diff --git a/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind.cpp b/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind.cpp
index f58be993..736550b9 100644
--- a/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind.cpp
@@ -382,8 +382,22 @@ void protocol_bitcoind::send_rpc(response_t&& model,
     const auto statused = options().error_status && !batched;
     auto message = to_response(statused ? to_status(model) : status::ok);
     message.set(field::content_type, json);
-    message.body() = rpc::response{ {}, std::move(model) };
-    message.prepare_payload();
+
+    // Batch parts are streamed (chunked). A singleton is sized, as bitcoind
+    // does and as some of its clients (e.g. fulcrum) require.
+    if (batched)
+    {
+        message.body() = rpc::response{ {}, std::move(model) };
+        message.prepare_payload();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        auto text = serialize(value_from(model));
+        const auto size = text.size();
+        message.body() = std::move(text);
+        message.content_length(size);
+    }
+
     SEND(std::move(message), handle_complete, _1, close_reason);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp b/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp
index 60476a0c..1f3da1b6 100644
--- a/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ void protocol_http::send_stream(size_t size, wire_writer&& writer,
         .write = std::move(writer),
         .size = size
     };
-    message.prepare_payload();
+    message.content_length(size);
     SEND(std::move(message), handle_stream, _1);
 }
 
diff --git a/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_rpc.cpp b/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_rpc.cpp
index c931e88b..a9e09e6f 100644
--- a/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_rpc.cpp
+++ b/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_rpc.cpp
@@ -173,6 +173,35 @@ BC_FIXTURE_TEST_SUITE(bitcoind_tests, bitcoind_ten_block_setup_fixture)
 // blockchain
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+BC_AUTO_TEST_CASE(bitcoind_rpc__getblockcount__http_response__content_length)
+{
+    const auto response = rpc_response("getblockcount");
+    BC_REQUIRE(response.result() == status::ok);
+    BC_REQUIRE(!response.chunked());
+    BC_REQUIRE(response.content_length().has_value());
+    BC_REQUIRE_EQUAL(response.content_length().value(), response.body().size());
+    BC_REQUIRE_EQUAL(test::parse_json(response.body()).at("result").as_int64(), 9);
+}
+
+BC_AUTO_TEST_CASE(bitcoind_rpc__getblock__hex_http_response__content_length)
+{
+    const auto response = rpc_response("getblock", hash_param(test::block9_hash, "0"));
+    BC_REQUIRE(response.result() == status::ok);
+    BC_REQUIRE(!response.chunked());
+    BC_REQUIRE(response.content_length().has_value());
+    BC_REQUIRE_EQUAL(response.content_length().value(), response.body().size());
+    REQUIRE_NO_THROW_TRUE(test::parse_json(response.body()).at("result").is_string());
+}
+
+BC_AUTO_TEST_CASE(bitcoind_rpc__unknown_method__http_response__content_length)
+{
+    const auto response = rpc_response("nonsense");
+    BC_REQUIRE(!response.chunked());
+    BC_REQUIRE(response.content_length().has_value());
+    BC_REQUIRE_EQUAL(response.content_length().value(), response.body().size());
+    BC_REQUIRE(has_code(test::parse_json(response.body()), -32601));
+}
+
 BC_AUTO_TEST_CASE(bitcoind_rpc__getblockcount__ten_block_store__nine)
 {
     const auto response = rpc("getblockcount");
diff --git a/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.cpp b/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.cpp
index 9518cd47..618f3b1a 100644
--- a/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.cpp
+++ b/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.cpp
@@ -109,6 +109,13 @@ system::json::value bitcoind_setup_fixture::rpc(std::string_view method,
     return client_.post(body_of(method, params), "/", true);
 }
 
+network::http::message<false, network::http::string_body>
+bitcoind_setup_fixture::rpc_response(std::string_view method,
+    std::string_view params)
+{
+    return client_.post_response(body_of(method, params));
+}
+
 system::json::value bitcoind_setup_fixture::tcp_rpc(std::string_view method,
     std::string_view params)
 {
diff --git a/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.hpp b/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.hpp
index 23423d81..9b7124ae 100644
--- a/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.hpp
+++ b/test/protocols/bitcoind/bitcoind_setup_fixture.hpp
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ struct bitcoind_setup_fixture
     // object). Returns the parsed json-rpc response object (with result/error).
     system::json::value rpc(std::string_view method, std::string_view params="[]");
 
+    // As rpc(), returning the http response (for framing).
+    network::http::message<false, network::http::string_body> rpc_response(
+        std::string_view method, std::string_view params="[]");
+
     // JSON-RPC over HTTP POST to "/" with a raw body (e.g. a batch). Returns
     // the parsed json response, or {"dropped":true} if the channel dropped.
     system::json::value rpc_body(std::string_view body);