diff --git a/handler/websocket.go b/handler/websocket.go
index 2af04332448..947b3ed9a4a 100644
--- a/handler/websocket.go
+++ b/handler/websocket.go
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ type wsConnection struct {
 	active map[string]context.CancelFunc
 	mu     sync.Mutex
 	cfg    *Config
+
+	initPayload graphql.InitPayload
 }
 
 func connectWs(exec graphql.ExecutableSchema, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, cfg *Config) {
@@ -63,42 +65,41 @@ func connectWs(exec graphql.ExecutableSchema, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Req
 		cfg:    cfg,
 	}
 
-	initPayload, ok := conn.init()
-	if !ok {
+	if !conn.init() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	conn.run(initPayload)
+	conn.run()
 }
 
-func (c *wsConnection) init() (initPayload graphql.InitPayload, ok bool) {
+func (c *wsConnection) init() bool {
 	message := c.readOp()
 	if message == nil {
 		c.close(websocket.CloseProtocolError, "decoding error")
-		return nil, false
+		return false
 	}
 
-	initPayload = make(graphql.InitPayload)
-
 	switch message.Type {
 	case connectionInitMsg:
-		err := json.Unmarshal(message.Payload, &initPayload)
-		if err != nil {
-			// Treat an invalid payload as no payload
-			initPayload = nil
+		if len(message.Payload) > 0 {
+			c.initPayload = make(graphql.InitPayload)
+			err := json.Unmarshal(message.Payload, &c.initPayload)
+			if err != nil {
+				return false
+			}
 		}
 
 		c.write(&operationMessage{Type: connectionAckMsg})
 	case connectionTerminateMsg:
 		c.close(websocket.CloseNormalClosure, "terminated")
-		return nil, false
+		return false
 	default:
 		c.sendConnectionError("unexpected message %s", message.Type)
 		c.close(websocket.CloseProtocolError, "unexpected message")
-		return nil, false
+		return false
 	}
 
-	return initPayload, true
+	return true
 }
 
 func (c *wsConnection) write(msg *operationMessage) {
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ func (c *wsConnection) write(msg *operationMessage) {
 	c.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
-func (c *wsConnection) run(initPayload graphql.InitPayload) {
+func (c *wsConnection) run() {
 	for {
 		message := c.readOp()
 		if message == nil {
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ func (c *wsConnection) run(initPayload graphql.InitPayload) {
 
 		switch message.Type {
 		case startMsg:
-			if !c.subscribe(message, initPayload) {
+			if !c.subscribe(message) {
 				return
 			}
 		case stopMsg:
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ func (c *wsConnection) run(initPayload graphql.InitPayload) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *wsConnection) subscribe(message *operationMessage, initPayload graphql.InitPayload) bool {
+func (c *wsConnection) subscribe(message *operationMessage) bool {
 	var reqParams params
 	if err := jsonDecode(bytes.NewReader(message.Payload), &reqParams); err != nil {
 		c.sendConnectionError("invalid json")
@@ -167,8 +168,8 @@ func (c *wsConnection) subscribe(message *operationMessage, initPayload graphql.
 	reqCtx := c.cfg.newRequestContext(doc, reqParams.Query, vars)
 	ctx := graphql.WithRequestContext(c.ctx, reqCtx)
 
-	if initPayload != nil {
-		ctx = graphql.WithInitPayload(ctx, initPayload)
+	if c.initPayload != nil {
+		ctx = graphql.WithInitPayload(ctx, c.initPayload)
 	}
 
 	if op.Operation != ast.Subscription {