diff --git a/lib/rpc/rpc.c b/lib/rpc/rpc.c
index de10103c8..df9d1e55f 100644
--- a/lib/rpc/rpc.c
+++ b/lib/rpc/rpc.c
@@ -87,6 +87,18 @@ _get_rpc_method(const struct spdk_json_val *method)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static struct spdk_rpc_method *
+_get_rpc_method_raw(const char *method)
+{
+	struct spdk_json_val method_val;
+
+	method_val.type = SPDK_JSON_VAL_STRING;
+	method_val.len = strlen(method);
+	method_val.start = (char *)method;
+
+	return _get_rpc_method(&method_val);
+}
+
 static void
 spdk_jsonrpc_handler(struct spdk_jsonrpc_request *request,
 		     const struct spdk_json_val *method,
@@ -224,6 +236,12 @@ spdk_rpc_register_method(const char *method, spdk_rpc_method_handler func, uint3
 {
 	struct spdk_rpc_method *m;
 
+	m = _get_rpc_method_raw(method);
+	if (m != NULL) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("duplicate RPC %s registered - ignoring...\n", method);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	m = calloc(1, sizeof(struct spdk_rpc_method));
 	assert(m != NULL);