diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStream.java b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStream.java
index cfafa94434..750364713d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStream.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStream.java
@@ -102,9 +102,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractServerStream<IdT> extends AbstractStream<IdT>
 
   @Override
   public final void writeMessage(InputStream message) {
-    if (!headersSent) {
-      writeHeaders(new Metadata());
-      headersSent = true;
+    if (outboundPhase() != Phase.MESSAGE) {
+      throw new IllegalStateException("Messages are only permitted after headers and before close");
     }
     super.writeMessage(message);
   }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStreamTest.java b/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStreamTest.java
index 1286276462..2443082903 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStreamTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/io/grpc/internal/AbstractServerStreamTest.java
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ public class AbstractServerStreamTest {
         capturedHeaders.set(captured);
       }
     };
+    stream.writeHeaders(new Metadata());
 
     stream.writeMessage(new ByteArrayInputStream(new byte[]{}));
 
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ public class AbstractServerStreamTest {
         sendCalled.set(true);
       }
     };
+    stream.writeHeaders(new Metadata());
     stream.closeFramer();
 
     stream.writeMessage(new ByteArrayInputStream(new byte[]{}));
@@ -220,6 +222,7 @@ public class AbstractServerStreamTest {
         sendCalled.set(true);
       }
     };
+    stream.writeHeaders(new Metadata());
 
     stream.writeMessage(new ByteArrayInputStream(new byte[]{}));
     // Force the message to be flushed
diff --git a/examples/src/main/java/io/grpc/examples/header/HeaderServerInterceptor.java b/examples/src/main/java/io/grpc/examples/header/HeaderServerInterceptor.java
index 6c8d07cb20..97a2b5a387 100644
--- a/examples/src/main/java/io/grpc/examples/header/HeaderServerInterceptor.java
+++ b/examples/src/main/java/io/grpc/examples/header/HeaderServerInterceptor.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ import io.grpc.MethodDescriptor;
 import io.grpc.ServerCall;
 import io.grpc.ServerCallHandler;
 import io.grpc.ServerInterceptor;
-import io.grpc.Status;
 
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
@@ -60,26 +59,10 @@ public class HeaderServerInterceptor implements ServerInterceptor {
       ServerCallHandler<ReqT, RespT> next) {
     logger.info("header received from client:" + requestHeaders.toString());
     return next.startCall(method, new SimpleForwardingServerCall<RespT>(call) {
-      boolean sentHeaders = false;
-
       @Override
       public void sendHeaders(Metadata responseHeaders) {
         responseHeaders.put(customHeadKey, "customRespondValue");
         super.sendHeaders(responseHeaders);
-        sentHeaders = true;
-      }
-
-      @Override
-      public void sendMessage(RespT message) {
-        if (!sentHeaders) {
-          sendHeaders(new Metadata());
-        }
-        super.sendMessage(message);
-      }
-
-      @Override
-      public void close(Status status, Metadata trailers) {
-        super.close(status, trailers);
       }
     }, requestHeaders);
   }
diff --git a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientStreamTest.java b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientStreamTest.java
index c866c18968..ad0964f727 100644
--- a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientStreamTest.java
+++ b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientStreamTest.java
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ import java.io.InputStream;
  * Tests for {@link NettyClientStream}.
  */
 @RunWith(JUnit4.class)
-public class NettyClientStreamTest extends NettyStreamTestBase {
+public class NettyClientStreamTest extends NettyStreamTestBase<NettyClientStream> {
   @Mock
   protected ClientStreamListener listener;
 
@@ -371,6 +371,9 @@ public class NettyClientStreamTest extends NettyStreamTestBase {
     return stream;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  protected void sendHeadersIfServer() {}
+
   @Override
   protected void closeStream() {
     stream().cancel(Status.CANCELLED);
diff --git a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientTransportTest.java b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientTransportTest.java
index 83f634b5f9..40de685847 100644
--- a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientTransportTest.java
+++ b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyClientTransportTest.java
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ public class NettyClientTransportTest {
       this.stream = stream;
       this.method = method;
       this.headers = headers;
+      stream.writeHeaders(new Metadata());
       stream.request(1);
     }
 
diff --git a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyServerStreamTest.java b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyServerStreamTest.java
index 55ac31e693..2128ada9b3 100644
--- a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyServerStreamTest.java
+++ b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyServerStreamTest.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 
 /** Unit tests for {@link NettyServerStream}. */
 @RunWith(JUnit4.class)
-public class NettyServerStreamTest extends NettyStreamTestBase {
+public class NettyServerStreamTest extends NettyStreamTestBase<NettyServerStream> {
   @Mock
   protected ServerStreamListener serverListener;
 
@@ -92,13 +92,14 @@ public class NettyServerStreamTest extends NettyStreamTestBase {
 
   @Test
   public void writeMessageShouldSendResponse() throws Exception {
-    byte[] msg = smallMessage();
-    stream.writeMessage(new ByteArrayInputStream(msg));
-    stream.flush();
+    stream.writeHeaders(new Metadata());
     Http2Headers headers = new DefaultHttp2Headers()
         .status(Utils.STATUS_OK)
         .set(Utils.CONTENT_TYPE_HEADER, Utils.CONTENT_TYPE_GRPC);
     verify(writeQueue).enqueue(new SendResponseHeadersCommand(STREAM_ID, headers, false), true);
+    byte[] msg = smallMessage();
+    stream.writeMessage(new ByteArrayInputStream(msg));
+    stream.flush();
     verify(writeQueue).enqueue(eq(new SendGrpcFrameCommand(stream, messageFrame(MESSAGE), false)),
         any(ChannelPromise.class),
         eq(true));
@@ -266,6 +267,11 @@ public class NettyServerStreamTest extends NettyStreamTestBase {
     return stream;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  protected void sendHeadersIfServer() {
+    stream.writeHeaders(new Metadata());
+  }
+
   @Override
   protected void closeStream() {
     stream().close(Status.ABORTED, new Metadata());
diff --git a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyStreamTestBase.java b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyStreamTestBase.java
index 90099af725..23d47ac957 100644
--- a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyStreamTestBase.java
+++ b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyStreamTestBase.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 /**
  * Base class for Netty stream unit tests.
  */
-public abstract class NettyStreamTestBase {
+public abstract class NettyStreamTestBase<T extends AbstractStream<Integer>> {
   protected static final String MESSAGE = "hello world";
   protected static final int STREAM_ID = 1;
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public abstract class NettyStreamTestBase {
   @Mock
   protected WriteQueue writeQueue;
 
-  protected AbstractStream<Integer> stream;
+  protected T stream;
 
   /** Set up for test. */
   @Before
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ public abstract class NettyStreamTestBase {
 
   @Test
   public void notifiedOnReadyAfterWriteCompletes() throws IOException {
+    sendHeadersIfServer();
     assertTrue(stream.isReady());
     byte[] msg = largeMessage();
     // The future is set up to automatically complete, indicating that the write is done.
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ public abstract class NettyStreamTestBase {
 
   @Test
   public void shouldBeReadyForDataAfterWritingSmallMessage() throws IOException {
+    sendHeadersIfServer();
     // Make sure the writes don't complete so we "back up"
     reset(future);
 
@@ -184,6 +186,7 @@ public abstract class NettyStreamTestBase {
 
   @Test
   public void shouldNotBeReadyForDataAfterWritingLargeMessage() throws IOException {
+    sendHeadersIfServer();
     // Make sure the writes don't complete so we "back up"
     reset(future);
 
@@ -209,7 +212,9 @@ public abstract class NettyStreamTestBase {
     return largeMessage;
   }
 
-  protected abstract AbstractStream<Integer> createStream();
+  protected abstract T createStream();
+
+  protected abstract void sendHeadersIfServer();
 
   protected abstract StreamListener listener();
 
diff --git a/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ServerCalls.java b/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ServerCalls.java
index 9870e8d392..9cf44508ac 100644
--- a/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ServerCalls.java
+++ b/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ServerCalls.java
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ public class ServerCalls {
   private static class ResponseObserver<RespT> implements StreamObserver<RespT> {
     final ServerCall<RespT> call;
     volatile boolean cancelled;
+    private boolean sentHeaders;
 
     ResponseObserver(ServerCall<RespT> call) {
       this.call = call;
@@ -233,6 +234,10 @@ public class ServerCalls {
       if (cancelled) {
         throw Status.CANCELLED.asRuntimeException();
       }
+      if (!sentHeaders) {
+        call.sendHeaders(new Metadata());
+        sentHeaders = true;
+      }
       call.sendMessage(response);
     }
 
diff --git a/testing/src/main/java/io/grpc/testing/TestUtils.java b/testing/src/main/java/io/grpc/testing/TestUtils.java
index 53e3c39d9a..1127cfbc43 100644
--- a/testing/src/main/java/io/grpc/testing/TestUtils.java
+++ b/testing/src/main/java/io/grpc/testing/TestUtils.java
@@ -90,21 +90,10 @@ public class TestUtils {
           ServerCallHandler<ReqT, RespT> next) {
         return next.startCall(method,
             new SimpleForwardingServerCall<RespT>(call) {
-              boolean sentHeaders;
-
               @Override
               public void sendHeaders(Metadata responseHeaders) {
                 responseHeaders.merge(requestHeaders, keySet);
                 super.sendHeaders(responseHeaders);
-                sentHeaders = true;
-              }
-
-              @Override
-              public void sendMessage(RespT message) {
-                if (!sentHeaders) {
-                  sendHeaders(new Metadata());
-                }
-                super.sendMessage(message);
               }
 
               @Override