diff --git a/ethclient/ethclient.go b/ethclient/ethclient.go
index a964bd0f8d41..8dc34a835e39 100644
--- a/ethclient/ethclient.go
+++ b/ethclient/ethclient.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func (ec *Client) BlockByNumber(ctx context.Context, number *big.Int) (*types.Bl
 // BlockNumber returns the most recent block number
 func (ec *Client) BlockNumber(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 	var result hexutil.Uint64
-	err := ec.c.CallContext(ctx, &result, "eth_getBlockNumber", nil)
+	err := ec.c.CallContext(ctx, &result, "eth_blockNumber")
 	return uint64(result), err
 }
 
diff --git a/ethclient/ethclient_test.go b/ethclient/ethclient_test.go
index 16cf5ce61cee..0ca72c6ee71e 100644
--- a/ethclient/ethclient_test.go
+++ b/ethclient/ethclient_test.go
@@ -352,3 +352,19 @@ func TestChainID(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("ChainID returned wrong number: %+v", id)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestBlockNumber(t *testing.T) {
+	backend, _ := newTestBackend(t)
+	client, _ := backend.Attach()
+	defer backend.Close()
+	defer client.Close()
+	ec := NewClient(client)
+
+	blockNumber, err := ec.BlockNumber(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if blockNumber != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("BlockNumber returned wrong number: %d", blockNumber)
+	}
+}