System information

Geth version: Geth/BNBChain/v1.6.1-beta
OS & Version: Linux (multiple regions)
Commit hash: unknown (release binary)

Arguments:

• Started via container with standard BSC geth flags
• JSON-RPC enabled with debug namespace
• Load-balanced behind RPC gateway
• No local code changes from 1.6.1-beta defaults

Description

After upgrading BSC full nodes to v1.6.1-beta, debug_traceCall intermittently fails with:

• error.code: -32603andmessage: "method handler crashed
• or message: "invalid argument"

Reproduces with minimal payloads. Aligns with the v1.6.1‑beta rollout window and affects production traffic. Appears to be a regression introduced in v1.6.1‑beta.

• Expected behaviour

debug_traceCall should return a valid trace result or a deterministic tracer error consistent with callTracer semantics for the given input.

• Actual behaviour

Good portion of debug_traceCall requests fail with -32603 method handler crashed or invalid argument responses after the upgrade.

debug_traceCall` should return a valid trace result or a deterministic tracer error consistent with callTracer semantics for the given input.

Steps to reproduce

1. Minimal payload against any upgraded v1.6.1‑beta BSC geth node:

curl -sS -X POST https://your_endpoint/
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'
--data '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"id":1,
"method":"debug_traceCall",
"params":[
{
"from":"0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
"to":"0x0000000000000000000000000000000000001000",
"data":"0x"
},
"latest",
{}
]
}'

2. Results:

• On 1.6.1‑beta nodes: intermittent failures with -32603 "method handler crashed" or "invalid argument"
• Pre‑upgrade versions; did not observe this failure pattern with the same payloads

Request

• Please confirm whether this is a known regression in v1.6.1‑beta
• Guidance on workaround or patch appreciated