diff --git a/rai/core_test/rpc.cpp b/rai/core_test/rpc.cpp
index 62585794b0..97879f6fd3 100644
--- a/rai/core_test/rpc.cpp
+++ b/rai/core_test/rpc.cpp
@@ -3249,6 +3249,47 @@ TEST (rpc, block_create_state_open)
 	ASSERT_FALSE (system.nodes[0]->latest (key.pub).is_zero ());
 }
 
+// Missing "work" parameter should cause work to be generated for us.
+TEST (rpc, block_create_state_request_work)
+{
+	rai::genesis genesis;
+
+	// Test work generation for state blocks both with and without previous (in the latter
+	// case, the account will be used for work generation)
+	std::vector<std::string> previous_test_input{ genesis.hash ().to_string (), std::string ("0") };
+	for (auto previous : previous_test_input)
+	{
+		rai::system system (24000, 1);
+		rai::keypair key;
+		rai::genesis genesis;
+		system.nodes[0]->ledger.state_block_parse_canary = genesis.hash ();
+		system.wallet (0)->insert_adhoc (rai::test_genesis_key.prv);
+		boost::property_tree::ptree request;
+		request.put ("action", "block_create");
+		request.put ("type", "state");
+		request.put ("wallet", system.nodes[0]->wallets.items.begin ()->first.to_string ());
+		request.put ("account", rai::test_genesis_key.pub.to_account ());
+		request.put ("representative", rai::test_genesis_key.pub.to_account ());
+		request.put ("balance", (rai::genesis_amount - rai::Gxrb_ratio).convert_to<std::string> ());
+		request.put ("link", key.pub.to_account ());
+		request.put ("previous", previous);
+		rai::rpc rpc (system.service, *system.nodes[0], rai::rpc_config (true));
+		rpc.start ();
+		test_response response (request, rpc, system.service);
+		while (response.status == 0)
+		{
+			system.poll ();
+		}
+		ASSERT_EQ (200, response.status);
+		boost::property_tree::ptree block_l;
+		std::stringstream block_stream (response.json.get<std::string> ("block"));
+		boost::property_tree::read_json (block_stream, block_l);
+		auto block (rai::deserialize_block_json (block_l));
+		ASSERT_NE (nullptr, block);
+		ASSERT_FALSE (rai::work_validate (*block));
+	}
+}
+
 TEST (rpc, wallet_lock)
 {
 	rai::system system (24000, 1);
diff --git a/rai/node/rpc.cpp b/rai/node/rpc.cpp
index 24f865939c..5808de5de4 100644
--- a/rai/node/rpc.cpp
+++ b/rai/node/rpc.cpp
@@ -1205,6 +1205,11 @@ void rai::rpc_handler::block_create ()
 			{
 				if (!account.is_zero () && previous_text.is_initialized () && !representative.is_zero () && !balance.is_zero () && link_text.is_initialized ())
 				{
+					if (work == 0)
+					{
+						work = node.generate_work (previous.is_zero () ? pub : previous);
+					}
+
 					rai::state_block state (account, previous, representative, balance, link, prv, pub, work);
 					boost::property_tree::ptree response_l;
 					response_l.put ("hash", state.hash ().to_string ());