diff --git a/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.cpp b/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.cpp
index 7f5cb6e8dc..81dbc59662 100644
--- a/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.cpp
+++ b/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ namespace beam::wallet
         , _wallet(init.wallet)
         , _swaps(init.swaps)
         , _contracts(init.contracts)
+        , _nodeNetwork(init.nodeNetwork)
         #ifdef BEAM_IPFS_SUPPORT
         , _ipfs(init.ipfs)
         #endif
@@ -113,6 +114,15 @@ namespace beam::wallet
         return _contracts;
     }
 
+    void V6Api::checkNodeConnection() const
+    {
+        // nodeNetwork is not provided by every API host, in that case we cannot tell
+        if (_nodeNetwork && _nodeNetwork->getConnections() == 0)
+        {
+            throw jsonrpc_exception(ApiError::ContractError, "No connection to the node");
+        }
+    }
+
     #ifdef BEAM_IPFS_SUPPORT
     IPFSService::Ptr V6Api::getIPFS() const
     {
diff --git a/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.h b/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.h
index 202db2fee1..d6b2994e1b 100644
--- a/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.h
+++ b/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api.h
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ namespace beam::wallet
         virtual void fillCoins(json& arr, const std::vector<ApiCoin>& coins);
         virtual void fillTransactions(json& arr, const std::vector<Status::Response>& txs);
 
+        // Throws if the wallet has no connection to a node. Shader calls need to query
+        // the node and would otherwise wait forever, blocking all subsequent shader calls
+        void checkNodeConnection() const;
+
     private:
         void FillAddressData(const AddressData& data, WalletAddress& address);
         void doTxAlreadyExistsError(const JsonRpcId& id);
@@ -82,6 +86,7 @@ namespace beam::wallet
         Wallet::Ptr          _wallet;
         ISwapsProvider::Ptr  _swaps;
         IShadersManager::Ptr _contracts;
+        NodeNetwork::Ptr     _nodeNetwork;
 
         #ifdef BEAM_IPFS_SUPPORT
         IPFSService::Ptr _ipfs;
diff --git a/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api_handle.cpp b/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api_handle.cpp
index a8a5ca7e76..5a13dae673 100644
--- a/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api_handle.cpp
+++ b/wallet/api/v6_0/v6_api_handle.cpp
@@ -836,6 +836,8 @@ namespace beam::wallet
             throw jsonrpc_exception(ApiError::UnexpectedError, "Previous shader call is still in progress");
         }
 
+        checkNodeConnection();
+
         if (data.createTx)
         {
             onHandleInvokeContractWithTX(id, std::move(data));
diff --git a/wallet/api/v6_1/v6_1_api_handle.cpp b/wallet/api/v6_1/v6_1_api_handle.cpp
index 59ac8a0225..4c78c02d25 100644
--- a/wallet/api/v6_1/v6_1_api_handle.cpp
+++ b/wallet/api/v6_1/v6_1_api_handle.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ namespace beam::wallet
     {
         BEAM_LOG_VERBOSE() << "InvokeContract(id = " << id << ")";
         auto contracts = getContracts();
+        checkNodeConnection();
 
         if (data.createTx)
         {
diff --git a/wallet/unittests/wallet_test.cpp b/wallet/unittests/wallet_test.cpp
index 16559d3beb..0941d0aaac 100644
--- a/wallet/unittests/wallet_test.cpp
+++ b/wallet/unittests/wallet_test.cpp
@@ -4297,6 +4297,52 @@ namespace
         WALLET_CHECK(txHistory[0].m_txId == txId);
         WALLET_CHECK(txHistory[0].m_status == wallet::TxStatus::Completed);
     }
+
+    void TestInvokeContractNoNodeConnection()
+    {
+        cout << "\nTesting invoke_contract without node connection...\n";
+
+        io::Reactor::Ptr mainReactor{ io::Reactor::create() };
+        io::Reactor::Scope scope(*mainReactor);
+
+        TestWalletRig sender(createSenderWalletDB(), Wallet::TxCompletedAction(), TestWalletRig::Type::Offline);
+
+        // node network that is never connected
+        auto nodeNetwork = std::make_shared<NodeNetwork>(*sender.m_Wallet);
+        sender.m_Wallet->SetNodeEndpoint(nodeNetwork);
+        WALLET_CHECK(nodeNetwork->getConnections() == 0);
+
+        ApiInitData data;
+        data.walletDB    = sender.m_WalletDB;
+        data.wallet      = sender.m_Wallet;
+        data.contracts   = IShadersManager::CreateInstance(*sender.m_Wallet, "", "", 0);
+        data.nodeNetwork = nodeNetwork;
+
+        ApiTest api(data);
+
+        // every call must fail immediately and must not leave the shader manager busy
+        for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i)
+        {
+            InvokeContract message;
+            message.contract = { 0, 'a', 's', 'm' };
+            message.createTx = false;
+
+            bool thrown = false;
+            try
+            {
+                api.onHandleInvokeContract(1, std::move(message));
+            }
+            catch (const jsonrpc_exception& ex)
+            {
+                thrown = true;
+                WALLET_CHECK(ex.code() == ApiError::ContractError);
+            }
+
+            WALLET_CHECK(thrown);
+            WALLET_CHECK(api.m_Messages.empty());
+            WALLET_CHECK(data.contracts->IsDone());
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 bool RunNegLoop(beam::Negotiator::IBase& a, beam::Negotiator::IBase& b, const char* szTask)
@@ -5890,6 +5936,7 @@ int main()
     TestCalculateAssetCoinsSelection();
 
     TestContractInvoke();
+    TestInvokeContractNoNodeConnection();
 
     assert(g_failureCount == 0);
     return WALLET_CHECK_RESULT;