diff --git a/boltease.go b/boltease.go
index fbc5089..c42dde1 100644
--- a/boltease.go
+++ b/boltease.go
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@ func (b *DB) GetBytes(path []string, key string) ([]byte, error) {
 		}
 		// newBkt should have the last bucket in the path
 		val := bkt.Get([]byte(key))
+		if val == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Couldn't find value")
+		}
 		ret = make([]byte, len(val))
 		copy(ret, val)
 		return nil