diff --git a/include/cppkafka/buffer.h b/include/cppkafka/buffer.h
index 43e71a7c..821e182f 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/buffer.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/buffer.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <iosfwd>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include "macros.h"
+#include "exceptions.h"
 
 namespace cppkafka {
 
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ class CPPKAFKA_API Buffer {
     Buffer(const T* data, size_t size) 
     : data_(reinterpret_cast<const DataType*>(data)), size_(size) {
         static_assert(sizeof(T) == sizeof(DataType), "sizeof(T) != sizeof(DataType)");
+        if ((data_ == nullptr) && (size_ > 0)) {
+            throw Exception("Invalid buffer configuration");
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/buffer_test.cpp b/tests/buffer_test.cpp
index a709fafd..6659d3bb 100644
--- a/tests/buffer_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/buffer_test.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ TEST_CASE("conversions", "[buffer]") {
     const Buffer buffer(data);
     const Buffer empty_buffer;
 
+    SECTION("construction") {
+        CHECK_THROWS_AS(Buffer((const char*)nullptr, 5), Exception);
+    }
 
     SECTION("bool conversion") {
         CHECK(!!buffer == true);