diff --git a/jsonrpc2/context.go b/jsonrpc2/context.go
index 9d844d0..1ec8286 100644
--- a/jsonrpc2/context.go
+++ b/jsonrpc2/context.go
@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@ type Ctx struct {
 	ctx context.Context
 }
 
-// Context returns ctx given to preceding SetContext call.
+// Context returns ctx given to preceding SetContext call or
+// context.Background() otherwise.
 func (c *Ctx) Context() context.Context {
+	if c.ctx == nil {
+		return context.Background()
+	}
 	return c.ctx
 }
 
diff --git a/jsonrpc2/context_test.go b/jsonrpc2/context_test.go
index 9d77de8..b17d07f 100644
--- a/jsonrpc2/context_test.go
+++ b/jsonrpc2/context_test.go
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ func init() {
 	_ = rpc.Register(&CtxSvc{})
 }
 
+func TestNoContext(t *testing.T) {
+	var c jsonrpc2.Ctx
+	if c.Context() != context.Background() {
+		t.Fatal("empty context")
+	}
+}
+
 // - for each of these servers:
 //   * TCP server without context
 //   * TCP server with context