diff --git a/lib/test.js b/lib/test.js
index 538cbcdd..d4b4b1cc 100644
--- a/lib/test.js
+++ b/lib/test.js
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ Test.prototype['throws'] = function (fn, expected, msg, extra) {
         fn();
     } catch (err) {
         caught = { error : err };
-        if (!isEnumerable(err, 'message') || !has(err, 'message')) {
+        if ((err != null) && (!isEnumerable(err, 'message') || !has(err, 'message'))) {
             var message = err.message;
             delete err.message;
             err.message = message;
diff --git a/test/throws.js b/test/throws.js
index 77273d43..31ab9a45 100644
--- a/test/throws.js
+++ b/test/throws.js
@@ -98,9 +98,11 @@ tap.test('failures', function (tt) {
            + 'ok 10 "message" is enumerable\n'
            + "ok 11 { custom: 'error', message: 'message' }\n"
            + 'ok 12 getter is still the same\n'
-           + '\n1..12\n'
-           + '# tests 12\n'
-           + '# pass  3\n'
+           + '# throws null\n'
+           + 'ok 13 throws null\n'
+           + '\n1..13\n'
+           + '# tests 13\n'
+           + '# pass  4\n'
            + '# fail  9\n'
         );
     }));
@@ -134,4 +136,10 @@ tap.test('failures', function (tt) {
         t.throws(function () { throw messageGetterError; }, "{ custom: 'error', message: 'message' }");
         t.equal(Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(messageGetterError, 'message').get, getter, 'getter is still the same');
     });
+
+    test('throws null', function (t) {
+      t.plan(1);
+      t.throws(function () { throw null; }, 'throws null');
+      t.end();
+    });
 });