diff --git a/baseapp/msg_service_router.go b/baseapp/msg_service_router.go
index 22f76cbafa3c..ddbd3f8fe153 100644
--- a/baseapp/msg_service_router.go
+++ b/baseapp/msg_service_router.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type MessageRouter interface {
 	Handler(msg sdk.Msg) MsgServiceHandler
 	HandlerByTypeURL(typeURL string) MsgServiceHandler
 
-	ResponseNameByRequestName(msgName string) string
+	ResponseNameByRequestName(requestName string) string
 	HybridHandlerByMsgName(msgName string) func(ctx context.Context, req, resp protoiface.MessageV1) error
 }
 
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ func (msr *MsgServiceRouter) HybridHandlerByMsgName(msgName string) func(ctx con
 	return msr.hybridHandlers[msgName]
 }
 
-func (msr *MsgServiceRouter) ResponseNameByRequestName(msgName string) string {
-	return msr.responseByRequest[msgName]
+func (msr *MsgServiceRouter) ResponseNameByRequestName(requestName string) string {
+	return msr.responseByRequest[requestName]
 }
 
 func (msr *MsgServiceRouter) registerHybridHandler(sd *grpc.ServiceDesc, method grpc.MethodDesc, handler interface{}) error {
diff --git a/runtime/router.go b/runtime/router.go
index 03e73f5fdf1d..b2237be3d592 100644
--- a/runtime/router.go
+++ b/runtime/router.go
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ func (m *msgRouterService) InvokeUntyped(ctx context.Context, msg protoiface.Mes
 	if typ == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no message type found for %s", respName)
 	}
-	msgResp := reflect.New(typ.Elem()).Interface().(protoiface.MessageV1)
+	msgResp, ok := reflect.New(typ.Elem()).Interface().(protoiface.MessageV1)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not create response message %s", respName)
+	}
 
 	handler := m.router.HybridHandlerByMsgName(messageName)
 	if handler == nil {