diff --git a/python/pyspark/streaming/context.py b/python/pyspark/streaming/context.py
index 17c34f8a1c54c..dd924ef89868e 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/streaming/context.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/streaming/context.py
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ def transform(self, dstreams, transformFunc):
         jdstreams = [d._jdstream for d in dstreams]
         # change the final serializer to sc.serializer
         func = TransformFunction(self._sc,
-                                 lambda t, *rdds: transformFunc(rdds).map(lambda x: x),
+                                 lambda t, *rdds: transformFunc(rdds),
                                  *[d._jrdd_deserializer for d in dstreams])
         jfunc = self._jvm.TransformFunction(func)
         jdstream = self._jssc.transform(jdstreams, jfunc)
diff --git a/python/pyspark/streaming/tests.py b/python/pyspark/streaming/tests.py
index 5b86c1cb2c390..71963b3c9d825 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/streaming/tests.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/streaming/tests.py
@@ -772,6 +772,12 @@ def func(rdds):
 
         self.assertEqual([2, 3, 1], self._take(dstream, 3))
 
+    def test_transform_pairrdd(self):
+        # This regression test case is for SPARK-17756.
+        dstream = self.ssc.queueStream(
+            [[1], [2], [3]]).transform(lambda rdd: rdd.cartesian(rdd))
+        self.assertEqual([(1, 1), (2, 2), (3, 3)], self._take(dstream, 3))
+
     def test_get_active(self):
         self.assertEqual(StreamingContext.getActive(), None)
 
diff --git a/python/pyspark/streaming/util.py b/python/pyspark/streaming/util.py
index abbbf6eb9394f..f34eea7b5c18f 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/streaming/util.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/streaming/util.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 import traceback
 
+from py4j.java_gateway import is_instance_of
+
 from pyspark import SparkContext, RDD
 
 
@@ -64,7 +66,14 @@ def call(self, milliseconds, jrdds):
             t = datetime.fromtimestamp(milliseconds / 1000.0)
             r = self.func(t, *rdds)
             if r:
-                return r._jrdd
+                # Here, we work around to ensure `_jrdd` is `JavaRDD` by wrapping it by `map`.
+                # org.apache.spark.streaming.api.python.PythonTransformFunction requires to return
+                # `JavaRDD`; however, this could be `JavaPairRDD` by some APIs, for example, `zip`.
+                # See SPARK-17756.
+                if is_instance_of(self.ctx._gateway, r._jrdd, "org.apache.spark.api.java.JavaRDD"):
+                    return r._jrdd
+                else:
+                    return r.map(lambda x: x)._jrdd
         except:
             self.failure = traceback.format_exc()