diff --git a/src/node/src/server.js b/src/node/src/server.js
index 0cf7ba34246..dd0bc12bc93 100644
--- a/src/node/src/server.js
+++ b/src/node/src/server.js
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ function _read(size) {
     try {
       deserialized = self.deserialize(data);
     } catch (e) {
-      e.code = grpc.status.INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+      e.code = grpc.status.INTERNAL;
       self.emit('error', e);
       return;
     }
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ function handleUnary(call, handler, metadata) {
     try {
       emitter.request = handler.deserialize(result.read);
     } catch (e) {
-      e.code = grpc.status.INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+      e.code = grpc.status.INTERNAL;
       handleError(call, e);
       return;
     }
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ function handleServerStreaming(call, handler, metadata) {
     try {
       stream.request = handler.deserialize(result.read);
     } catch (e) {
-      e.code = grpc.status.INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+      e.code = grpc.status.INTERNAL;
       stream.emit('error', e);
       return;
     }
diff --git a/src/node/test/surface_test.js b/src/node/test/surface_test.js
index 8a232d6fc44..edbfc0a288f 100644
--- a/src/node/test/surface_test.js
+++ b/src/node/test/surface_test.js
@@ -709,14 +709,14 @@ describe('Other conditions', function() {
     it('should respond correctly to a unary call', function(done) {
       misbehavingClient.unary(badArg, function(err, data) {
         assert(err);
-        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INVALID_ARGUMENT);
+        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INTERNAL);
         done();
       });
     });
     it('should respond correctly to a client stream', function(done) {
       var call = misbehavingClient.clientStream(function(err, data) {
         assert(err);
-        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INVALID_ARGUMENT);
+        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INTERNAL);
         done();
       });
       call.write(badArg);
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ describe('Other conditions', function() {
         assert.fail(data, null, 'Unexpected data', '===');
       });
       call.on('error', function(err) {
-        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INVALID_ARGUMENT);
+        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INTERNAL);
         done();
       });
     });
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ describe('Other conditions', function() {
         assert.fail(data, null, 'Unexpected data', '===');
       });
       call.on('error', function(err) {
-        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INVALID_ARGUMENT);
+        assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.INTERNAL);
         done();
       });
       call.write(badArg);