100644
--- a/wire-grpc-client/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/GrpcMessageSource.kt
+++ b/wire-grpc-client/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/GrpcMessageSource.kt
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ internal class GrpcMessageSource<T : Any>(
     }
   }
 
+  fun isEmptyBody(): Boolean = source.exhausted()
+
   fun readExactlyOneAndClose(): T {
     use(GrpcMessageSource<T>::close) { reader ->
       val result = reader.read() ?: throw ProtocolException("expected 1 message but got none")
diff --git a/wire-grpc-client/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/RealGrpcCall.kt b/wire-grpc-client/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/RealGrpcCall.kt
index cc7fa79b18..19a6e7a5d1 100644
--- a/wire-grpc-client/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/RealGrpcCall.kt
+++ b/wire-grpc-client/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/squareup/wire/internal/RealGrpcCall.kt
@@ -104,13 +104,18 @@ internal class RealGrpcCall<S : Any, R : Any>(
     use {
       messageSource(method.responseAdapter).use { reader ->
         val result = try {
-          reader.readExactlyOneAndClose()
+          if (reader.isEmptyBody()) {
+            // an empty body is valid for error responses. don't throw so we try to parse trailers.
+            null
+          } else {
+            reader.readExactlyOneAndClose()
+          }
         } catch (e: IOException) {
           throw grpcResponseToException(e)!!
         }
         val exception = grpcResponseToException()
         if (exception != null) throw exception
-        return result
+        return result ?: throw grpcResponseToException(ProtocolException("expected 1 message but got none"))!!
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/wire-grpc-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/wire/GrpcClientTest.kt b/wire-grpc-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/wire/GrpcClientTest.kt
index 52a2c083f5..6ed38b8768 100644
--- a/wire-grpc-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/wire/GrpcClientTest.kt
+++ b/wire-grpc-tests/src/test/java/com/squareup/wire/GrpcClientTest.kt
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.runBlocking
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
 import okhttp3.Call
+import okhttp3.ExperimentalOkHttpApi
+import okhttp3.Headers
 import okhttp3.Interceptor
 import okhttp3.Interceptor.Chain
 import okhttp3.MediaType.Companion.toMediaType
@@ -1231,6 +1233,38 @@ class GrpcClientTest {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  fun requestFailureInTrailersNotInHeadersWithEmptyResponseBody() {
+    mockService.enqueue(ReceiveCall("/routeguide.RouteGuide/RouteChat"))
+    mockService.enqueueReceivePoint(latitude = 5, longitude = 6)
+    mockService.enqueue(ReceiveComplete)
+    mockService.enqueueSendError(
+      Status.UNAUTHENTICATED.withDescription("not logged in")
+        .asRuntimeException(),
+    )
+    mockService.enqueue(SendCompleted)
+
+    @OptIn(ExperimentalOkHttpApi::class)
+    interceptor = object : Interceptor {
+      override fun intercept(chain: Chain): Response {
+        val response = chain.proceed(chain.request())
+        return response.newBuilder()
+          .headers(Headers.headersOf())
+          .trailers { response.headers }
+          .build()
+      }
+    }
+
+    val grpcCall = routeGuideService.GetFeature()
+    try {
+      grpcCall.executeBlocking(Point(latitude = 5, longitude = 6))
+      fail()
+    } catch (expected: GrpcException) {
+      assertThat(expected.grpcStatus).isEqualTo(GrpcStatus.UNAUTHENTICATED)
+      assertThat(expected.grpcMessage).isEqualTo("not logged in")
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   fun requestEarlyFailureWithDescription() {
     mockService.enqueue(ReceiveCall("/routeguide.RouteGuide/GetFeature"))