diff --git a/geth/api/backend_accounts_test.go b/geth/api/backend_accounts_test.go
index 5a314fad5..dff9b9f68 100644
--- a/geth/api/backend_accounts_test.go
+++ b/geth/api/backend_accounts_test.go
@@ -335,3 +335,47 @@ func (s *BackendTestSuite) TestSelectedAccountOnRestart() {
 	require.EqualError(node.ErrNoAccountSelected, err.Error())
 	require.Nil(selectedAccount)
 }
+
+func (s *BackendTestSuite) TestRPCEthAccounts() {
+	require := s.Require()
+
+	s.StartTestBackend(params.RopstenNetworkID)
+	defer s.StopTestBackend()
+
+	// log into test account
+	err := s.backend.AccountManager().SelectAccount(TestConfig.Account1.Address, TestConfig.Account1.Password)
+	require.NoError(err)
+
+	rpcClient := s.backend.NodeManager().RPCClient()
+
+	expectedResponse := `{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"result":["` + TestConfig.Account1.Address + `"]}`
+	resp := rpcClient.CallRaw(`{
+              "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+              "id": 1,
+              "method": "eth_accounts",
+              "params": []
+      }`)
+	require.Equal(expectedResponse, resp)
+}
+
+func (s *BackendTestSuite) TestRPCEthAccountsWithUpstream() {
+	require := s.Require()
+
+	s.StartTestBackend(params.RopstenNetworkID, WithUpstream("https://ropsten.infura.io/z6GCTmjdP3FETEJmMBI4"))
+	defer s.StopTestBackend()
+
+	// log into test account
+	err := s.backend.AccountManager().SelectAccount(TestConfig.Account1.Address, TestConfig.Account1.Password)
+	require.NoError(err)
+
+	rpcClient := s.backend.NodeManager().RPCClient()
+
+	expectedResponse := `{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"result":["` + TestConfig.Account1.Address + `"]}`
+	resp := rpcClient.CallRaw(`{
+              "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+              "id": 1,
+              "method": "eth_accounts",
+              "params": []
+      }`)
+	require.Equal(expectedResponse, resp)
+}
diff --git a/geth/api/backend_test.go b/geth/api/backend_test.go
index 9e1e0c668..44659e316 100644
--- a/geth/api/backend_test.go
+++ b/geth/api/backend_test.go
@@ -34,13 +34,18 @@ func (s *BackendTestSuite) SetupTest() {
 	s.backend = backend
 }
 
-func (s *BackendTestSuite) StartTestBackend(networkID int) {
+func (s *BackendTestSuite) StartTestBackend(networkID int, opts ...TestNodeOption) {
 	require := s.Require()
 	require.NotNil(s.backend)
 
 	nodeConfig, err := MakeTestNodeConfig(networkID)
 	require.NoError(err)
 
+	// Apply any options altering node config.
+	for i := range opts {
+		opts[i](nodeConfig)
+	}
+
 	// import account keys
 	require.NoError(common.ImportTestAccount(nodeConfig.KeyStoreDir, "test-account1.pk"))
 	require.NoError(common.ImportTestAccount(nodeConfig.KeyStoreDir, "test-account2.pk"))
diff --git a/geth/node/node.go b/geth/node/node.go
index 318f2aa24..ee45901ef 100644
--- a/geth/node/node.go
+++ b/geth/node/node.go
@@ -76,6 +76,13 @@ func MakeNode(config *params.NodeConfig) (*node.Node, error) {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v: %v", ErrEthServiceRegistrationFailure, err)
 		}
 	} else {
+		// TODO(divan): FIXME: this is rude workaround for #294 issue
+		// we start activate LES service to have RPC handler for `eth_accounts` call
+		// should be removed once proper own RPC and refactoring is completed
+		config.MaxPeers = 0
+		if err := activateEthService(stack, config); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v: %v", ErrEthServiceRegistrationFailure, err)
+		}
 		log.Info("Blockchain synchronization is switched off, RPC requests will be proxied to " + config.UpstreamConfig.URL)
 	}