diff --git a/rpc/transport/http2_server_transport.go b/rpc/transport/http2_server_transport.go
index ce793d287..f7058a5b6 100644
--- a/rpc/transport/http2_server_transport.go
+++ b/rpc/transport/http2_server_transport.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func (t *http2Server) operateHeaders(hDec *hpackDecoder, s *Stream, frame header
 	s.windowHandler = func(n int) {
 		t.addRecvQuota(s, n)
 	}
-	if hDec.state.timeout > 0 {
+	if hDec.state.timeoutSet {
 		s.ctx, s.cancel = context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), hDec.state.timeout)
 	} else {
 		s.ctx, s.cancel = context.WithCancel(context.TODO())
@@ -426,6 +426,7 @@ func (t *http2Server) WriteStatus(s *Stream, statusCode codes.Code, statusDesc s
 	}
 	s.mu.RUnlock()
 	if _, err := wait(s.ctx, t.shutdownChan, t.writableChan); err != nil {
+		// TODO(zhaoq): Print some errors using glog, e.g., glog.V(1).
 		return err
 	}
 	t.hBuf.Reset()
diff --git a/rpc/transport/http_util.go b/rpc/transport/http_util.go
index 33a17a1d6..d2c9356bf 100644
--- a/rpc/transport/http_util.go
+++ b/rpc/transport/http_util.go
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@ type decodeState struct {
 	statusCode codes.Code
 	statusDesc string
 	// Server side only fields.
-	timeout time.Duration
-	method  string
+	timeoutSet bool
+	timeout    time.Duration
+	method     string
 	// key-value metadata map from the peer.
 	mdata map[string]string
 }
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ func newHPACKDecoder() *hpackDecoder {
 		case "grpc-message":
 			d.state.statusDesc = f.Value
 		case "grpc-timeout":
+			d.state.timeoutSet = true
 			var err error
 			d.state.timeout, err = timeoutDecode(f.Value)
 			if err != nil {